The Convair Model 48 Charger was developed by the Convair division of General Dynamics in San Diego, California, as a response to the United States military's Light Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (LARA) requirement. This tri-service specification, established in 1963, sought a versatile platform capable of performing light attack, observation, reconnaissance, forward air control, and utility roles, including cargo transport and casualty evacuation. Convair developed the prototype in extreme secrecy, accelerating the process from initial concept to the first flight in approximately 40 weeks.
Technically, the Charger was a twin-boom design featuring a compact wing and two Pratt & Whitney Canada T74-CP-8/10 turboprop engines, each producing 650 horsepower. These engines drove Hamilton Standard three-bladed propellers with a diameter of roughly 8.6 feet. The aircraft was engineered for extreme short-field performance, capable of taking off and landing in distances of less than 500 feet to clear a 50-foot obstacle, allowing it to operate from unimproved fields. Its physical dimensions included a length of 34 feet 10 inches and a height of 13.7 feet, with an empty weight of 4,457 lb and a gross weight of 10,460 lb.
Designed for multi-role utility, the Charger could transport six paratroops or up to 2,000 lb of cargo in its rear fuselage bay. For combat operations, it was equipped with four 7.62 mm machine guns and five hardpoints capable of carrying a total of 2,000 lb of ordnance. Performance figures indicated a maximum sea-level speed of 319 mph, a service ceiling of 21,300 feet, and a ferry range of 3,000 miles.
The prototype rolled out on September 29, 1964, and completed its maiden flight on November 25, 1964. Despite its capabilities, the program ended abruptly when the sole prototype crashed during its 196th test flight on October 19, 1965. Following the accident, development was abandoned. The Model 48 Charger holds a place in aviation history as the last complete aircraft constructed by Convair before the company ceased aircraft production.