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P-26 Peashooter
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Photo: Robert Deering 10/23/2006 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Chantilly, Virginia |
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The P-26A was the
first all-metal monoplane pursuit plane
produced for the U.S. Army Air Corps,
affectionately called the "Peashooter" by
its pilots. The
Consolidated Y1P-25
was the first all-metal pursuit plane
tested, but the production version --
P-30 -- was
purchased after the initial P-26 orders.
The P-26 was also the last Army Air Corps pursuit aircraft accepted with an open cockpit, a fixed undercarriage, and an externally braced wing. Significantly faster in level flight than previous fighters, the P-26A's relatively high landing speed caused the introduction of landing flaps to reduce this speed. Boeing initially designed the P-26 in 1931, designating it first as Model 248 and in December 1931 as the XP-936. The company provided three test airframes, which remained Boeing property, with the frugal Air Corps providing the engines, instruments and other equipment. The first flight occurred on March 20, 1932. The Army Air Corps purchased the three prototypes and designated them as Y1P-26s. The Air Corps purchased a total of 111 of the production version, designating them as P-26A, and 25 of later -B and -C models. |
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