Douglas XA-2
Douglas Aircraft · United States · first flew 1926 · bomber
The Douglas XA-2 was an American prototype attack aircraft converted from a Douglas O-2 observation aircraft in the spring of 1926.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.02 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane converted from a Douglas O-2 observation aircraft
- Inverted air-cooled V-12 Allison VG-1410 with the lower engine cowlings omitted for cooling
- Six forward-firing .30 machine guns: two in the nose and two each in the mid-upper and lower wings
An O-2 biplane with an uncowled inverted V-12 and a heavy forward-firing gun battery.
Specifications
- The Douglas XA-2 has a length of 9.02 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.09 m (40 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 210 km/h (130 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Douglas replaced the water-cooled Liberty engine of one O-2 with an inverted air-cooled Allison VG-1410. It carried six forward-firing guns, two flexible Lewis guns for the observer-gunner and a small bomb load of 100 lb.
Variants
Only one prototype was built, from O-2 serial 25-380.
Where you'll see it
It was evaluated against the Curtiss XA-3 and won the first competition. A second contest with Packard 1A-1500 engines was won by Curtiss, whose A-3 Attack Falcon served from 1928 to 1935. The XA-2 was not ordered.
Related aircraft
- Douglas C-118 Liftmaster
- Blackburn Ripon
- Blériot 127
- Boulton Paul Sidestrand
- Kawasaki Ka 87 (Army Type 87 Heavy Bomber)
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