Convair Model 48 Charger
The Convair Model 48 Charger was a prototype light attack and observation aircraft from the United States, built in the 1960s to meet a need for a low-cost counter-insurgency aircraft that could operate close to the battlefield. It was a two-seat, twin-boom plane powered by two turboprop engines. Only one Charger prototype was built, and it turned out to be the last complete Convair aircraft.
Origins and concept: In the late 1950s, Marines envisioned a small, inexpensive aircraft that could provide close air support from roads near combat zones. This idea, later called Light Light Marine Attack Aircraft (L2VMA), drew interest from the Army as well. In 1961 Convair started studies into counter-insurgency aircraft, and by 1963 the requirements were merged into a tri-service plan called Light Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (LARA), intended for the Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and potential exports. Nine manufacturers responded, including Convair, which submitted the Model 48 Charger in 1964.
What it looked like and how it worked: The Charger was a twin-boom monoplane with a fiberglass nose, rear fuselage, and wingtips, and an aluminum main structure. It used two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 engines driving three-bladed propellers. Its wings were relatively short, which meant much of the wing was in the propeller slipstream. This was exploited by full-span flaps and leading-edge slats to deflect the slipstream and help with low-speed lift, improving takeoff and landing performance. The outer flaps partly served as ailerons, with spoilers used at low speeds. A large all-moving tailplane connected to the fins at the ends of the tailbooms provided stability. The cockpit seated the pilot and observer in tandem under a sliding canopy, and there was a rear cargo bay with a tail that could hinge open to carry up to 2,000 lb of cargo, a PT6 engine, or five paratroopers (a sixth could sit in the observer’s seat in tight spaces).
Armament and options: The Charger carried four 7.62 mm machine guns in pods on the sides of the fuselage. It could also carry up to 2,000 lb of external stores, including bombs, rockets, and gun pods, on underwing and fuselage hardpoints. For amphibious use, it could be fitted with two large floats.
Development and testing: Convair began building the Charger as a private venture while the LARA competition proceeded. In August 1964 the Navy announced North American Aviation’s design, the NA-300 (which would become the OV-10 Bronco), as the winner. The Marines and Air Force, however, favored the Charger and objected to the Navy’s decision, so Convair continued with the prototype. The Charger’s first flight was on 25 November 1964. After initial testing, it was modified to increase wingspan and revise the tail for better low-speed handling. It showed impressive short takeoff and landing capability, able to take off over a 50 ft obstacle in about 485 ft with a normal payload—better than the LARA requirement and the Bronco.
End of the program: A 100-hour joint service flight test contract was planned, with Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Air Force pilots to evaluate the Charger. If orders followed, production would have a longer fuselage and full dual controls. However, the prototype crashed on its 196th test flight on 19 October 1965 due to pilot error, and further development was abandoned. Only a single Charger prototype was completed.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:10 (CET).