Convair Model 48 Charger

[sferrin]

There seem to be several posts on this aircraft scattered amongst half a dozen threads, but no dedicated thread, so. . .

 

[Stargazer2006]

Wonderful! Thanks a lot for sharing this.

Despite being a great lover of the Bronco, I must say the Charger had amazing potential and great aesthetics too. Too bad it didn't get its chance.

It was also, I believe, the last new aircraft built under the name Convair (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). Even then the General Dynamics name was already painted on it and variously used instead of Convair.

The incredibly short landing run would have made it a great carrier-borne utility transport, for instance. It could also have served as a COIN type for foreign Armies.

 

[sferrin]

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Hi All -

On EPay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Convair-Model-48-Charger-General-Dynamics-Prototype-Airplane-Desk-Model-US-Army-/301405456283?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item462d2a479b

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Triton]

Nice find.

 

[Triton]

Winning bid:
US $217.50
[ 10 bids ]

 

[fightingirish]

Another model at SDASM Archives.
https://flic.kr/p/2ixfWGy https://flic.kr/p/2iynMdc

 

[allysonca]

Here's another variant of an in-house Convair Charger from my collection.

 

[VictorXL188]

Somewhere in my archive I have the original handout given at shows in the 1960s for the Charger. I must dig it out, scan it and post it up sometime! For now here's a cutaway.

 

[Michel Van]

another Video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3liOIGmUvQ

 

[FXXII]

Never even heard of this aircraft before! Fascinating design.

 

[cluttonfred]

This book is definitely worth it for anyone interested in the Charger.

Convair Model 48 Charger

For more than two years prior to the Navy issuing an RFP (Request for Proposal) in 1964, Convair engineers had been evaluating designs for use in the limited war and counter-insurgency arenas. These designs were evaluated by many military and civilian representatives of the armed forces and...

bookshop.org

 

[kocovgoce]

Guerrilla air combat concepts against the Soviet occupation of the western United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s also for fire support of helicopter landing but also for anti -armored combat

 

[cluttonfred]

Huh? My understanding from the book I cited above among other sources was that COIN was the primary mission of the Charger concept, which eventually led to the adoption of the OV-10 Bronco.

 

[kocovgoce]

Оne of the goals of the concept was guerrilla warfare but also support for infantry that will fight in Western Europe and Western part od U.S.A if they (soviets) succeed to somehow move across Alaska and Canada to West America with large Soviet mechanized units. And one of the reasons for the 106mm recoilless rifle on the Brоnco's hull was to get something like a nazi JU-87 dive bomber but to use recoilles rifle when airplane are diving , as some form of artillery support in the fight against tanks and bunkers.

 

[fightingirish]

Recently uploaded at the SDASM Archives on flickr and for me new pictures showing the General Dynamics/Convair Charger Model 48.
Link:
https://flic.kr/p/2kntLT9 View: https://flic.kr/p/2kntLT9

https://flic.kr/p/2knydn6 View: https://flic.kr/p/2knydn6

_________________________________________
Also some pictures posted by Ron Downey on his blog.

Convair Model 48 Charger Photos
A few photos of the proposed prototype light attack and observation aircraft Convair Model 48 Charger.

Download here or here or here or here (4.7 Megs).

Source: http://aviationarchives.blogspot.com/2021/01/convair-model-48-charger-photos.html

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

From
Operational Employment of the Convair Charger by E. E. Patrick, General Dynamics/Convair

Some interesting drawings.

 

[cluttonfred]

Very nice drawings! Note the short 27' wingspan on the Charger, though the revised model submitted to LARA had 30' wings. The OV-10 Bronco that we eventually got, which is still not a big aircraft, had a span of 40' so much less practical for the type of dispersed road use originally envisioned for both the COIN and conventional roles.

 

[kocovgoce]

Did this plane have armor