Boeing P-26 Peashooter

The Boeing P-26, Peashooter, was an American, single-seat fighter in service with the US Army Air Corps from 1933 to 1941. It was the first mass-produced monoplane fighter aircraft built by a U.S. manufacturer. The P-26 was also the last open cockpit and fixed landing gear combat airplane to serve in the US Army Air Corps. Although it had a relatively short operational life (about eight and half years), it would become one of the best known and loved aircraft of the pre-war era. Maneuverable and reliable, it was a major advance in fighter design, with modern metal construction and a powerful engine. This aircraft first saw combat action in the Sino-Japanese War, in service with the Chinese Nationalist Air Force attacking the Mitsubishi G3M bombers. It was also used by the Philippine Air Corps to intercept the Mitsubishi A6M Zeros in December 1941, being able to shoot down two Japanese fighters.

The Boeing P-26 prototype, the XP-936, performed its maiden flight on March 10, 1932. It was flown by test pilot Les Tower. The pilot was elated with the new pursuit's flying characteristics; it had great maneuverability and was 30 mph faster than the latest F4B (P-12). The prototype was powered by a Pratt & Whitney SR-1340E Wasp air-cooled radial engine, which gave the XP-936 a top speed of 227 mph (365 km/h) and a cruising speed of 193 mph. The roll out of the first production aircraft (serial 33-28) took place on November 24, 1933. It would be introduced into service on December 18, 1933, as the P-26A, which was the first version of the aircraft. The P-26B, P-26C, and the Model 281 (for export) were the other variants. The 20th Pursuit Group, based at Barksdale Field, Louisiana, was the first Air Corps unit to be provided with the new fighter.

Technical Description

The Boeing P-26 Peashooter was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. The fuselage was of semi-nonocoque design, with brazier (raised) riveted aluminum skin. It was fitted with straight, low-wing, which was built in three sections. The center section of wing was the load-carrying section and had the fixed landing gear attached to it. The outer wing panels were riveted aluminum, with round wingtips. The wing was mounted with a slight dihedral angle and it was braced up to fuselage with two sets of wires. The cockpit was open and the landing gear was fixed. The P-26A version was propelled by one Pratt & Whitney R-1340-27 Wasp, radial, piston engine, which delivered 525 horsepower.

Specifications (P-26A)

Type: pursuit, fighter aircraft

Length: 7.17 m (23 feet, 7 inches)

Wing Span: 8.5 m (27 feet, 11 inches)

Wing Area: 13.89 m2 (150 square feet)

Height: 3 m (10 feet, 5 inches)

Power Plant: one 525-HP, Pratt & Whitney R-1340-27 Wasp, air-cooled radial engine.

Maximum Speed: 377 km/h (234 mph)

Range: 580 km (360 miles)

Service Ceiling: 8,351 m (27,400 feet)

Crew: one

Armament: one 7.62-mm (.30-cal); one or two 12.7-mm (.50-cal) machine guns; provision for two 45-kg (100-lb) bombs.