military-aircraft-aj

Designed to meet a US Navy requirement for a carrier borne strike bomber at a time when the fuel consumption of turbojets was prodigiously high, the NA-146 design was planned round two 2,100-hp R-2800-44W radial piston engine for long range and, in the tail, a single 4,200-lb thrust J33-A-19 turbojet for dash performance. The first of three XAJ-1 prototypes flew in July 1948, and the 40 production AJ-1s entered service from September 1949 as nuclear capable aircraft. The AJ-1s were followed by 70 examples of the AJ-2 with more fuel, reduced span, and revised tail surface. The first of these flew in February 1953. The type was preceded by the reconnaissance AJ-2P. This had five cameras in a modified nose, and the first of 30 flew in March 1952. In the later 1950s, the AJ-1 and AJ-2 were generally converted as in-flight refueling tankers with a hose and drogue unit replacing the turbojet.

Description	Specifications
Manufacturer: North American	Length: 65 ft. 1 in.
First Flight: July 1948	Height: 21 ft. 5 in.
Model: 2	Wing Span: 71 ft. 5 in.
Crew: Three	Wing Area:
Nickname: Savage	Empty Weight: 27,558 lb.
Basic Role: Carrier borne strike bomber.	Max. Weight: 55,000 lb.
Other Versions: AJ-1 initial model, later A-2A. AJ-2 upgraded model, later A-2B. AJ-2P photo reconnaissance model.	Armament: An unraveled weight of free fall bombs.
Principal User: USA.	Propulsion
Performance	Power Plant: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-48W Double Wasp radial piston engines, and one Allison J33-A-10 turbojet.
Range: 1,700 miles.	Horsepower: 2,400-hp. / 4,600-lb thrust
Max. Speed: 425 mph. at optimum altitude.	No. Of Engines: Two
Ceiling: 30,000 ft.
Climb Rate: 7,200 ft. per minute.