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American Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II: XP-54, XP-55, AND XP-56

by Gerald H. Balzer, Specialty Press, North Branch, Minn., 2008, $39.95.

Veteran aviation historian Gerald H. Balzer chose three of World War II’s most fascinating American aircraft as the subject for his comprehensive new book. Those three airplanes—the Vultee XP-54, Curtiss XP-55 and Northrop XP-56—were the result of an attempt by the U.S. Army Air Corps to catch up to European fighter standards with its Request for Data R40-C.

Far more than a book about three odd-looking planes, this is a snapshot of America as it began to shake off the lethargy of the Great Depression and prepare for war. The Army Air Corps was small, but its leaders had not been stifled by the previous 20 years of tight budgets and restricted procurement. In – stead they were visionaries, able to see not only what needed to be done, but also to know how it could be done.

Balzer does not confine himself to the story of these three aircraft, but succinctly covers the Air Corps prior to 1940. He details the 26 submittals for R40-C from six different aircraft firms (seven, counting the two divisions of Curtiss) and shows how the competition was decided. Engines were often the limiting factor; he knowledgeably explains how and why various power plants posed problems.

A detailed chapter on each of the three winners follows, enhanced by an amazing series of photos and drawings that tell more about these airplanes than any previous source. This is the definitive book about the three aircraft, written in a readable, agreeable style that demonstrates the author’s mastery of the subject. Specialty Books has once again provided the public with a superb product that fills a void.

 

Originally published in the September 2009 issue of Aviation History. To subscribe, click here