Curtiss XP-60

The Curtiss XP-60 was an experimental fighter developed during World War II as a successor to the company's P-40 Warhawk. Curtiss proposed several configurations using different engines, including the Allison V-1710, Packard-built Merlin, and the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial in the XP-60E and XP-60C variants. Although the program promised improved performance, the design leaned too heavily on the established P-40 airframe and offered little real advantage over fighters already in mass production, such as the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang.

Persistent engine problems, shifting requirements, and disappointing test results undermined the effort, and the U.S. Army Air Forces declined to order it into production. Only a handful of prototypes were built. The XP-60 marked the end of Curtiss's attempts to keep its fighter line competitive, as the firm never produced another successful combat aircraft.