Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>P-26>HA7506

General Background

Boeing’s first and last all-metal monoplane fighter produced for the US Army Air Corps. was the P-26. Known as the “Peashooter” there were 111 P-26As produced. The wings were braced with wire instead of wooden struts and this reduced drag and along with a 500 hp engine the aircraft was much faster than the older bi-planes. The mono-wing also meant a higher landing speed so flaps had to be added to slow the aircraft down. It had fixed landing gear and an open cockpit with just a windscreen to protect the pilot.

The Aircraft

The first group to replace their Boeing P-12’s with the new Boeing P-26A was the 20th PG in 1933. The P-26 was used until February 19, 1935. The 20th PG was stationed at Barksdale Field, later Barksdale AFB, in Louisiana named after a WWI veteran 2nd Lt. E.H. Barksdale. The airfield was used by fighter and attack pilots to practice their gunnery and bombing. The tail code for the 20th PG was PT where P stood for Pursuit while T is the 20th letter of the alphabet.

Specifications :

Country of origin:	USA
Manufacturer:	Boeing Aircraft Company
Role:	Fighter
Crew:	One
Dimensions:	Wing span - 27 ft. 11.5 in.
	Length - 23 ft. 10 in.
	Height - 10 ft. 5 in.
Weight:	Empty - 2,197 lbs
	Maximum - 2,955 lbs.
Performance:	Engine - Pratt and Whitney R-1340-27 (500 hp)
	Maximum speed - 234 mph (203 knots)
	Cruising speed - 199 mph (172 knots)
	Landing Speed - 82 mph (71.26 knots)
	Range - 360 statute miles (313 nautical miles)
	Service ceiling - 27,400 ft.
Armament	2 X fixed .30-cal. machine guns or,
	1 X .50- and one .30-cal. machine gun and
	Up to 200 lbs. of bombs