The Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster started as a corporate project exploring the idea of very fast and high-flying attack aircraft. After showing it to the Army Air Force they wanted it as a possible ...

The XB-42 Mixmaster and its futuristic successor, the XB-43 Jetmaster, were bold experiments in bomber design—featuring rear-mounted props, hidden engines, and a leap into jet propulsion.

When approached to develop a fast bomber, Douglas responded with the Douglas XB-42 “Mixmaster,” a decidedly unconventional, piston-powered design promised to achieve nearly 500 mph.

In Early 1943, the Douglas Airplane Company began studies officially starting the XB-42 project. The design marked a radical departure from other airplanes while it incorporated features of the ...