The Unconventional Fisher P-75 Eagle

The U.S. Army Air Forces took a gamble on this hodgepodge aircraft, which later proved to be a poor bet.

Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 06:58 AM ET

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Sporting F4U Corsair main landing gear and a number of components from other aircraft, the P-75 Eagle was a hodgepodge of parts and ideas. [Photo: Jason McDowell]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Army Air Forces commissioned the unconventional Fisher P-75 Eagle in 1942, designed by auto manufacturer Fisher Body (a GM subsidiary) instead of an established aircraft company.
The aircraft featured a complex, experimental centrally-mounted W-24 engine with contra-rotating propellers and attempted to incorporate components from various existing aircraft to simplify production.
Initial flight testing revealed serious aerodynamic and mechanical problems, including stability issues, engine overheating, and failure to meet specified horsepower.
Due to these persistent issues, the military canceled the P-75 contract shortly after production began, having completed only 14 prototypes and production aircraft, with most later scrapped.

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In early 1942, the U.S. Army Air Forces wanted to add a high-performance fighter/interceptor to the fleet. Rather than opting for a modified version of an existing aircraft like the P-51 Mustang or P-38 Lightning, they ultimately decided to take a gamble on a wholly unconventional aircraft designed and produced by an auto manufacturer using unconventional design philosophies.

This aircraft became known as the Fisher P-75 Eagle and proved to be a poor bet in more ways than one.