Warbird Information Exchange

What became of the #2 XF-11 airframe? Wiki says it was dropped from the USAF inventory in Nov 1949, but no history after that. Does it survive in some obscure/secret hangar or did it become beer cans?

44-70156 was apparently scrapped at Shepard AFB in 1948.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthre ... 397&page=4

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45-47=-2

Great find! If you like Mustangs, check out the rest of that thread - love the shot of the P-51A 43-62??? out in the weeds, P-82B 44-65170, and P-51D 44-74216 on the ramp.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

43-62??, perhaps 43-6251
http://static.rcgroups.net/forums/attac ... 4-P51A.jpg
http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/im ... 491/5151/4
http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/su ... al/43-6251

44-74216
http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/su ... l/44-74216

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45-47=-2

Interesting that Wiki claims:
"The airframe was transferred to Sheppard AFB, Texas, on 26 July 1949 for use as a ground maintenance trainer by the 3750th Technical Training Wing, and was dropped from the USAF inventory in November 1949."

Not at all discounting your information, just pointing out the discrepancy. Would the AF keep an airframe in inventory if it had been scrapped? Maybe there's a lag in "processing". Also, if it was scrapped at Sheppard in '48, Wiki's claim that it was transferred there in July of '49 is dubious.
Interesting! Is there more to this airframe than meets the eye? I've never read much of anything about it. All you hear about is the crash of the prototype. Anyone know of more in-depth history on the two XF-11s?
Thanks!

There's not a lot of history to the first prototype that isn't already known - that's the one Hughes crashed on the maiden flight while trying to make it to the golf course when one of the props went into a partial reverse pitch I believe. As I recall without looking this up, during the pre-flight testing they had some problems with the main gear doors bleeding open with the gear up, so I think Hughes' reaction to the emergency situation assumed this or a similar problem was occurring - there apparently was not any cockpit instrumentation indicating prop position (normal pitch versus reverse pitch) as opposed to the normal rpm indicator.

The second prototype in these photos successfully flew, was accepted by the USAF and flight tested in Florida before being sent to Sheppard. I have a book that was published with some of the USAF's pilot notes from this testing. I can't recall what the dates are for it's stay and scrapping at Sheppard, but that's where it ended up.

There was also in fact a 3rd airframe built by Hughes many people are not aware of. This was the stress test airframe that went to Wright-Pat and was tested to destruction during the same time period.

In Mike Machat's book on the Republic XR-12 and its competitor the Hughes XR-11 (World's Fastest Four-Engine Piston-Powered Aircraft), this is his version of the final disposition of the second XR-11 prototype after it was transferred to Sheppard AFB.

"... it did languish outdoors in the hot dusty Texas weather at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, where it had been delivered in November 1948 after being struck from the Air Force inventory. There, it served as a ground mule for various Air Force technical training schools located on base, but reports indicated that, in yet another blow to future aviation museum collections, the unused static-display aircraft became derelict from non-use, and was scrapped on site."

Randy

Somewhat surprised that Hughes "allowed" the destruction of airframe #2. Maybe he didn't have a say in the matter, if it was USAF property. Just seems that Hughes had personal attachments to all of "his" aircraft. I'm sure he had many other endeavors going on at that time or simply lost interest once a contract didn't materialize. Really interesting the pieces of info that one is able to dig up on the internet. Thanks everyone!