Douglas XFD-1

10/31/2009. In the spring of 1932 the Bureau of Aeronautics issued its Design No.113 calling for a two-seat carrier-based biplane fighter. Seven manufacturers, including the Douglas Aircraft Company, submitted designs and, in June 1932, Douglas and Vought were each selected to build a prototype.

Designed under the supervision of J. Kindelberger and A. Raymond, the XFD-l was a two-seat externally-braced fabric-covered metal biplane, powered by a 700 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1535-64 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial. Armament consisted of two forward-firing 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine-guns mounted in the engine cowling and one hand-held 0.30 in machine-gun in the rear cockpit.

Completed in January 1933, the aircraft was test flown by Eddie Allen, and subsequently delivered to NAS Anacostia for competitive trials with the Vought XF3U-1, and Service Acceptance Trials took place at Anacostia between 18 June, 1933, and 14 August, 1934. Despite displaying excellent flying characteristics, the Navy had lost interest in the two-seat fighter c1ass and the XFD-l was not proceeded with, and it was returned to Douglas.

Eventually in 1936 the aircraft was fitted with a 750 hp Wright 1820-F53 nine-cylinder radial and offered for export as a two-seat scout bomber. However, the aircraft was by then obsolete as a combat aircraft and, as no customer could be found, was handed over to Pratt & Whitney to be used as an engine test-bed.