North American AJ (A-2) Wild History

The AJ Savage family of aircraft was a product supplied by North American Airlines for the U.S. Navy after World War II. By then, North America was already making a name for itself with the unforgettable World War II designs of the P-51 Mustang and B-25 Mitchell. The AJ Savage was no exception, designed to carry nuclear bombs and was the first North American attempt to produce a dedicated "strike" bomber for the U.S. Navy.

The system would serve for many years in the early and mid-Cold War years.

Since turbojet development was still in its infancy, it was fairly common to combine established piston engines with newly developed jet engines in the early days of the jet era. This was achieved in AJ Savage's development decision to provide additional power assistance by using two radial pistons and a turbojet at the rear. A large bomb bay holds up to 12,000 pounds of internal storage space, or - in other variants - the space can be used for specialized equipment as an aerial tanker or an aerial reconnaissance platform.

The system did not receive defensive weapons.

The XAJ-1 Savage prototype first flew on July 3, 1948. The system is a heavy attack bomber powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-44W piston engines (rated 2,400 hp) and a single Allison J33-A-10 turbojet (rated 4,600 lbs) . Piston engines are installed in traditional twin-engine bomber locations, one for each wing element, while turbojets are installed in the rear of the aircraft. The wings are of a high-wing monoplane design (foldable for carrier storage), with a single vertical tail assembly forming the tail feature. With all engines fired, the system can reach speeds in excess of 470 mph and have a range of up to 1,600 miles.

There are three employees in the crew quarters. Production AJ-1 models were fielded as early as 1949, although carrier service for the system did not begin until 1950. The USS Coral Sea is the first US Navy ship to begin receiving AJ-1 systems, of which approximately 140 have been delivered.

The

Savage airframe was also modified for other missions, one form becoming an aerial tanker (AJ-1) and another a AJ-2P - a photographic reconnaissance model. The AJ-2P appeared with an improved nose assembly with about 18 different camera systems installed, while other specialized equipment was housed in the fuselage. The AJ-2P system was an important part of the U.S.

Navy reconnaissance group in the early days of the Cold War.

The name change of the AJ-1 Savage series took place in 1962 and is now the A-2 Savage.

North American AJ (A-2) Savage Specification

Basic

Year:
1950
Staff:
3

Production

[143 units]:
North American Airlines - United States

Roles

- Ground Attack

- Naval/Navigation

Dimensions

Length:

62.99 ft (19.2 m)

Width:

21.8m

Height:

6.2m

Weight

Curb Weight:

12,500 kg

MTOW:

51,061 lb (23,161 kg)

(difference: +23,503 pt)

Performance

2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-44W radial engines, 2,400 hp each; 1 x Allison J33-A-1 turbojet, 4,600 lbs thrust.

Performance

Maximum Speed:

471 mph (758 km/h; 409 knots)

Service Limit:

42,979 ft (13,100 m; 8.14 mi)

Armor

Optional:

Up to 12,000 pounds of internal storage, including support for nuclear payloads.

Changes

AJ "Savage" - name of the base series

XAJ-1 - Prototype model name, where 3 prototypes were produced with 1 static test model.

AJ-1 - Original designation for base series production model; later renamed A-2A.

AJ-2 - Equipped with upgraded 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-48 radial engines and 1 x Allison J33-A-10; increased fuel capacity; increased vertical stabilizer; later renamed A-2B.

A-2A - Rename of the 1962 AJ-1 model.

A-2B - Rename of the 1962 AJ-2 model.

AJ-2P - A dedicated photographic reconnaissance aircraft based on the AJ-2 model.

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