
			      The P-56A Bullet
				     by
				 Joe Piazza


	In 1939 the USAAC invited the major aircraft companies to
submit designs for an unofficial competition for an unusual
fighter interceptor. Northrop's answer was the XP-56 Black Bullet.
It was a tailless pusher-prop design to be powered by a 2000 h.p. 
Pratt & Whitney R-2800-29 engine driving two coaxial contra-rotating
propellers and armed with two 20 mm cannons and four .50 cal. machine  
guns. This in combination with it's streamlined shape would have made 
the XP-56 both fast and devastating. Unfortunately the XP-56 was 
hampered by design problems and the project was eventually terminated.
	My hexxed version is an attempt to portray the XP-56 as it 
might have been if the project had been pursued. My theoretical 
production P-56A features a longer fuselage and small canards to aid 
stability.          
	My short theoretical history of the P-56 is as follows. After
the original disappointing results of the first prototype, Northrop
hired on a new engineer whose inspiration led to a redesign 
which proved to be just what the USAAC was looking for. The first 
P-56As were shipped to Europe just a few months after the P-51B Mustangs. 
Though faster, more manuverable, and better armed than almost any fighter 
in the ETO the P-56A met with only a lukewarm reception due to its 
skittish handling. Despite it's problems the P-56 proved very useful in            
both Europe and in the Pacific as the modified P-56B. The P-56 saw heavy 
action towards the end of the war since it offered a fast 480 mph top 
speed while still maitaining a longer escort range than the new P-80.
	Though eventually superseded by jet aircraft the P-56A served 
well against the Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. 

	Once again I would like to thank all the talented hexxers in 
SWOTL Group for thier assistance and invaluable modification aids.

							Thanks guys,
							     Joe
