Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly

The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly was a World War II-era ground attack aircraft, developed by Beechcraft but was never put into production. It was intended to replace the Douglas A-20 Havoc and could hit hardened targets LIKE tanks and bunkers, as well as attack coastal shipping. For this, it was fitted with a forward-firing 75 mm cannon to penetrate heavily armored targets, plus two .50 cal M2 Browning machine guns in the nose. Defensive armament consisted of remotely controlled ventral and dorsal turrets, each armed with twin .50 cal machine guns, operated by an observer/gunner in the rear cabin.

The first prototype flew on 7 May 1944, but testing established that the type would not be ready for the projected invasion of Japan. It featured Wright R-3350 engines already in use with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, which had priority. Consequently, the XA-38 was canceled after a second prototype had been completed, and no production was ordered.

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Jim Goodrich

Jim Goodrich is a pilot, aviation expert and founder of Tsunami Air.

What is the Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly?

The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly was a World War II-era ground attack aircraft. The USAAF awarded Beech the contract to develop two prototypes of the Model 28, not as a bomber-destroyer but as a ground-attack aircraft, designated Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly. Beech Aircraft Corporation built the most robust ground attack aircraft of World War II - the XA-38 Grizzly, which was fitted with a forward-firing 75 mm cannon.

The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly was a twin-engine ground attack and light bomber aircraft. The XA-38 was a two-place, mid-wing aircraft with a slim fuselage and twin tails, and it was intended to replace the Douglas A-20 Havoc. The Grizzly was armed with a 2.95 inch cannon (75 mm) and six 12.7 mm machine guns (0.50-caliber). The 2.95 inch cannon with 20 rounds was mounted in a fixed position in the nose with two 12.7 mm forward firing machine guns. Defensive armament consisted of twin .50 cal machine guns in remote controlled ventral and dorsal turrets. The airplane was manned by two crew members, a pilot and an observer/gunner in the rear cabin, using periscope sights to aim the guns.

The XA-38 used two Wright R-3350 engines. The engines make about 2,300 horsepower, and turn three-blade propellers of 4.32 meters (14.17 feet). The XA-38 had a top speed of about 604 kilometers per hour (375 miles per hour), and its mass was 14,515 kilograms (32,000 pounds). It was faster than the A-20 Havoc, and as fast as the A-26 Invader, but it was heavier than the A-20 because of its armor and big gun. The XA-38 had armor for the pilot and sealed gas containers. While the first prototype flew on 7 May 1944, testing established that the type was not ready for the projected invasion of Japan. Consequently, the XA-38 never entered production and was canceled after a second prototype had been completed.

What are the specifications of the Beechcraft Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly?

The specifications of the Beechcraft Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly are given in the table below.

The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly seats two, an observer/gunner and a pilot. The aircraft is 51.9 feet (15.8 meters) long, 15.6 feet (4.8 meters) high, with a wingspan of 67.4 feet (20.5 meters) and a wing area of 626 square feet (58.2 square meters). The empty weight of the aircraft is 22,480 pounds (10,197 kilograms), and the maximum takeoff weight is 35,265 pounds (15,996 kilograms). The Grizzly is powered by two Wright R-3350-43 air-cooled radial engines, each producing 2,300 horsepower.

The maximum speed is 370 mph (595 km/h), with a range of 1,625 miles (2,615 km), a service ceiling of 29,000 feet (8,839 m), and a rate of climb of 2,600 feet per minute (792 m/min). For armament, the aircraft was envisioned with a T15E1 75 mm (2.95 in) cannon with 20 rounds mounted on the nose, and six 12.7 mm (0.50 in) M2 Browning machine guns. The six machine guns include two forward-facing, two in a ventral turret, and two in a dorsal turret. The 75 mm (2.95 inch) cannon fires one round every three seconds, which is a rate of fire of 20 shots per minute (0.33 shots per second).

What is the performance Beechcraft Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly?

The performance of the Beechcraft Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly is given in the table below.

The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly has a maximum speed of 370 mph (595 km/h) at 17,000 ft. At sea level, maximum speed is 330 mph (531 km/h), and at 5,000 ft it is 348 mph (560 km/h). Cruise speed at sea level is 289 mph (465 km/h), and at 16,000 ft it is 350 mph (563 km/h) at 75% throttle. The range is 2,615 km (1,625 mi) at 362 km/h, or 1,200 km (745 mi) at 465 km/h. Service ceiling is 29,000 ft (8,840 m), and climb rate is 2,600 ft/min (792 m/min).

At 3,100 ft (945 m), maximum speed is 376 mph (605 km/h). The XA-38 was capable of speeds up to 604 km/h (375 mph) at a gross takeoff weight of 14,515 kg (32,000 pounds). On one flight, it attained 376.5 mph (605.9 km/h) using war emergency power. Climb rate was also reported as 2,170 fpm, with a service ceiling of 27,800 ft (8,475 m).

How do the XA-38 Grizzly and Model 38P Lightning differ?

The Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly and the Beechcraft Model 38P Lightning differ because the Grizzly was meant to strike targets on the ground and had the job of chasing enemy planes. The Model 38P Lightning is a prototype tested in the 1980s and its planned mission is a commuter plane.

The Grizzly has a crew of two, a pilot and an observer-gunner, and it has a fastest speed of 370 miles per hour (595 kilometers per hour), a range of about 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers), and a service ceiling of about 5.5 miles (8.85 kilometers). The Model 38P Lightning is a twin-engine plane, and it has a small tail and retractable landing part. It has two Pratt and Whitney PT6A40 propeller jet motors, each making 550 horsepower. The Model 38P Lightning has four M2 .50 (12.7 mm) guns and a 20mm (0.79 in) cannon in the nose, plus bombs. Development had a setback because of bad economy, an economic downturn in America happened in the late 1980s.