XB-53
The forward swept wing XB-53 was designed by Convair based on German research data captured in WWII. The XB-53 was originally intended as an attack aircraft to be known as the XA-44. The wings would be forward swept at a 30 degree angle with an 8 degree dihedral. The wing, which also functioned as the horizontal stabilizer, was situated at the aft portion of the fuselage. Pitch and roll adjustments were made with wing mounted control surfaces. The XB-53 featured elevators on the inboard wing and ailerons on the outboard. The wingtips also functioned as variable incidence control surfaces. It's turbojet engines were concealed in the fuselage.
The XB-53 had a weight capacity of 60,000 lbs. and a range of 2000 miles. It's three General Electric J35 engines propelled the craft to 580 mph and allowed it to carry up to 12,000 lbs. of bombs.
Funding for the XA-44/XB-53 project originally came from development funds for the XB-46. The Air Force debated canceling the XB-46 altogether but eventually a compromise was struck. Corvair built one stripped down XB-46 and planned on building two XA-44s instead of the XB-46s left on the contract.
Although the two aircraft were ordered (S/N 45-59583/4) the program was scrapped before they could be completed and delivered.
