Douglas XFD-1

10/31/2009. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "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 NAS 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."