Testing and Evaluation
Undertaking its maiden flight on 22 December 1936 at Mines Field, company test flying indicated a number of minor problems. Modifications resolving these resulted in the aircraft being re-designated NA-39, and, accepted by the U.S. Army Air Corps as the XB-21. The aircraft, which had been assigned the serial number 38-485, was evaluated early the following year in competition against a similar design by Douglas Aircraft, an improved version of the company's successful B-18 Bolo.
During the course of the fly-off, the gun turrets proved troublesome, their drive motors proving to be underpowered, and issues with wind blast through the gun slots were also encountered. As a result of these problems, the XB-21's nose turret was faired over, while the dorsal turret was removed.
The XB-21 proved to have superior performance over its competitor, but price became the primary factor distinguishing the Bolo and the XB-21. On this account, the modified B-18 was declared the winner of the competition, Douglas quoting a price per aircraft of $64,000 USD, while North American's estimate was $122,000 USD per aircraft, and an order was placed for 177 of the Douglas aircraft, to be designated B-18A.
Despite this, the Army Air Corps found the performance of the XB-21 to have been favorable enough to order five pre-production aircraft, to be designated YB-21. However, soon after this contract was awarded, it was cancelled, and none of the YB-21s were ever built, leaving the XB-21 as the sole example of the type ever constructed. Operated by North American Aviation, the XB-21 served as a research aircraft until its retirement.
Read more about this topic: North American XB-21
Famous quotes containing the words testing and/or evaluation:
“Is this testing whether I’m a replicant or a lesbian, Mr. Deckard?”
—David Webb Peoples, U.S. screenwriter, and Ridley Scott. Rachel, Blade Runner, being tested to determine if she is human or machine (1982)
“Evaluation is creation: hear it, you creators! Evaluating is itself the most valuable treasure of all that we value. It is only through evaluation that value exists: and without evaluation the nut of existence would be hollow. Hear it, you creators!”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)