Hughes XF-11

Klaatu83, e-mail, 24.09.2012 15:14 The photos show the second prototype, which was built without the contra-rotating propellers which caused Hughes so much trouble. The reversal of pitch of one of those contra-rotating props caused the crash of the first prototype, nearly killing Hughes. There was no relation between the P-38 and this aircraft, except for the fact that they shared the same basic twin-boom configuration. The F-11 was not a fighter, it was specifically designed to be a long-range, high-altitude, high-speed photo-reconnaissance platform. Apart from everything else, with a take-off weight of over 58,000 pounds, it would have been far to big and heavy ever to have been a fighter. I suppose the most appropriate comparison would be to say that this was aircraft was meant to have been the SR-71 of the 1940s. The only other aircraft built to meet the AAF specification for which Hughes designed the XF-11 was the equally spectacular Republic XF-12 Rainbow, which was an even larger four-engine aircraft. reply

norb, e-mail, 18.02.2011 04:30 Why does every nut keep on harping on it being a redesign of a p38 which was a awwaaaii fighter aircraft and a good one two. This aircraft was not designed to be a fighter! It is a high altitude recon air craft with long range capability. It was slow reaction to changes in the control surfaces and tended to slop and slide if pushed in aerobatics because of small control surfaces at low altitudes would never lend it to combat. It is a single purpose design --recon. reply

Noprb, e-mail, 02.10.2010 07:35 The P38 saw limited use as a recon plane and had in those planes a camera mounted in the nose of the center section but is was NOT A LONG RANGE RECON plane nor cvould it fly as high. reply

+odd Eaton, e-mail, 18.12.2008 03:48 This had the longest range (5,000 mi.) highest service cieling (45,000 ft.) highest multi-engine unofficial speed (480 mph w /CR hydromatic props) and with external fuel had the greatest time aloft potencial of any piston engined aircraft made, it was an elitist dream come true! reply

Nathan Mofield, e-mail, 14.07.2008 03:04 How did the original counter rotating props work? Like so maney of Lockheeds airframes this bird was long and sleek> I love it reply

Maguire, 10.06.2008 15:56 Although this plane was great at high altimtudes it had poor low speed and low altitude performance. It couldn't have been used as a fighter because of its small ailerons and slow turn rate. It was designed from the D-2 to be a recon plane, nothing else. reply

barry4900, e-mail, 17.04.2008 10:52 Obviously related to or inspired U-2 & SR-1 type operations reply

3VI, e-mail, 15.12.2007 12:08 It could be an excellent recon plane, maybe not a fighter and it would not to be. Howard Hughes frequently said P-38 was an unauthorized copy of his original project (the D-2 Convoy Protector fighter), but Kelly Johnson at Lockheed started early on 1937 to design his more lucky creature. reply

Sgt.KAR98, 20.10.2007 01:35 This plane is beautiful! Looks like an advanced P-38!Dunno why it wasn�t used as a fighter... reply

Vilmar Moccelin, e-mail, 16.10.2007 15:56 Joris, the XF-11 is twice the weight and is twice the size of the P-38... The performance of the XF-11 in hi altitude is superior and the range of the Huges is far superior. And it isn't a fighter, is the father of the U-2 and SR-71. reply

Johnny Wickham, e-mail, 14.09.2007 19:52 Howard Hughes was a nut case, a gifted pilot & designer and probaly a genious, but still a nut case. reply

Joris Van den Berghe, e-mail, 21.02.2007 12:36 It looks a little like a P-38 Lightning. Why should they design such a beast if the P-38 was able to do the same job? reply