DINFIA IA 38 Naranjero

The DINFIA IA 38 Naranjero was an experimental cargo aircraft based on research by Reimar Horten. It was an all-metal tailless shoulder-wing swept monoplane, with the vertical control surfaces instead located near the tips of the wings. The short, stubby fuselage was fitted with retractable tricycle landing gear. Power was provided by four I.Ae. 16 El Gaucho radial engines mounted within the wings, driving pusher propellers mounted clear of the wing trailing edges. The two-man cockpit was faired into the leading edge of the wing. A cargo compartment within and below the wing was capable of carrying 6100 kg of freight using a rear access door.

The prototype was completed in 1959, however problems with engine cooling delayed the first flight to 9 December 1960. Horten was forced to use the IA 16 engines which were below the power rating of the intended powerplants. As a result, the craft was severely underpowered and showed a poor performance.

After the project was cancelled, the IA 38 was placed in the grounds of the Aeronautical School, where it was used as a static display until a fire destroyed the aircraft’s skin. The remains of the plane were scrapped afterwards.

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