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Vultee V-11 attack/light bomber

The V-11 was a light low-level attack plane built for the export market in the late 1930's, based on the V-1 light commercial airliner. It was originally a two seat plane with a light internal bomb load (roughly similar to the more successful Northrop A-17). However, the V-11GB added a third crewman (a dedicated bombardier in the rear of the fuselage, below the observer/gunner, who also manned a ventral gun; he also had glass panels in the floor and sides for added observation). It also could carry an external bomb load (for level bombing missions) of up to 1,200 lbs.

The V-11 was a highly vulnerable plane in combat, lacking protection for the crew and fuel tanks (although most American combat planes of the period also lacked these features). Turkey ordered 40 V-11GB's (1937) and Brazil ordered 18 (1938), plus eight fitted with twin floats. Total production of all versions of the V-11/12 exceeded 140 planes and may have reached 190, depending on how many of the V-12D were actually assembled in India.

The V-11GB had a crew of three: pilot, bombardier/gunner, and observer/gunner. It uses 33.6 gallons of aviation fuel per hour.

Subassemblies: Heavy Fighter Body +3, Medium Fighter-Bomber Wings +3, three retractable wheels +0
P&P: 746 kW aerial HP gasoline engine w/746-kW aerial propeller, 300 gallons aviation gasoline in standard fuel tanks [Wings]
Occ: 3 CS Cargo: None.

Armor

All: 2/3

Weaponry
4xAircraft LMG/Browning M-2 [Wing:F] (250 each)
Aircraft LMG/Browning M-2 [Body:B] (500)
Aircraft LMG/Browning M-2 [Body:B] (500)

Equipment
Body: long range radio transmitter and receiver, bombsight, navigational instruments, 600-lb bomb bay. Wings: 600-lb hardpoint each

Statistics

HT: 8
HP: 260 [body], 165 [each wing]; 24 [each wheel]

Stall: 75 mph. -4 mph per loaded hardoint

Design Notes
Design speed was 245 mph. Wing cost, weight and HP were divided by two. Loaded weight was increased 18%. The historical wing area (384 sq/ft) have been used. Loaded weight and performance statistics assumes no internal bomb load and fully loaded hardpoints. With empty hardpoints and a loaded bay, speed increases to 229 mph, stall drops to 72 mph, aMR is 5.5, aDecel is 21 and weight is 5.34 tons.

For ground attack missions, it carried twenty 30-lb bombs in its internal drop chutes. For level bombing missions it carried four 300-lb or two 500-lb bombs.

Variants:
The V-1A (1933) seated a crew of two and eight passengers. It was of similar size to the V-11 (with slightly smaller wings). It used a 546-kW engine to reach 235 mph. Loaded weight was 5.25 tons. Only 25 were built (including the prototype). A very small number (less than ten) saw use as light bombers in the Spanish Civil War on both sides.

The V-11G (1937) seated two and China purchased 30 for use against Japan.

The BSh-1 (1937) was a Soviet license-built version. Over 30 (possibly up to 36) were built, adding armor protection for the crew and self-sealing tanks. However, this degraded performance below what was considered acceptable for combat and the planes were converted into unarmed PS-43 mail panes.

The only version used by the US were based on the V-11GB, called the YA-19. Seven were delivered for evaluation in 1939. The XA-19A and XA-19B each tested more powerful engines. However, by the time the US had decided that all land-based attack planes would be twin-engined and already had a number of similar Northrup A-17's, so took no further interest in the type.

The V-12 (1939) was an improved version with a 783-kW engine. The V-12C (1940) was bought by China, replacing two of the .30-cal wing guns with .50-cal M-2 Brownings (Long Aircraft HMGs). Internal bomb load was increased to 1,080 lbs. Speed was 243 mph in the attack role and 222 mph in the level bomber role. Twenty-five were built under license, plus one pattern aircraft. The V-12D (1941) introduced a much more powerful 1,193-kW engine, producing 281 mph in the attack role and 270 mph in the level bomber role. The wing guns were replaced by a single Long Aircraft HMG and Aircraft LMG in the nose. Two planes were delivered to China, as well as the parts to assemble 50 more. However, as Chinese positions were overrun by the Japanese, the parts were sent to India and it is unknown how many of these 50 were actually assembled or used, although it may have been as few as three.