The Atlantic-Fokker XA-7 was built in response to a U.S. Army request for a new aircraft designed from scratch for the attack role rather than as a conversion of an existing type (like the Curtiss Falcon series of attack planes). The Atlantic-Fokker company was formed by Anthony Fokker (the first company president) in 1924. The aircraft built by the company were known as Atlantic or Atlantic-Fokker types until General Motors bought the firm in 1930 and changed the name to General Aviation. By the time the XA-7 was completed, the company had changed, so the XA-7 is often referred to as the General Aviation XA-7.
The XA-7 was an all-metal, low-wing monoplane design with dual open cockpits arranged in tandem. It was powered by the liquid-cooled Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror V-12 engine. The XA-7 had thick internally braced wings and non-retractable landing gear covered by large wheel pants. Armament, as designed, consisted of four forward firing .30-cal. machine guns and one flexible .30-cal. machine gun for the gunner-observer in the aft cockpit. A small bomb load of about 500 pounds could also be carried. The XA-7 was tested, at least initially, without armament installed.
The XA-7 was in competition with the Curtiss XA-8, and both aircraft began flight testing in mid-1931. When the Air Corps evaluation was complete, the Curtiss XA-8 was declared the winner and a small production contract was awarded. Only one XA-7 was built and it was eventually scrapped after testing was complete.
Type
Number built/
converted
Remarks
XA-7
1
Low-wing monoplane design
TECHNICAL NOTES: Armament: Designed for four forward-firing .30-cal. machine guns and one flexible .30-cal. machine gun for the rear gunner, plus provisions for 488 lbs. of bombs mounted on wing racks Engine:Curtiss V-1570-27 Conqueror of 600 hp Maximum speed: 184 mph Cruising speed: Approx. 150 mph
Range: Approx. 500 miles Service ceiling: Approx. 19,000 ft. Span: 46 ft. 9 in. Length: 31 ft. 0 in. Height: 9 ft. 5 in. Weight: 5,650 lbs. gross takeoff weight Crew: Two (pilot and observer/rear gunner) Serial number: 30-22
