The Vultee XP-54 was one of three unconventional 'parasite' fighter designs commissioned by the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1939-40 to explore radical configurations for high-altitude interception. Its twin-boom, pusher-propeller layout and tricycle landing gear were highly advanced for the era. Only two prototypes were built; this aircraft, serial 41-1210, was nicknamed 'Swoose Goose.' Persistent engine development problems ultimately doomed the program, and the XP-54 never reached production, but it remains a striking example of American wartime experimentation in fighter design. Project: 218462