Ryan XF2R Dark Shark

The Ryan XF2R Dark Shark was an American experimental aircraft built for the United States Navy that combined turboprop and turbojet propulsion.

It was based on Ryan Aeronautical’s earlier FR Fireball but replaced the Fireball’s piston engine with a turboprop engine.

The XF2R Dark Shark was based on Ryan Aeronautical’s earlier FR Fireball but replaced the Fireball’s piston engine with a General Electric T31 turboprop engine driving a 4-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller.

The turboprop made for much improved performance over the Fireball, but the Navy showed little interest in it; by that time, they had abandoned the idea of the combination fighter and were instead looking into all-jet fighters.

The United States Air Force, however, showed a little more interest; they were at the time evaluating the Convair XP-81 of similar concept, and asked Ryan to modify the XF2R to use the Westinghouse J34 turbojet instead of the General Electric J31 used previously.

Modifications to the prototype created the XF2R-2, with the jet intakes moved to the sides of the forward fuselage with NACA ducts instead of the inlets in the wing leading edge used before.

Although the Dark Shark proved to be a capable aircraft, it never progressed beyond the prototype stage; all-jet aircraft were considered superior.

Specifications

Crew

1 Length

36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)

Wingspan

42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)

Height

14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)

Wing area

305 sq ft (28.3 m²)

Airfoil

Root

NACA 65-117 a=1.

Tip

NACA 65-115 a=.5

Gross weight

11,000 lb (4,990 kg)

Powerplant

1 × General Electric T31 turboprop engine,

1,760 shp (1,310 kW)

Powerplant

1 × General Electric J31 centrifugal-flow turbojet engine,

1,600 lbf (7.1 kN) thrust

Propellers

4-bladed constant-speed fully feathering propeller

Performance

Maximum speed

497 mph (800 km/h, 432 kn) at sea level

Service ceiling

39,100 ft (11,900 m)

Rate of climb

4,850 ft/min (24.6 m/s)

Wing loading

36.1 lb/sq ft (176 kg/m²)

Armament

Guns

4 × .50-inch (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns

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Ryan XF2R Dark Shark

The Ryan XF2R Dark Shark was an American experimental aircraft built for the United States Navy that combined turboprop and turbojet propulsion.

It was based on Ryan Aeronautical’s earlier FR Fireball but replaced the Fireball’s piston engine with a turboprop engine.

The XF2R Dark Shark was based on Ryan Aeronautical’s earlier FR Fireball but replaced the Fireball’s piston engine with a General Electric T31 turboprop engine driving a 4-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller.

The turboprop made for much improved performance over the Fireball, but the Navy showed little interest in it; by that time, they had abandoned the idea of the combination fighter and were instead looking into all-jet fighters.

The United States Air Force, however, showed a little more interest; they were at the time evaluating the Convair XP-81 of similar concept, and asked Ryan to modify the XF2R to use the Westinghouse J34 turbojet instead of the General Electric J31 used previously.

Modifications to the prototype created the XF2R-2, with the jet intakes moved to the sides of the forward fuselage with NACA ducts instead of the inlets in the wing leading edge used before.

Although the Dark Shark proved to be a capable aircraft, it never progressed beyond the prototype stage; all-jet aircraft were considered superior.

Specifications

Crew

1

Length

36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)

Wingspan

42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)

Height

14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)

Wing area

305 sq ft (28.3 m2)

Airfoil

Root

NACA 65-117 a=1.

Tip

NACA 65-115 a=.5

Gross weight

11,000 lb (4,990 kg)

Powerplant

1 × General Electric T31 turboprop engine,

1,760 shp (1,310 kW)

Powerplant

1 × General Electric J31 centrifugal-flow turbojet engine,

1,600 lbf (7.1 kN) thrust

Propellers

4-bladed constant-speed fully feathering propeller

Performance

Maximum speed

497 mph (800 km/h, 432 kn) at sea level

Service ceiling

39,100 ft (11,900 m)

Rate of climb

4,850 ft/min (24.6 m/s)

Wing loading

36.1 lb/sq ft (176 kg/m2)

Armament

Guns

4 × .50-inch (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns

305 sq ft (28.3 m²)

36.1 lb/sq ft (176 kg/m²)