This was the first monoplane fighter produced for the
Army Air Corps, the first all-metal production fighter, and
the last front-line AAC fighter with an open cockpit. It was
also the last Boeing-designed fighter and the last fighter
program the company was involved with until the current
F-22. The P-26 was a joint development between Boeing and
the Air Corps. The company financed building the first three
prototypes, which after testing, were purchased by the
service. The aircraft had a relatively high landing speed
(82 mph), and pilots referred to it as "landing a high-speed
rock." Deliveries began in 1933, and the P-26 equipped three
units (20th Pursuit Group at Barksdale Field, La., 1st PG at
Selfridge Field, Mich., and 17th PG at March Field, Calif.).
By 1937, the aircraft were relegated to the Philippines, the
Panama Canal Zone, and Hawaii. At least 13 aircraft were at
Wheeler Field, Hawaii, at the time of the Japanese attack on
December 7, 1941. In the Philippines, Capt. Jesus Villamor
was credited with destruction of a Japanese bomber while
flying a P-26 on December 12, 1941. Many aircraft in the
Philippines were burned to prevent capture. A number of
aircraft stationed in the Canal Zone were sold to Panama and
Guatemala, and, in fact, two P-26s were in use as trainers
in Guatemala as late as 1957.
| Contractors: |
Boeing Airplane Co. |
| Locations Built: |
Seattle, Wash. |
| Number Built: (USAF) |
151 (136) |
| First Flight: |
March 20, 1932 |
| First Flight Model: |
Company Model XP-936 (later redesignated XP-26) |
| First Flight Location: |
King County Airport (Boeing Field), Wash. |
| First Flight Pilot: |
Les Tower |
| Models/Variants: |
P-26A, B, C |
| Powerplant: |
One Pratt; Whitney R-1340-27 Wasp nine-cylinder radial of 550 hp |
| Wingspan: |
27 ft 11-1/2 in. |
| Length: |
23 ft 7-1/4 in. |
| Height: |
10 ft 0-1/2 in. |
| Weight: |
2,955 lb gross |
| Armament: |
Two .30-cal. or one .30-cal. and
one .50-cal. or two .50-cal. machine guns; 200 lb
of bombs on external racks |
| Accommodation: |
Pilot only |
| Cost: |
$9,999, less engine and GFE |
| Max. Speed: |
234 mph |
| Range: |
360 mi. |
| Ceiling: |
27,400 ft. |
|
