XB-42 & XB-43 Mix and Jetmaster Pictures

[Mark Nankivil]

Hi Scott -

I don't know for a fact but I would bet Muroc for the hangar location.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

[Second Air Force]

I thought Muroc also, Mark, but I've been proven wrong before. The current overhead shots of the field don't help as I can't find any trace of that building type, but everything has been redeveloped since WWII.

Scott

[jdvoss]

Mark, Scott:

Some of the pictures may well have been taken at Palm Springs CA...especailly the sole color image. Palm Springs was an USAAF AAB as well as a Douglas fight test facility.

[Pat Carry]

When the skilled crtaftsmen at the museum get around to restoring these 2 aircraft, they are going to look too kool!!!!!!!

[TAdan]

TADan:

Great shots indeed!! I am curious as to which of the five WWII era Douglas Plants produced these prototype aircraft. I have the feeling that it was either Santa Monica or Long Beach. Would you by chance have taken another photgraph that captures aircraft type & S/N that is stenciled under the left cockpit? If it's something like XB-42-DO it's Santa Monica, if XB-42-DL it's Long Beach.

Thanks,
John

John, how is this? I dont think it shows where it was built though.

[The Inspector]

I'll bet the piece of structure strapped in the weapons bay is part of one of the wing to body flap track fairings/landing gear covers, and second AF, show him a picture of an F-104 gear, or the 'pushmepullyou' 337.

[jdvoss]

TAdan:

Thanks so much for posting the photo of the stenciled ID. Seems unusual that the plant location was not included in the A/C type. Perhaps it was a wartime security measure

John

[Second Air Force]

TAdan:

Thanks so much for posting the photo of the stenciled ID. Seems unusual that the plant location was not included in the A/C type. Perhaps it was a wartime security measure

John

I'm not sure if other manufacturer's prototypes had plant location information on the data blocks or not. That's an interesting research project.

[bercr]

XB-42 and XB-43 are among my favourites planes (all the rare US military experimental and prototypes of the late 40's and 50's are my favourite planes...)

I hope there will be soon a "Bible" on XB-42 and 43 published by Specialty Press like the one of Gerald Balzer on XP-54, XP-55 and XP-56...

Mike Machat future book by Specialty Press will be on Hughes XF-11 and Republic XF-12...

Who will write the book on XB-42 and XB/YB-43 ??

[The Inspector]

If you go to the DC-8 fans website and dig a bit, you'll find a couple artists renditions of a twin ALLISON powered DC-8 'SkyBus' sitting in front of the terminal @ Glendale's GRAND CENTRAL Terminal. It was going to be a 38 seat, twin V-1710 powered airliner post war, engines up front and very long driveshafts to the aft props.

An original DC-9 proposal was a turboprop 4 engined design ala VISCOUNT, and you'd flip over the proposed DC-9 COD bird with folding wings and a hook!

[dane]

The wing gun turret looks cool, but I bet it caused a lot of drag if it was ever really used! Dane

[SmokeyJ]

That photo is at the Muroc Lake Test Center, later known as Edwards AFB. It is classic "Heavy Bombardment type HANG P-A" although there is a lot of detail variability in them 'as built'.