Piper PA-48 Enforcer

1971

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Piper PA-48 Enforcer

The Piper PA-48 Enforcer is a turboprop-powered light close air support/ ground attack aircraft. It was an ultimate development of the original World War II North American P-51 Mustang. The Enforcer concept was originally created by Cavalier Aircraft in response to the US Air Force PAVE COIN program, but Cavalier did not have the political clout or manufacturing abilities to mass-produce the Enforcer, so the program was sold to Piper in 1970.

In 1971 Piper built two Enforcers by heavily modifying two existing P-51 Mustang aircraft and fitting them with Lycoming T55-L9A turboprop engines (along with numerous other significant modifications). One airframe was single seat (called the PE-1 and FAA registered N201PE) and the other was a dual-control aircraft (called the PE-2, registered N202PE). Prior to the PAVE COIN evaluation, N202PE was lost in a crash off the Florida Coast. Although the Enforcer performed well in PAVE COIN, Piper failed to secure a United States Air Force contract.

For another 8 years Piper lobbied Congress to force the USAF to officially re-evaluate the Enforcer. Eventually in the 1979 defense bill $11.9 million was allocated for Piper to build two new prototypes and for the USAF to perform another flight evaluation. Since the Enforcer was never in the Air Force inventory, it was not given an official military designation and did not receive an Air Force serial number. Instead, it carries the Piper designation PA-48 and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration numbers N481PE and N482PE.

By the time the PA-48s were completed, they shared less than ten percent of their structure with the P-51. The two PA-48s were tested during 1983 and 1984 at Eglin AFB, Florida, and Edwards AFB, California. As in the PAVE COIN tests of 1971, the PA-48s were found to perform well in their intended role, but the USAF again decided not to purchase any.

Of the prototype aircraft produced, three of the four still exist. The original PE-1 is disassembled and in storage. One of the PA-48s, N482PE, awaits restoration at Edwards Air Force Base. N481PE has been fully restored and resides in the 'Prototype Hangar' at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.

( Wikipedia )

Specification 
 ENGINE1 x Lycoming T55-L-9 turboprop, 1831kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight6350 kg13999 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan12.60 m41 ft 4 in
  Length10.40 m34 ft 1 in
  Height4.00 m13 ft 1 in
  Wing area37.9 m2407.95 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed650 km/h404 mph
  Ceiling11465 m37600 ft
  Range1480 km920 miles

Comments1-20 21-40
Ken Collinge, e-mail, 03.11.2009 05:27

I was with Lycoming, Stratford, and worked on the T55-L-9 that powered the two Piper PA-48 aircraft. I saw N481PE at the Air Force Museum in 1996. This report says N482PE is being restored but I recall it crashed in the Atlantic. When did that happen?

reply

Jim Tilburg, e-mail, 09.08.2008 02:49

I flew tactical test of this airplane at Eglin AFB. Would like to hear from interested parties about any future plans!

reply

1-20 21-40

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