Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie

Ernie, are you talking about the XP-49 and later XP-58 "Chain Lightning"? Neither one got past a single prototype since, with the XP-49, the planned new engines were never produced past prototypes and it later "belly landed", badly damaging the plane. It was later used for structural testing and scrapped. The Chain Lightning was doomed from the beginning due to it's size, lack of the planned engines and overall complexity. Planned as a "bomber killer", it could fly high and, as originally planned, fast. The Pentagon then decided the plane's size would allow more and larger weapons, resulting in the dramatic slowing of the plane due to the increased weight. After the war started to favor the allies, the Pentagon decided the plane wasn't needed in the planned roll so it was redesigned as a ground support plane. It's size made it too vulnerable for such a roll and, after much debate, the project was cancelled