American Electric Piranha Explained

The American Electric Piranha (also named Blair-American USA[1] or American USA[2]) was a prototype American counter-insurgency aircraft. Designed by Milt Blair and Dick Ennis in the early 1960s, it was built by the American Electric Corporation.

Developed for use by the United States Air Force under Project Little Brother, initial flight testing of the Piranha took place at Mojave Airport in California; following delivery for evaluation, it was tested at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The design armament of the Piranha was two pods each carrying four Zuni unguided rockets, mounted on the aircraft's wingtips, and a single 500lb bomb on a belly hardpoint.[3]

Evaluation of the Piranha ceased following the death of Milt Blair in an unrelated aircraft accident.[3] The prototype, N1518, is flown by a private owner in Kansas.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Untitled Page . www.ntsb.gov . 26 January 2022 . https://archive.today/20130626174057/http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20041122X01848&ntsbno=DEN05IA025A&akey=1 . 26 June 2013 . dead.
  2. Web site: FAA Registry - Aircraft - N-Number Inquiry . Registry.faa.gov . 2004-01-20 . 2017-01-01.
  3. Sport Aviation. Oshkosh, WI: Experimental Aircraft Association. July 1976, page 40.
  4. "Orphan jet: one unique aircraft coming to Airfest". September 2012. Great Bend, Kansas: Great Bend Tribune. Accessed 2013-04-06.

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