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Aerofax Minigraph 8
BoeingP.26
Variants
by Peter Bowers
ISBN 094254813-2
1984
Aerofax, Inc.
p.o. Box 120127
Arlington, Texas 76012
ph. 817 261-0689
u.s. Trade Distribution by:
Motorbooks International
729 Prospect Ave.
Osceola, Wisconsin 54020
ph. 715 294-2090
European Trade Distribution by:
Midland Counties Publ1cations
24 The Hollow, Earl Shilton
Leicester, LE9 7NA, England
ph. (0455) 47256
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THE BOEING P-26 VARIANTS STORV
Three-quarter front view of the Boeing XP-936 wind tunnel model without propeller. Also missing are the flying wires for the wings and tail surfaces and other
miscellaneous details such as the radio mast and exhaust pipe complex. Model, dated February of 1932, was meticulously built of hardwood with a metal
Townend ring and engine parts.
Wood and fabric full-scale mock-up of XP-936 lacks tail surfaces and landing gear. Noteworthy are the external
wing root mounting of the camera gun, the abbreviated windscreen and headrest, and the use of a rea; engine.
Photo was taken on November 25, 1931.
CREDITS:
The author and Aerofax, Inc. would like to express their
thanks to the following individuals who contributed
photographs andlor data to this Minigraph: Dana Bell,
Jack Binder, Dustin Carter, Robert Cavanagh, Harry
Gann, Walter Jefferies, Fredrick Johnsen, John and Joe
Kobe, Edward LePenske, Edward Maloney, Mike McCary
and Crown Hobbies of Dallas, David Menard, AI Hansen,
James Morrow, Marilyn Phipps of Boeing Historical Ser-
vices, Kenn Rust, Victor Seely, Jay Spenser, Gordon
Swanborough of Air International, Robert Volker, Gordon
Williams, and the late A.U. Schmidt, Eugene Sommerich,
and Joseph Nieto.
PROGRAM HISTORY:
The Boeing P-26, unofficially nicknamed Peashooter
(in the 1930's the term Peashooter was often applied to
single-seat pursuit aircraft; in the context of present-day
historical references, the term is generally considered
to apply specifically to the Boeing P-26), is unique among
US Army pursuit aircraft for at least two reasons: it was
not developed under a standard US Army Air Corps ex-
perimental contract, but rather as a private venture of
the manufacturer with the aid and encouragement of the
Air Corps Materiel Division at Wright Field, Dayton Ohio;
and it broke the established Air Corps tradition of dual
procurement of equivalent models (Curtiss P-6 and Boe-
ing P-12 pursuits; Curtiss 0-1 and Douglas 0-210-38
observation models simultaneously, for example).
While the Curtiss XP-934 (later designated XP-31 by
the US Army Air Corps) was considered the Boeing
XP-936's (P-26 family prototype) primary competition, on-
ly the Boeing pursuit was to see production. This reached
a total of only 136 P-26NBIC airframes. Though appear-
ing small, this order represented the largest single new
pursuit design procurement since 1921. There was,
however, justification for the small production run, as
both the Army and Boeing realized that the new
monoplane was strictly an interim model. In fact, an en-
tirely new generation of high-performance monoplanes,
with more powerful engines and structural and
aerodynamic improvements, was already under
consideration.
In its transitional role, the P-26 was also notable for
being both a last and a first. It was the last Army pursuit
to feature both an open-cockpit and fixed landing gear
with externally-braced wings; and concommiUantly, it
was also America's first production all-metal monoplane
pursuit.
Production P-26's had a US Army service life of eight
and one-half years and eventually became the first US
service aircraft to be passed on to other nations for con-
tinued use. At the time, this was considered extremely
unusual as previous US military aircraft had been scrap-
ped or relegated to training schools following their sevice
careers. It is interesting to note that the last two of the
numerous P-26's relegated to foreign service use were
not retired until 1956. Both aircraft, at the time operated
by the Guatemalan Air Force, were returned to the US.
They are, today, the only known surviving P-26's.
In 1931, when Boeing's historically significant P-12 and
F4B biplane fighter series was still selling well to the US
Army and Navy, respectively, Boeing intuitively foresaw
that the end of the biplane era was near. In fact, the com-
pany had just introduced a revolutionary commercial
monoplane, the Model 200 Monomail, and had already
interested the Army in its Model 214 and 215 twin-engine
bomber derivatives which the Army bought as the Y1 B-9
and YB-9, respectively. Even more significant was the
fact that the company was then designing an equivalent
civil transport, the Model 247, which was soon to revolu-
tionize the air transport industry.
Since the speed of the new B-9 was expected to be
greater than that of contemporary pursuit aircraft, Boe-
ing offered the War Department an opportunity to
develop a new pursuit generation that would be faster
than the new bombers then under develqpment.
Boeing had already anticipated the advent of the
monoplane pursuit with the Model 96 of 1929, a high-
wing design that the Army financed as the XP-9 for a low
priority experiment using all-metal construction. The
Model 96 number was in the sequence of Boeing design
numbers reaching back to the Boeing Model 1 of 1916.
Not every Boeing design study assigned a number was
built and not every assigned number was given to an air-
frame; there was, in fact, a series of model numbers from
104 through 199 that was reserved for Boeing-designed
airfoils.
The XP-9 proved unsatisfactory aerodynamically, but
Boeing tried again in 1930 with its Model 202 and 204
which were nearly identical all-metal parasol monoplanes
tested by the Army and Navy as the XP-15 and XF5B-1 ,
respectively. Both were essentially conventional biplanes
with their lower wings removed. No orders for these air-
craft were placed.
Following introduction of the revolutionary Monomaif
in May of 1930, Boeing initiated preliminary studies for
a new pursuit, the Model 224, in February of 1931. This
was essentially a scaled-down Monomaif with a similar
low tapered cantilever wing housing a backward-
retracting landing gear, all-metal semi-monocoque con-
struction, P-12E tail surfaces, and a 550 hp Pratt &
Whitney Wasp engine. Old pursuit traditions were main-
tained in the form of an open cockpit.
Informal discussion of the Model 224 between Boeing
and Wright Field representatives aroused little official in-
terest; regardless of major advances the Army had no
requirement for a new pursuit aircraft at the time. Boe-
ing therefore shelved the Model 224 and went b ~ c k to
the drawing board to layout a more simplifiecf design,
the Model 245.
The Model 224 concept was not to die out just yet,
however. It was revamped two years later as the Model
264, which first flew in January of 1934. The Army bought
three examples as the YP-29 for service test, but did not
order the type into production. By that time, with a new
generation of larger, more powerful, and more stream-
lined pursuits on the drawing board, the YP-29's actual-
ly offered too little, too late.
The Model 245 was a wire-braced midwing
monoplane, still with the Wasp engine and open cockpit,
but. with a rigid single-leg landing gear attached to the
fuselage. The basic concept of the forthcoming P-26 was
now established. Wright Field representatives quickly
saw the design's potential and with suggestions and
recommendations, they encouraged Boeing to expand
and develop the studies further. The result was the Model
248, a low wing monoplane with fixed landing gear at-
tached to a stub center section integral with the fuselage
that was very similar in appearance to that found on the
new record-holding Gee Bee racer. The wing was wire-
braced from the landing gear and top of the fuselage.
Wright Field representatives, though still hobbled by
Headquarters budgetary constraints and no specific re-
quirement for a new pursuit, now saw a design that it
wanted.
An ingenious solution to the Army's dilemma was soon
worked out. Boeing would design and build three pro-
totype pursuits and deliver them to Wright Field for Ar-
my testing on a bailment contract as company-owned air-
craft. To reduce initial costs, Wright Field would lend Boe-
ing all the hardware that was normally supplied as
government furnished equipment (GFE) for contracted
military aircraft. This included the powerplant, the pro-
peller, the armament, instrumentation, and other items,
all of which nearly equalled the cost of the airframe in
which it was installed. This proved advantageous to both
parties as it allowed the Army Air Corps to evaluate a
new and advanced design at essentially no cost; and
Boeing took a relatively small financial gamble on a
possible substantial order in the shrunken military and
civil aircraft market of the early Depression Years.
XP-936: Design work on the Boeing Model 248 (the
prototype for the P-26 family) started in September of
1931, under the direction of Project Engineer Robert
Minshall. The Model 248 was later assigned the Wright
Field XP-936 designator. This represented number 936
in a series of experimental aircraft, both military and civil,
tested at Wright Field and its predecessor, McCook Field
back to 1917. Originally, the "P" stood for the word
"plane", but by the time the series reached 9QO, the let-
ter indicated the type of aircraft (as P for Pursuit, B for
Bomber, etc.). The XP-936 designation was assigned
upon signing of the bailment contract for the first three
aircraft on December 5, 1931.
There was a time advantage in developing the new
pursuit as a private venture instead of as Army proper-
ty. As an Army-owned model it would have to incorporate
2
many of the detailed requirements of the Army's bible,
the Handbook of Instructions for Airplane Designers
(HIAD). Boeing was guided by the major requirements
in this publication, but was able to eliminate many of the
lesser ones as being unnecessary for a "proof of con-
cept" prototype.
The first metal was cut on the prototype aircraft in
January of 1932, and in an attempt to speed up the main
construction process, Boeing early-on elected to move
engineers and drafters into the construction area to be
in close proximity to the actual aircraft. Many parts were
actually built from free-hand sketches and on a hand-
fitted basis.
Ten weeks after the cutting of the first metal, the pro-
totype XP-936, cln 1678, was completed at Boeing Field.
This aircraft, with ballast in place of armament and fuel
in the main tanks only, was successfully test flown for
the first time on March 10, 1932, from the company's
Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington facility. A preliminary
evaluation permitted company test pilot Les Tower to
conclude that the new aircraft had excellent flight
characteristics. Following additional test flights under the
auspices of Boeing, Tower, on April 16th, ferried the
XP-936 to Wright Field where it was formally turned over
to the Army on April 25th.
The second XP-936, cln 1679, destined for static test,
was flown away on April 22nd by Lt. L.H. Dawson, an
Army pilot, even though it was still Boeing property. It
reached Wright Field via a circuitous route; March Field,
California, and the Anacostia Naval Air Station,
Maryland. Upon arrival at Wright Field, it entered the
static test laboratory and never flew again as Army pro-
perty. The third XP-936, cln 1680, was flown directly to
Selfridge Field on May 6th by Maj. G. E. Brower for
evaluation by the three squadrons of the 1st PUrsuit
Group.
Oddly, though the XP-936's were company-owned air-
craft, they did not carry civil registrations. Apparently their
military markings and coloring, plus the "XP-936" let-
tering on their tails, qualified them as military aircraft in
the eyes of civil officials and thus legitimized the absence
of civil registration.
XP-26: After the initial XP-936 flight test program was
completed by Boeing and Army pilots (all three aircraft
were officially acquired from Boeing by the Army under
a purchase contract signed on June 15, 1932), the Ar-
my cautiously concluded that the type was indeed a
significant improvement over available pursuits and
therefore a worthy addition to the operational inventory.
Though concern over high landing and takeoff speeds,
overly long takeoff and landing distances, slow response
to throttle retardation, and rapid acceleration in a dive
(considered a negative characteristic at the time!), re-
mained, it nevertheless elected to squeeze production
funding out of an already overburdened budget. A last
minute addition to the 1932 Fiscal Year Budget, which
ended June 30,1932, included funding for an initial P-26
order.
Interestingly, once they became Army property, the
three XP-936 prototypes were assigned a standard US
Army Pursuit-series designator, XP-26, to indicate that
they were technically experimental prototypes (official
acknowledgement of the designation assignment was
consequent to the acquisition of the aircraft on June 15,
1932). Army serial numbers 32-412, 413, and 414 were
assigned at this time, identifying the 412th, 413th and
414th Army aircraft procured in Fiscal Year 1932 (July
1,1931 through June 30,1932).
Y1P-26: As a deviation from standard practice, the
three prototypes did not retain their X-prefixes per-
manently, as was customary for new prototypes. Instead,
the Army decided to change the status of the new air-
craft from "Experimental" to "Service Test", thus requir-
ing the replacement of the "X" prefix with the "Y" prefiX.
To complicate things even further, in some cases, such
as with the three P-26 prototypes, the designation
became Y1 P-26 to indicate that the aircraft were paid for
with the F-1 funds rather than regular Air Corps ap-
propriations. Usually, service test models were procured
on separate contracts and were different aircraft than the
prototypes.
XY1P-26: As a still further oddity, the X and Y1 designa-
tions were combined briefly in August of 1932, as the
XY1 P-26. This was apparently for administrative pur-
poses only, though it must have caused some rather
serious confusion among bureaucrats requiring accurate
designation informationI
P-26: Eventually, all the prefixing designators were
dropped, as was customary in the Air Corps during this
time, and the XY1, Y1, and Y prefixes were removed from
the P, and three prototypes thus becoming simply P-26.
Though the fate of the second P-26 was sealed when
it became a structural test article at Wright Field (being
removed from the Air Corps inventory in September of
1932), the first and third aircraft had relatively long
lifespans. The first P-26 remained at Wright Field dur-
ing most of its flight test and evaluation program, and
then was assigned to Chanute Field, Rantoul, Illinois.
Eventually it was declared "Class 25" and was utilized
for ground crew training. It had ac.cumulated a total of
465 Army flight hours by this time and was eventually
scrapped. The third P-26 prototype shuttled back and
forth between Selfridge and Wright Fields on various test
and evaluation programs before crashing on October 12,
1934, due to the loss of a wing in flight near Baltimore,
Maryland, with a total of 344 Army flight hours in its log
book.
Boeing Model 266: Flight and structural testing of the
three prototypes had led to a number of relatively minor
changes in the production airframes and other systems.
Among these were the elimination of the mainwheel cowl-
ing protrusions visible just behind the rear strut fairings;
a change to smaller-diameter main gear and tailwheel
wheels and tires, and reduced area ailerons. Less
noticeable but of perhaps greater importance were the
various internal changes which included redesign of the
wing structure (though the physical dimensions of the
wing remained essentially unchanged with the exception
of an 11-5/8" increase in span); and provision was made
permitting the installation of Type A-4A skis or Type A-8
wheel-skis as alternatives to the standard landing gear.
In addition to changes brought on by design considera-
tions, there were also areas of contention expressed by
the various test pilots who had been privileged to fly the
two available XP-936 prototypes. Among these were: no
handles or steps were provided to aid a pilot wearing
bulky flying clothes during ingress and egress; the in-
strument panel and engine cowling vibrated excessive-
ly at low and high engine rpm; and some controls were
inaccessible from the seat when the pilot was properly
strapped in place. Additionally, it was noted that forward
vision was obscured during taxi by the Townend ring; and
stability during takeoff, due to the short coupled landing
gear, was marginal. Pilots also noted that normal flight
attitude recovery was slow following pitch change inputs;
an unassisted recovery to level flight during a banking
maneuver at high speed was difficult to obtain and usual-
ly resulted instead in an ever-increasing spiral to the left,
and eventually, a spin; and landing speed (82 mph) and
landing roll-out (350 to 400 yards) were excessive.
P-26A: The initial Army order, placed on January 28,
1933, was for 111 production P-26A's. This was later
amended to include an additional 25 aircraft, thus giv-
ing a total of 136. Unit cost, less GFE, was $9,999, with
total airframe production costs being $1,163,192. A
parallel Army contract with Pratt & Whitney resulted in
an order for 121 R-1340-27 Wasp engines at at total cost
of $540,778.
On November 24, 1933, less than a year after the Ar-
my ordered the production version of the XP-936, the first
P-26A was assembled on Boeing Field. Boeing test pilot
Les Tower made the first flight on December 7th. The
first article, 33-28, was turned over to Air Corps Captain
C. H. Strohm on December 16th, and he promptly took
off for Wright Field. The first P-26A for a squadron, 3330,
left the same day for Barksdale Field, near Shreveport,
Louisiana, piloted by Lt. E. M. Robbins of the 20th Pur-
suit Group. The last P-26, 33-138, would be delivered to
the 1st Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field just over six
months later, on June 30, 1934.
P-26B: The first batch of P-26A's was followed by a
contract revision calling for an additional twenty-five air-
craft, this being the result of a good P-26A service record.
These were identical to the first P-26A's except for the
addition of flaps. Later, as a result of the successful ser-
vice testing of seven Curtiss P-12E's with fuel-injected
R-1340 engines (leading to a temporary XP-12K designa-
tion being applied), Wright Field decided to try fuel-
injected engines on the P-26A. Consequently, the first
two P-26A's in the second production lot were ordered
to be completed with the injected engines. The new
engine was the R-1340-33 which, since it was ap-
preciably heavier Gust over 100 pounds) than the
carburetor-equipped -27, caused ballast to be added to
the tail to maintain proper c.g. requirements. Because
of the extensive system and weight changes involved,
the Air Corps redesignated the R-1340-33-equipped air-
craft P-26B and Boeing consequently assigned a revis-
ed'model number, 266A.
The engine change and the addition of the flaps rais-
ed the unit cost of the two P-26B's to $14,009, less GFE.
The first P-26B, 33-179, was flown to Wright Field for test
'== Ie=>



.j :- - . ; \: MODEL 245
L
-
"'-- ..
,:<\,::r
\. J BOEING MODEL 224
-
:::::--- ----.
Taken in September of 1933, left side-view of P-26A fuselage is seen following application of skin and prior to
attachment of wings, engine and engine mount, tail surfaces, landing gear, and headrest assembly. Large cut-
out for tail wheel is particularly distinctive.

;;" _
A P-26A fuselage is seen in its construction jig immediately prior to the application of external skin. Noteworthy
are the fuselage formers, bulkheads, and stringers. Also note complex jig assembly for positioning and forming
tail wheel cut-out.
I
Main fuselage bulkheads of the first XP-936 are seen aligned in the primary assembly jig during the initial stages
of construction. Drafters and engineers worked side by side with the aircraft as it was built. Photo was taken on
February 2, 1932.
on June 20, 1935. The second, 33-180, was flown to
Selfridge Field on June 21 st, where it became the per-
sonal mount of Lt. Col. Ralph Royce, Commanding Of-
ficer of the1 st Pursuit Group.
P-26C: The remaining 23 aircraft, still with the original
-27 engines, were redesignated P"26C under a Change
Order issued in February of 1936, to indicate the fact that
they had flaps and other minor changes as factory in-
stalled items. The Boeing Model number remained 266.
Later, when the Army decided to refit all the surviving
P-26C's with the fuel injected -33 engines, the designa-
tion changed to P-26B (a rare case of a designation
reverting to an earlier designator). The last flyable P-26B,
33-197, converted from a P-26C, was relegated to Class
26 (non-flying) duty on October 22, 1942, with a total of
1,261 airframe hours.
Since the P-26B's and P-26C's were additional articles
on the original contract, the increased quantity reduced
the basic unit price by $500. The flaps and engine
changes were additional costs above the unit price.
The first delivery of a P-26C was on February 10, 1936,
and the last was on March 7. All were flown to the 1st
Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field. All but six, 33-190, -193,
-196, -198, -201, and -202 (which had been attrited by
mid-1937), were converted to the P-26B configuration at
the Fairtield Air Depot later in 1937. The high-time P-26C-
to-B conversion, 33-183, had 1,952 flight hours. Based
at Wheeler Field, Hawaii, it survived Pearl Harbor and
continued to fly until it was surveyed on May 13, 1942.
RP-26: The RP-26 designation was the result of an Oc-
tober 22, 1942 decision to put certain obsolescent com-
bat aircraft in a new Restricted category that prevented
them from being used for their designated mission, in
this case, Pursuit. The designation applied primarily to
the few P-26A's that remained in squadron service in the
Canal Zone.
ZP-26: The ZP-26 designator was the result of a
December 11, 1942 Army declaration that surviving
P-26A's were too old to qualify for the RP designation.
In so doing, the aircraft were declared obsolete and
designated ZP-26A, accordingly. This was a long
establised designation that had been applied to many ob-
solete tactical types that still had useful lives as testbeds,
squadron hacks and other miscellanea.
Unlike the products of most other aircraft manufac-
turers, P-26's did not simply roll out the Boeing factory
door, taxi out to a runway, and flyaway to their assign-
ed post. To the contrary, the original Boeing factory (Plant
1 after 1936) was a former yacht works on the west side
of the Duwamish River south of Seattle that had no ad-
jacent flying field. The P-26's were built in a WW1 addi-
tion to this plant, and then trucked in a disassembled
state to Boeing Field on the King County Airport located
on the east side of the river some two miles away. There,
final assembly was undertaken in a large brick hanger
leased from the county. Flight testing, consisting of three
hours of shakedown flying by Army service pilots, was
conducted from the airport runway facilities. Delivery to
their assigned units, the 20th, 17th, and 1st Pursuit
Groups (in that order), took place direct from Boeing Field
(export Model 281 's were crated at the factory for sur-
face shipment; from 1937 on, P-26's reassigned to
overseas bases were disassembled, crated, and shipped
by the Army).
Boeing Model 281 (Export): In a further break with prece-
dent, the Army allowed Boeing to sell export versions of
the P-26A before that model had been in Army service
for five years. Though unstated at the time, this decision
also served to confirm that the P-26 was strictly an in-
terim design. Except for minor departures from HIAD re-
quirements and different equipment details, the Model
281 was identical to the P-26A.
The Model 281 was the end result of an in-house deci-
sion on the part of Boeing management to attempt to
penetrate the small but potentially lucrative export
market. Sufficient interest on the part of the Chinese Cen-
tral Government of Chiang Kai-shek led to a commitment
by Boeing to utilize company funds for production of ad-
ditional aircraft over and above those required by the Ar-
my Air Corps.
The first Model 281, painted Army olive drab and
chrome yellow, but"carrying the civil registration X12271
and cln 1959, flew for the firsnime on August 2, 1934.
Shortly afterwards, it was modified by Boeing to test the
wing trailing edge flaps that were later retrofitted to the
P-26A's. also tested a set of revised, open
well wheel fairings, or "pants", on the demonstrator that
allowed the alternate installation of low-pressure
Goodyear Airwhee/s. The latter were incorporated in the
Model 281 in order to accommodate the rough field re-
3
Front view illustrating the first Boeing Model 248, identified as the first of three XP-936's (Boeing cln 1678) by
the US Army Air Corps. The photo was taken at roll-out on March 17, 1932, at Boeing Field. Note location of
pitot boom on left wing.
'.

, .,
quirements expected to emanate from export sales.
Twelve Model.281's were built, with two, X12271 and
X12275, being used as demonstrators. X12271 was
disassembled and shipped to China on September 15th,
but was soon destroyed in a flight demonstration acci-
dent. Fortunately, with the exception of the accident, the
initial parts of the demonstration had gone well and had
left the Chinese with a positive impression. Accordingly,
ten production Model 281's, cln's 1960, 1961, and
1965/1972 were ordered by the Chinese government and
paid for mostly with funds raised by solicitation boxes
in Chinese restaurants in the US. Deliveries of the
Chinese aircraft began on December 12, 1935, and were
completed on January 5, 1936 Gust before P-26C
deliveries began). As shipped to the Chinese, the Model
281's were painted over-all light gray, with the blue and
white Chinese 12-point star only on the undersurfaces
of the wings. Later, they were repainted over-all olive
drab and more complete markings were applied.
The ten Model 281's saw light but significant action
against the Japanese in the Nanking area, where they
were based at Chuying airfield. Japanese efforts to
penetrate south toward Nanking led to the city becom-
ing a primary tamet for G3M2 bombers of the Kanoya
Kokutai which by then were operating out of Taipei,
Taiwan. On August 20, 1937, six G3M2's were destroyed
in the ensuing air battle, with only one Model 281 receiv-
---
ing relatively minor damage.
Unfortunately, spares shortages, accidents, and poor
maintenance qUickly ended the Model 281 's r61e in the
events leading to WW2. By the lime Nanking fell to the
Japanese on December 13,1937, none of the Chinese
Model 281's were still flyable.
The second Model 281, X12275, cln 1962, was
delivered to Barajas airfield, near Madrid, Spain on April
10, 1935, for demonstration to the Aviacio'n Militar under
the direction of Direccio'n General de Aerona'utica.
There, with company test pilot Les Tower and Boeing
Vice President Erik Nelson overseeing reassembly, the
aircraft was made ready for its flight demonstration.
Though they were impressed with the performance of
the Model 281, the Spanish government refused to buy
the type in quantity. The unit price of Pts. 500,000 was
considered too expensive for an already stretched
Spanish military budget. The single Model 281
demonstrator was bought, however, with the idea of
studying its design for potential application to indigenous
fighter aircraft development.
The Model 281 had been delivered to Spain only
minimally equipped. It mounted no guns and there was
no sychronizer gear on the engine. Later, the Spanish
Air Force installed two British Vickers machine guns in
underwing pods outboard of the propeller arc and in-
tegrated the aircraft into a mixed complement Republican
Twenty-six partially completed P-26A's are visible in
this photo taken inside Boeing's production facility
in March of 1934.
fighter unit. It was later shot down over Getafe by Rebel
aircraft on October 21, 1936.
MODIFICATIONS:
As with all high-performance military aircraft, P-26's
were subject to a number of post-delivery modifications
of both minor and major importance. The principal ones
consisted of the following:
Headrest: A Barksdale Field pi lot, Lt. Frederick I.
Patrick, was killed during a forced landing on a routine
cross-country flight on February 22, 1934. Though the
plane, 33-46, flipped onto its back without major struc-
tural damage, the headrest sheared off following the flip-
over and Patrick's neck was broken. This accident
resulted in the February 27th grounding of the entire
28-plane P-26A fleet until a fix could be developed. Since
this was the first P-26A to crash, it was sent to Wright
Field for study and the fuselage was used to static-test
a new headrest.
Boeing and Wright Field worked together to develop
a new higher (8") headrest with substantial inner struc-
ture that could resist a 27,600 lb. vertical load, 13,000
lb. forward load, and a 7,080 lb. side load. Boeing install-
ed the first new headrest on 33-56, which had yet to be
delivered. Aircraft still at the factory were modified there.
with deliveries resuming on March 27th. The others were
modified at Army bases. All work on the headrest
Roll-out day shot of first XP-936. Aircraft had olive drab fuselage with yellow wings and tail surfaces. Vertical fin stripe and rudder stripes were red and white.
Short headrest and fairing are particularly noticeable in this view when compared to the late P-26A configuratIOn. Also dlstmctlve IS the excessive bafflmg VISible on the
nose cowling.
4
The first XP-936 is seen with uncovered P-26A landing gear, the late P-26A headrest, and the original olive drab
fuselage color changed to blue. The photo was taken on August 2, 1936, at the Allegheny Country Airport.
.Ii ....
In spite of Army coloring and markings, all three XP-936's were Baing-owned when tested by the Army under a
bailment contract. This is the seldom-seen XP-936 No.2, photographed at Anacostia NAS on June 1, 1932.
The No. 3 XP-936 is seen during tests at Wright Field still with the early headrest and an over-all olive drab
paint scheme. The pilot is wearing a standard seat-pack type parachute and is holding the small cockpit
hatch that facilitated ingress and egress.
Other accidents resulted from ordnance and equip- craft previously assigned to Barksdale Field and 12
ment. On several occasions, for instance, flares on the previously assigned to Selfridge Field. These equipped
belly bomb rack ignited and set the airplane on fire. On the 3rd Pursuit Squadron which eventually flew the P-26
other occasions, pilot mismanagement of the fuel for no less than five years while successively operating
system, or unpredictable system failures, resulted in out of Clark, Nichols, and Iba Fields. Additional P-26's
engine stoppage and subsequent forced landings. Such were eventually assigned to the 3rd in order to make up
landings, often taking place on unsuitable surfaces, for attrited aircraft, and a surplus led to the re-equipping
made nosing-over almost inevitable. of the 17th Pursuit Squadron with some of its original
OPERATIONS: P-26's when it arrived on Nichols Field in late 1940.
With a few exceptions, all of the P-26's were delivered In the Philippines, 12 P-26A's were transferred to the
from the factory to the operating squadrons of the three Philippine Army Air Force starting in .July of 1941. These
stateside pursuit groups, the 1st, 17th, and 20th. As aircraft were utilized to form the 6th Pursuit Squadron
these premier .organizations acquired later equipment, at Batangas Field, and on December 10th, entered com-
their P-26's were passed on to other groups as indicated bat when a number of Mitsubishi Zero-Sen fighters made
in the accompanying chart. No P-26's were sent out of an initial strafing attack on Zablan Field. Further com-
the country until the spring of 1937, and then only to bat ensued during the following two weeks, with at least
Hawaii, the Philippines, and the Canal Zone. Some'pur- a half dozen P-26's getting involved in air combat with
suit groups activated as late as 1940 were provided with Zero-Sen fighters and G3M bombers. Though hopeless-
obsolete P-26's as initial equipment. It should be noted Iy outclassed by the more modern Japanese aircraft, the
that after 1938, few squadrons having P-26's were fUlly- P-26's miraculously managed to score several victories
equipped with that model alone. before the Japanese landed in force at Limon Bay on
The first overseas deployment of the P-26 took place December 24th. An order to burn the remaining P-26's
in the spring of 1937 with the arrival, at Clark Field, of the 6th Pursuit Squadron, though later rescinded, was
Luzon, the Philippines, of 14 P-26's that included 2 air- unfortunately carried through, and accordingly, all re-
modifications was completed by May 21st.
Stabilizer Gravel Deflectors: Although they looked like
the well-known black rubber de-icer boots, the sheet rub-
ber covering on the lower leading edge of the horizontal
stabilzer was there to prevent gravel kicked up by the
propeller slipstream and the wheels from denting the
sheet metal skin. Because of the rubber, the unique
scalloped paint scheme of the 17th Pursuit Group was
not applied to the underside of the stabilizer.
Wing Flaps: The Army was unhappy with the high 82
mph landing speed of the P-26A. Consequently, both the
government and Boeing developed flaps for retrofit to ex-
isting P-26A's. The National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics (NACA) designed four different sets and tried
them as simple plywood structures wired onto P-26A
33-56 which was mounted in the full-scale wind tunnel
at Langley Field, Virginia. Wright Field then built what
proved to be the least desireable of the four, a one piece
unit that crossed the fuselage from aileron to aileron and
had a deep bow in the middle to conform to the fuselage
underside when retracted. This was installed on 33-28,
which soon crashed fol' the reasons the NACA had said
it would-blanking of the airflow to the tail at low (land-
ing) speed. A further disadvantage of the one-piece flap
was that it precluded installation of the belly bomb rack.
The Boeing flaps, which were handcranked down to
a 45-deg. deployment angle, were more complex and ex-
pensive than the NACA-developed units in that they were
recessed into the underside of the wing. They were in
four sections, with the ouler ones overlapping the inner
ends of the ailerons. Boeing tested them on the first
Model 281 (foreign sales P-26), and then sent the aircraft
to Wright Field for Army trials.
The Army accepted the Boeing design, which reduced
the landing speed to 73 mph, and starting in the spring
of 1935, cycled the entire P-26A fleet through Boeing's
Seattle facility for the Boeing flap retrofit. The 17th Pur-
suit Group from March Field, just redesignated an Attack
Group and giVing up its P-26's, was the first to send its
P26's to Boeing, and these aircraft, when their respec-
tive retrofit was completed, were then distributed to the
1st and 20th Pursuit Groups. P-26's of the 20th Pursuit
Group were retrofitted next, followed by the 1st. All
P26A's were fitted with the new flaps by the fall of 1935.
Pitot Tube: The pitot tube of early production P-26A's,
mounted on the right wing (the XP-936 had its pitot tube
mounted on the left Wing), was found to oscillate in flight.
An interim measure in which these tubes were shorten-
ed produced a constantly increasing airspeed error which
read up to 13 mph low at 200 mph. The tube was even-
tually replaced with a more rigid, interim length design.
Engine Change: As noted later, the 19 surviving
P26C's were refitted with R-1340-33 fuel-injected
engines in 1937 and were redesignated P-26B. An easy
recognition point was elimination of the two air intakes
for the downdraft carburetor located on the top of the
fuselage, just behind the engine.
Exhaust Stacks: Pilots complained about glare from the
short upper exhaust stacks during night flying, so, star-
ting in October of 1935, the exhaust from cylinders 1,
2, and 9 was fed into a single collector stack that
discharged on the right side of the nose just above the
stack for cylinder 8. The other stacks remained single.
New Tail Wheel: In 1936, Boeing developed a new tail
wheel assembly that featured a smaller wheel with an
oleo-pneumatic shock absorber that projected well below
the fuselage instead of being nested in it. The new style
was adopted in May by the Army and was installed in
the P-26 fleet at Army depots.
Fuselage Reinforcement: Midway through the P-26's
service career skin wrinkles were detected on the
fuselage midway between the cockpit and tail. Starting
in 1935, it became necessary to remove some skin to
perform an internal reinforcement modification. Evidence
of this repair in the form of fresh paint is visible in some
photographs.
OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS:
The P-26 fleet had its share of accidents. The rate was
not significantly greater than for other Air Corps models,
but for some reason the airplane seemed to get more
than its fair share of publicity.
The narrow landing gear, cQl.lpled with the P-26's high
center of gravity, troublesome mechanical brakes, and
"soft" shock absorbers, was responsible for many
ground accidents. If the pilot hit the brakes too hard, or
if one brake locked or faded during application, the air-
craft could easily flip onto its back. If one shock absorber
depressed too far on a cross-wind landing roll, the wind
could get under the high wing and cause a ground loop
that could also easily lead to a nose-over.
5
Mixed w/other models
33-28,33-48,33-52.33-56,33-179; 33-179 wlo 6/20/40;
33-78 trans. to Wright Field 717/40 and wlo 12113/40
(3) 1 P-26 with P-40s.
(4) 1 P-26 with P-36A's.
(5) 2 P-26's with P-40's.
(1)
(2)
NOTES
Activated 10/4/41
Activated 1/1141
Activated 1211140
Activated 12/1/40
P-36A
P-40
P-36A
P-12E
P-12E
P-12E
P-40
P-36A
P-40
P-40
P-36A
P36A
P36A
P36A
P-39
P-39
P-39
P36A
REPLACED
Activa!ed 2/1/40
Activated 2/1140
To Selfridge
11140
Initial Equipment P-36A Activated 1/1141
Initial Equipment P-36A Activated 1/1/41
Initial Equipment P-40 Activated 2/1/40
Initial Equipment P-40 Activated 2/1140
Initial Equipment P-40 Activated 2/1140
33-56,33-57,33-77 mixed wlother models
REPLACED
BY
P6E P-35
P-16 PB-2A
PB-2A P-35
P-6E P-35
P-12E P-40B
Mixed w/P-35A's on transfer from 1st PG
Mixed w/P-35A's
P-12E
Mixed wfP-36A's
(3)
(4)
P-12E
P-12E
P-12E
P-12E
P-12EIF
P-12E
(5)
new squadron
P-12E
P-12E
P-12E
P-12E
Mix w/P-35
Mix w/P-35
Mix w/P-35
The following is a complete listing of all P-26A/B/C US
Army Air Corps unit assignments:
Notes:
(1) fransferred as a new 17th P.S. with the same insignia to Philippines and
re-equipped with P-26's and P-35's.
(2)Activated in February of 1940 in 35th P.G. at Moffett Field with P-36A's.
Transferred to the Philippines and given P-26's and P-35A's.
GROUP SQUADRON P26 STATION
YEARS
1st Pursuit 17th '37'38 Selfridge
27th '34'35 Selfridge
'37'38 Selfridge
94th '34'38 Selfridge
4th Composite 3rd '38'41 Nichols PI
17th '40'41 Nichols. PI
20th '40'41 Nichols. Clark PI
15th Pursuit 29th '38-'39 Canal Zone
45th '40-'41 Wheeler TH
46th '41 Wheeler TH
47th '41 Wheeler TH
16th Pursuit 24th '39 Canal Zone
17th Pursuit 341h '34-'35 March
(to 17th Attack Group 73rd '34'35 March
3-135) 95th '34'35 March
18th Pursuit 61h '41 Wheeler TH
19th '38'41 Wheeler TH
44th '41 Wheeler TH
73rd '41 Wheeler TH
78lh '40 Wheeler TH
20th Pursuit 55th '34'38 Barksdale
77th '34'38 Barksdale
79th '35'38 Barksdale
31st Pursuit 39th '40 Selfridge
40th '40 Selfridge
41st '40 Bolling
32nd Pursuit 51st '41 Canal Zone
53rd '41 Canal Zone
37th Pursuit 28th '40-'41 Canal Zone
30th '40'41 Canal Zone
31st '40-'42 Canal Zone
Bolling Field '34'36 Bolling
Air Corps Detachment
Air Corps '34'37 Chanute
Technical School
MaterIel Division '33-'40 Wright
maining aircraft were destroyed.
During 1938, P-26's were assigned to Wheeler Field,
Hawaii, and Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone. No less
than 42 P-26's were sent to Hawaii to equip the 18th Pur-
suit Group (6th and 19th Pursuit Squadrons), though
some 20 of these were later reassigned to the Philippines
during late 1938 and early 1939.
As the P-26's entered service in Hawaii, additional air-
craft were being assigned to Aibrook Field in the Panama
Canal Zone where they equipped the 16th Pursuit Group
(24th and 29th Pursuit Squadrons). These aircraft pro-
vided the primary Canal air cover until supplanted by Cur-
tiss P-36A's in 1940.
Eleven P-26A's remained in the Panama Canal Zone
in 1940, and most of these were eventually transferred
to a US Army organization known as the Panama Canal
Department Air Force (often referred to as the Panama
Air Force) which, in turn, sold some of them to Guatemala
for use by the Cuerpo de Aeronautica Militar. These air-
craft were suppiemented by an additional four P-26A's
which were acquired directly from the Air Corps.
Guatemalan P-26's were reassigned to the Escuadro'n
de Caza at Camp de la Aurora, Ciudad de Guatemala
and utilized as front line fighters and advanced trainers
for most of their Guatemalan careers.
At the time of the Pearl Harbor debacle, there were
only four P-26's left in the continental US. Additionally,
there were seven in Panama, eight in Hawaii, and six
still in US service in the Philippines. Altogether, 31
P-26A's and 14 converted P-26B's were sent to Hawaii,
34 P-26A's to the Philippines, and 26 P-26A's to Panama.
The service career of the P-26A in Air Corps service
spanned just under a decade. The last flyable example
in US Army service, 33-89, was transferred to the
Guatemalan Air Force from Albrook Field, Canal Zone,
on May 4,1943, with 2,302 flying hours in its log books.
The high-time US Army P-26A was 33-122. Unfortunate-
ly, it was written off following an accident in Panama in
June of 1942 with some 2,550 hours logged.
P26A/B/C OVERVIEW:
Clean P-26A warms up for mission. Aircraft has extended headrest and fairing and
is apparently painted in conventional scheme of olive drab with yellow wings.
A P-26A is seen in conventional markings at an unidentified airfield in New York on
March 15, 1934. In this view the height of the modified headrest is readily apparent.
A line-up of P-26A 's with the first aircraft providing a view of the Boeing-designed
flaps in their extended position.
Gl
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, s:
i.
8
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~
~ .
~
~
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2
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g'
This P-26A lacks the forward cowling-mounted radio antenna mast that is so promi-
nent on most "Peashooters". Vertical fin antenna mast is visible.
6
The first P-26A, 33-28, at Wright Field, displaying the Wright Field arrow insignia on the fuselage. Panchromatic
film has caused darkening of yellow wings and red and blue tail markings.
Top view of the first production P-26A, 33-28, taken on delivery day, December 16, 1933, at Boeing Field.
Revised elliptical wing shape is particularly noticeable. Panchromatic film gives light-color accent to yellow-
painted wings and tail surfaces.
Other not.able differences between the P-26A (Boeing Model 266) and the XP-936 were revised landing gear fair-
ings, a pitot mast on the right wing (instead of the left), a higher headrest, and flush instead of brazier-head
rivets. Aircraft 33-28, shown, had antenna masts installed, but no radio.
INDIVIDUAL AND UNIT MARKINGS:
Most P-26's in squadrons or special organizations car-
ried that organization's insigne on each side of the
fuselage. Aircraft attached to group headquarters carried
group insigne. A notable exception, from 1934 to 1939,
was the 20th Pursuit Group. All three 20th PG squadrons
carried group rather than squadron insigne.
Individual aircraft were numbered separately within the
group. The 1st Pursuit Group had a unique system; the
last two digits of t ~ e Air Corps serial number were painted
on the vertical fin and engine cowling of its P-26's. The
P-26's of the 17th Pursuit Group were numbered 1-18 for
the 34th Squadron, 32-60 (with gaps) for the 73rd, and
61-90 for the 95th. Group headquarters aircraft were
100-103 and the Wing Commander's aircraft was 00.
Confusion exists from the fact that former 17th Pursuit
Group P-26A's which went to the 1st and 20th Groups
retained their original 17th P.G. color schemes but got
new identification numbers in their new groups.
The P-26A's of the 20th Pursuit Group were first iden-
tified by big white block numbers 0-48 on the fuselage.
These were changed to black numbers on the fin and up-
per left wing in 1935. Usually, but not always, the last
two digits of the serial number were preceded by the
number 1 for individual aircraft identification. Other
groups that had hand-me-down P-26's used more ar-
bitrary tail numbers.
From 1938 into 1940, the system changed. Groups
were identified as to type and number by letters, as PT
for the 20th Pursuit Group, T being the 20th letter of the
alphabet. The aircraft number was carried below the let-
ters on the fin and following them on the upper left wing,
now for all groups. In 1940, the system was revised to
use the actual group number, as 18P for the 18th P.G.
This time the aircraft number was above the group iden-
tification on the fin. The 18th P.G. in Hawaii misapplied
the new designator as 18 PG instead of 18 P.
Application of squadron colors, leader stripes, etc., was
not standardized for most of the P-26 era and cannot be
detailed nere. Some comments on this subject, however,
appear in the photo captions.
THE SURVIVORS:
Two of the Guatemalan P-26A's, 33-123 and 33-135,
were still intact in 1957. Both were eventually retrieved
for display in the US and are currently displayed in the
colorful markings of the 34th Pursuit Squadron of the
17th Pursuit Group (though neither airplane is known to
have served with the 17th PG).
P-26A, 33-123 was first delivered to the 94th Pursuit
Squadron at Selfridge Field on June 20th, 1934, and was
marked as Plane No. 23. It was soon transferred to Group
Headquarters and flown with group, rathQl' than squadron
insigne. A nose-over accident occurred in September of
1934, and repair was undertaken at Fairfield Air In-
termediate Depot. In August of 1938, it was sent to the
San Antonio Air Depot for a major overhaul, and from
there, it went to Rockwell Field, San Diego, for
disassembly and shipment to the Canal Zone.
It was retired from Albrook Field, CZ, in August of
BASIC MARKINGS:
Four basic US Army color schemes were used during
the P-26's service career. As originally buill, they all had
chrome yellow wings and tail surfaces with olive drab
(o.d.) fuselages and landing gear. In May of 1934, a
Technical Order was issued calling for the replacement
of the o.d. with a shade called Light Blue. The latter was
actually a medium blue and because the change was not
required to be immediate, manufacturers were permitted
to consume existing stocks of o.d. paint before chang-
ing to the new color. Although P-26C's were delivered
as late as March of 1936, no Boeing employee can recall
ever having seen a blue-painted aircraft in the factory.
In 1938, with many newall-metal aircraft entering ser-
vice in natural metal finish, over-all silver was decreed
as the standard coloring for tactical aircraft. Some older
blue and yellow models still in service were repainted at
squadron level. Again, there was no hurry, and relative-
ly few P-26's found their way into silver paint.
Starting in February of 1941, tactical aircraft in the
squadrons were repainted in o.d. on their top and side
surfaces and with light gray undersurfaces. The old Army
tail stripes were deleted, as were the upper right and
lower left wing stars. Additionally, a star was added to
each side of the fuselage. Very few of the P-26's still in
service at that time were given the new arrangement.
Some in the Philippines were still in silver or even blue
and yellow after the Japanese attack on December 8,
1941 (the date in the Philippines).
7
Another view of 33-28 at Wright Field. Again, orthochromatic film has caused darkening of the yellow wings and
red and blue tail markings. Note that both wings had Air Corps star.
Five P-26A's are seen lined up on Boeing Field in June of 1934. These aircraft have the new high headrest but
no radio masts. All P-26A's were flown away without radios. Note the variety of flying clothes being worn by the
Air Corps ferry pilots.
The first P-26B, rolled out on June 29, 1935, was identical to the P-26A except for the addition of wing flaps
and the change to a fuel-injected engine. Visible in this view are the split flap sections.
Three-quarter rear view of the first P-26B. The vertical fin, horizontal stabilizers, elevators, and wings were
painted yellow. The fuselage was olive drab and the rudder was red and white with a large vertical bar of blue.
8
1943, after logging some 2,454 flying hours. From
Albrook Field it was transferred to Guatemala. In 1957,
it was acquired by Edward T. Maloney of California, who
brought the airplane back to California for display in his
new aviation museum which was then located near
Claremont, California (the museum has since moved to
Chino, California). After several years of static display
it was restored to flying condition and painted in the 34th
Pursuit Squadron markings (but with its correct 1st Pur-
suit Group Number 23). F(}jlowing restoration, it took to
the air for the first time on September 17,1962. Flown
occasionally since, it is presently the only flyable P-26
in the world. The fuselage is painted blue (which no 17th
Pursuit Group P-26 ever was).
The only other surviving P-26, 33-135, was delivered
to the 94th Pursuit Squadron at Selfridge Field on June
27th, 1934, and was marked No. 35. After an accident-
free career, it too was sent to San Antonio for overhaul
and to Rockwell for disassembly and shipment, in
September of 1938, to Panama. It was sold to Guatemala
in August of 1942, having logged 2,552 flight hours, and
was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution shortly after
Maloney acquired 33-123. It was then placed' on long-
term loan to the AF Museum, which restored it as NO.7
of the 34th Pursuit Squadron. Accurately painted with an
olive drab fuselage, 33-135 was displayed at the AF
Museum from 1959 thru 1975. It is now hanging in the
National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
CONSTRUCTION AND
SYSTEMS:
As the Army's first all-metal pursuit aircraft, the P-26
series utilized structure developed by Boeing on its earlier
Model 96/XP-9, the Model 200 and 221 Monomail single-
engine transports, and the Model 214 and 215 (which
became the Army's B-9 bomber). Design experience in
this new area remained limited and accordingly, the struc-
ture was not only very conservative, but was also highly
redundant and considerably overweight.
The fuselage was a semi-monocoque structure with
load carrying aluminum skins flush riveted to six main
bulkheads and 13 intermediate formers. These formers
and the interconnecting longitudinal members were rolled
to a hat-section from flat aluminum sheet. The fuselage
cross-section was roughly tear-shaped at the front,
changing to a nearly oval shape at the tail. It was
necessary to install a small hinge-down door to simplify
pilot access.
Because there were no straight lines to the P-26
fuselage, the sheet aluminum skins could not be put on
in large flat-wrapped sheets. Instead, the skin was put
on in long narrow longitudinal strips, starting at the bot-
tom with the higher skins overlapping shingle-fashion.
The tighter curves of the nose ahead of the firewall were
formed on hydropress dies.
The engine mount was a separate removable steel tube
frame that was bolted to the No. 1 bulkhead. Rubber
bushings in the forward mounting ring dampened engine
vibration. The required design loads for the fuselage were
12.0 positive and 8.5 negative, and the XP-936 passed
these with 13.39 and 9.5, respectively. The static testing
was not carried to the point of destruction because it was
desired to save the fuselage for other tests.
The wing, which utilized a Boeing 109 airfoil, was built
in three sections consisting of two removable outer
panels and an integral stub center section to which the
landing gear was attached. The wings used two main
spar assemblies built up of flat sheet aluminum and
riveted-on flanges. Ribs were built up of rolled hat sec-
tions and short aluminum tubes with their ends flattened
for riveting. The wings were covered with sheet aluminum
riveted in place. Brazer-head rivets were used on the
Model 248/XP-936 and flush rivets were used on all other
models.
Wing design loads were 12.0 positive and 4.0 negative.
At the high angle of attack condition, the wing passed
without failure. In the inverted position, it was overload-
ed by 25% to a factor of 5.0 without failure. The flying
wires tested from 13.0 to 14.25 before failure.
The cantilever fin and horizontal stabilizer used a
semblance of the traditional spar-and-rib construction
technique. There was a hinge-line spar of aluminum
channel and a similar diagonal spar. These were con-
nected by four traditional ribs. Other ribs ahead of the
diagonal formed the leading edge. Each structure was
covered with sheet aluminum. There was no fixed leading
edge structural member; the upper and lower skins were
flanged aDd flush-riveted to each other. The ribs served
mainly as spacers for the skins rather than as traditional
compression members. Except for use of smooth instead
of corrugated skins, this detail was a direct inheritance
from earlier Boeing pursuits and fighters dating back to
the Navy F3B-1 of 1927.
In spite of redundant structure, the horizontal stabilizer
did not test well, showing impending failure at 90% of
the design load of 253 lbs. per sq. foot. Reinforcement
was added in order to meet the load requirement and the
unit eventually passed the test. The vertical fin withstood
130% of the 189.6 lbs. per sq. foot design load without
failure.
The elevators, rudder, and ailerons differed notably
from the fixed surfaces. Each had a channel spar at the
hinge line but the ribs were pressed aluminum diagonals
that again served mainly as spacers for top and bottom
skins that were riveted to each other at the trailing edges,
again an element inherited from earlier Boeing designs.
The elevators had a Handley Page balance area ahead
of the hinge line (inherited from preceding Boeing pur-
suits such as the P-12B/F4B-2 and on). The ailerons were
similar in design, but were of the Frieze type wherein a
portion of the upward moving aileron projected below the
lower surface of the wing to add drag on the inside of
the turn and reduce "adverse yaw" phenomenon.
Each elevator was fitted with a trailing edge tab that
was controlled from the cockpit to correct the longitudinal
trim-a first for a production American aircraft. It had
been developed in Europe and Boeing pioneered its use
in the US. The tab was irreversible under air load, being
actuated by a screw. Displacing the tab upward caused
the airstream to deflect the elevator downward, thereby
trimming the aircraft nose-down. Previously, longitUdinal
trim had been obtained at the cost of mechanical com-
plexity by rotating the entire horizontal stabilizer about
the rear spar line.
Trim for both ailerons was by means of fixed sheet
aluminum tabs extending beyond the trailing edge and
adjusted by hand on the ground. A similar rudder tab was
added to the P-26A later.
The landing gear was a complex structure consisting
of a rigid V-frame connected to both wing root spars and
anchoring the flying wires at the iower point. Shock ab-
sorption was by means of a Boeing-built oleo-pneumatic
shock strut pivoted at the toplfront spar junction, and held
forward of the low point of the rigid "V" by a pivoting arm.
On the XP-936, each wheel was mounted in a fork, which
required removal of the axle in order to remove a wheel
or change a tire. This was soon replaced by a mislabelled
"single leg" unit that secured only the inboard end of the
axle, allowing the wheel to be slipped off easily.
Since the wire braced system was unstable with the
wing wires slacked off or removed, it was necessary to
install a spreader bar between the two landing gear units
and keep the inboard crossed wires tight.
Braking was mechanical land actuation was by toe ac-
tion at the top of the rudder pedals. For parking, the
brakes were locked by means of a handle on the pilot's
auxiliary instrument panel.
Streamlining involved spacers between the arms of the
"V" to support aluminum skins. The upper portion of the
shock strut was covered by wraparound sheet aluminum
fastened to the V-leg, but the formed wheel pants were
attached to the shock strut and moved with it. Spacing
from the fixed fairing was maintained by rub strips. It
became common practice in some squadron operations
to remove the outboard side paneis of the multi-sectioned
"pants" for flight.
Armament was the Air Corps standard of two .30
caliber Browning machine guns firing through the pro-
peller, each with 500 rounds of ammunition, or one .30
caliber M-2 on the left side of the cockpit floor and one
.50 caliber M-2 with 200 rounds on the right. The guns
were modified so that the left-hand gun was fed from its
right side while the right-hand gun was fed from the left.
Ammunition boxes were underneath the floor ahead of
the 55-gallon fuel tank. The guns were charged by pull-
cables with T-handles at each side of the pilot's seat
back. The electrical firing circuit was controlled by a
selector switch on the pilot's aUXiliary panel. Ammunition
counters for each gun were on the same panel. The
single gun trigger was built into the forward side of the
control stick grip.
A type C-3 gun sight was mounted ahead of the wind-
shield and a type G-4 camera gun could be installed on
the top of the right-side wing stub. Power for the camera
gun was provided by two dry batteries carried in the right-
side ammunition box. A standard Air Corps Type A-3
bomb rack, capable of holding two 100 lb. demolition
bombs, five 3D-lb. fragmentation bombs, or two parachute
flares, was installed under the belly.
Two-way voice radio was just coming into use when
the P-26A's entered service. The standard radio was the
low-frequency SCR-( )-183 radio. The letters SCR iden-
tify Signal Corps Radio and the blank parenthesis are fill-
ed by letters indicating the particular manufacturer of the
set or component.
The BC-( )-180 transmitter was located on the cockpit
floor ahead of the control stick and beneath the auxiliary
panel. The control box was on the left side of the cockpit
above the throttle. The SCR-( )-192 receiver was in the
baggage compartment on the right side of the bulkhead.
The tuning controls were on the right side of the cockpit
opposite the transmitter control.
There were two separate antenna. A mast ahead of the
windshield supported transmitter wires running to each
wingtip. A short mast on the top of the vertical fin sup-
ported the longitudinal receiver antenna wire. Only pro-
vision for radio equipment was made at the factory; radio
was installed by Army personnel at squadron level.
The P-26 was a pioneer in the use of a liquid oxygen
system for high-altitude work. A Type B-11 vaporizer and
storage bottle were mounted on the backside of the
cockpit rear bulkhead, to the left of the zippered canvas
baggage compartment. An access door in the side of the
fuselage made it possible to service the system with the
vaporizer and storage bottle in place. The pressure gauge
and adjusting needle valve were clamped to the right
edge of the pilot's instrument panel.
After P-26A deliveries began, the Army decided that
emergency flotation gear was desireable. Aircraft 33-52
was then pulled from the inventory to serve as a testbed
and accordingly, two bags were installed in streamlined
aluminum "slippers" attached to the upper surface of
each wing stub. The carbon dioxide bottle was installed
to the left of the pilot's seat and actuated by a cable and
T-handle in the left rear corner of the cockpit. An
emergency hand pump was carried in the headrest.
It was necessary to contour the bags to fit around the
landing wires above the wing. All P-26's from 33-53 and
on had provisions for flotation gear built in at the factory.
Earlier aircraft from 33-28 thru 33-51, were not retrofitted.
Because of the externai "bolt-on" nature of the flotation
system, problems of being stepped on, and interference
with the camera and gun installation, the flotation bags
were seldom installed. At least one P-26A was lost when
one of the flotation bags came open in flight.
POWERPLANT:
In choosing an engine for the P-26, Boeing selected
one that it had been using in pursuit and fighter aircraft
since 1926. The Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp had long
held a reputation for dependability and ruggedness, and
though it was not a state-of-the-art design, it \'las none-
the-less determined to be suitable for Boeing's new pur-
suit by the company powerplant staff.
The R-1340 (R = radial; 1340 = piston displacement
to the nearest five cubic inches) was a nine-cylinder, air-
cooled radial rated at 550 hp. More powerful, but also
larger and heavier engines were available, but were not
suited to the design concept of the P-26. The competing
Curtiss XP-934 Swift, for instance, started with a 700 hp
Wright R-1820F Cyclone air-cooled radial, but shortly
afterward, had it replaced by an older 600 hp Curtiss
V-1570 Conqueror liquid-cooied V-12.
The Wasp was designed by engineers who had left the
old Wright Aeronautical Corporation to design a better
air-cooled radial. They received initial encouragement
and orders from the US Navy, which saw and quickly ap-
preciated the weight-saving and reliability advantages of
conventionai air cooling.
Throughout the 1920's and into the early 1930's, ser-
vice engines were identified by the makers' designation
such as R-1340B, 1340C, etc. The addition of a super-
charger would be indicated by a prefixing S, such as
SR-1340D. The XP-936 in fact used the SR-1340E, which
delivered 522 hp at 2,200 rpm at 10,000 feet through a
two-blade ground-adjustable fixed-pitch propeller.
By the time the P-26A entered service in 1934, the
Army and Navy had adopted a new system separate from
the manufacturers'. The basic type and displacement
figures were retained, but the stage of development was
identified by sequential dash numbers with "even
numbers" being set aside for Navy engines and "odd
numbers" being set aside for Army. The P-26A's and C's
used the R-134D-27. Interestingly, though this engine was
supercharged, it did not incorporate the S-prefix in its
designator.
The P-26B used the R-1340-33, which had direct fuel
injection instead of carburetors and a new control lever
in the cockpit that COmbined the functions of throttle and
mixture control into one unit. Fore-and-aft movement con-
trolled the throttle, while rotation of the knob enriched
(counter-clockwise) or leaned (clockwise) the mixture.
Because of the altitUde supercharging, the engines in
the P-26's were limited to less than full power below 6,000
feet by a throttle stop. Sea-level output of the R-1340-27
(P&W's R-1340-S2E) was 500 hp at 2,200 rpm for takeoff, .
and 570 hp at 2,200 rpm at 7,500 fee.t.
The engine was equipped with an inertia starter crank-
ed by hand or with a powered flexible shaft engaging a
drive on the left side of the nose. The "engage" handle
was in the cockpit to the left of the instrument panel. In
the P-26's, the engine was enclosed in a Boeing varia-
------ -
A P-26B sits on the ramp at Boeing Field. This aircraft does not have an antenna
mast and appears to be seen prior to delivery.
The twenty-three P-26C's were identical to the P-26A's except for minor equipment
differences and the fact that they were built with flaps. This one is seen outside the
Boeing factory in early 1936.
9
tion of a Townend "anti-drag" ring and the forward
crankcase was covered by a unique Boeing oil-cooler-
shutter assembly that Boeing called a nose cowling.
Fuel was carried in three tanks: a 55-gallon main tank
in the belly and one removable 26-gallon auxiliary tank
in the root of each outer wing panel. The last 20 gallons
in the main tank were considered the reserve supply. A
single fuel tank selector (there were two on the XP-936
and the early P-26A's) was mounted on the auxiliary
panel. The handle for the manual fuel pump used in star-
ting was mou nted on the left side of the cockpit on the
same mount as the elevator trim control.
An eight-galion oil tank was installed ahead of the no.
1 bulkhead. The oil circulated from the engine back to
the tank through a core-type cooler installed below the
engine accessory section.
SERIAL NUMBERS:
The three XP-26's were given Army Air Corps serial
numbers A.C. 32-412 through 32-414. Air Corps serial
numbers for the 111 P-26A's were 33-28 through 33-138,
paralleled by Boeing c/n's 1804 through 1914. The 25
follow-on aircraft were 33-179 through 33-203, though the
Boeing c/n's were not in parallel. The two P-26B's were
33-179 and 33-180, but their Boeing c/n's were 1919 and
1916, respectively. Aircraft 33-181 through 33-183 were
P-26C's with Boeing c/n's 1915, 1928 and 1917, respec-
tively. P-26C's 33-184 through 33-191 were matched by
Boeing c/n's 1920 through 1927, but aircraft 33-192 had
c/n 1918. The remaining P-26C's, 33-193 through 33-203,
had matching Boeing c/n's 1929 through 1939.
SPECIFICATIONS AND
PERFORMANCE:
XP-936 P-26A P268 P26C
Fuselage length 23'5.13" 23"7.25" 23'9" 23'9"
Wingspan 27'0" 27'11.6" 27'11.6" 27'11.6"
Wing area (gross) 150.0 sq.' 149.5 sq.' 149.5 sq.' 149.5 sq.'
Wing aspect ratio 4.86 5.21 5.21 5.21
Wing loading
(Ibs.lsq.) 18.26 19.76 20.45 20.56
Height (tail up) 9'4.5" 9'4.5" 9'4.5" 9'4.5"
Height (tail down) 10'5" 10'5" 10'5" 10'5"
Wheel track 5'1,5" 5".5" 5".5" 5".5"
Wheel base 15.0' 15.0' 15.0' 15.0'
Empty weight 2,070.5 2,196 2,301 2,332
Ibs. Ibs. Ibs. Ibs.
Gross weight 2,740 2,955 3,060 3,074
Ibs, Ibs. Ibs, lbs.
Max. speed @
optimum alt. 222 234.0 235 235
mph mph mph mph
Max. speed @ 5.1. 211 211 215 215
mph mph mph mph
Service ceiling" 30.700' 27,400' 27,000' 27.000'
Absolute ceiling" 31,600' 28.300' ? ?
Rate of climb
(per min.) 2.260' 2,360' 2,300' 2,360'
Range 358 mi. 635 mi. 635 mi. 635 mi.
Please nole that because of differenl methods of testing and calculation, per-
formance figures obtained by Boeing and Wright Field for the same aircraft
are not always identical. The figures presented here are from Boeing.
AVAILABLE SCALE MODELS
AND DECALS:
The following is a complete listing of all known P-26
plastic kits and decals:
Kits
1I100th: AHM
1I72nd: Advent, Revell
1/48th: Aurora, K&B
Decals
Microscale: 1J32nd-32-31
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHS:
The photographs used In Minigraph 13 reflect the state-
of-the-art In photography at the time the P-26 was in ser-
vice. Of course there was no significant color
photography in the 1930's when the P-26 was in its hey-
day, so all P-26 photos, with few exceptions, were taken
in black and white. The color photos used in Minigraph
13 depict the two surviving P-26A's, both of which are
wearing notably inaccurate markings and color schemes.
Aircraft were not photographed extensively by the
government in the 1930's. The manufacturer took
"around-the-clock" and detail views for his own records,
in support of required customer documentation and
limited pUblic relations work. The customer-in this case
the US Army Air Corps-also took its own identification
views at Wright Field when prototypes and early produc-
tion models were sent there for testing.
The user organizations, most notably the squadrons,
were also short on conventional aircraft photos. Most
squadron-related imagery tended to subordinate the air-
craft to the people who might be involved. In-flight views
were usually reserved for the more spectacular images,
most notabiy long shots of the aircraft in formation.
It therefore remained for the amateur enthusiasts and
photo collectors, who had easy access to Air Corps bases
in those relaxed days, to photographically document pro-
duction aircraft in operational settings. Concern about
markings, multiple views of the same aircraft without
. background distraction, closed doors, and centered con-
trols, helped push the quality of amateur aircraft
photography to a level on par with whatever could be ob-
tained from more professional sources. Any markings
change was a valid reason for enthusiasts to shoot the
same aircraft more than once; companies and govern-
ment agencies rarely bothered.
The majority of the collectors and enthusiasts in the
1930's used a standard folding camera that required size
616 film. This produced negatives that were approximate-
ly 2-3/4" x 4-
1
12 "-ideal for the oblong proportions
presented by aircraft sitting static on the ground. Before
616 roll film was discontinued in 1975, most collectors
had already switched to the more convenient 35mm
format.
There were basically two types of black and white film
available in the 1930's. Verichrome, the cheapest, was
an orthochromatic film that made red appear to be almost
black, yellow to appear very dark, and blue to appear
significantly lighter in the positive print. A faster and more
expensive film was Super-X, which was a panchromatic
film that rendered red as a light shade of grey, blue as
a darker shade, and yellow as almost white. These
characteristics were particularly noticeable when Super-X
was used with an amber filter..
Collectors, as Is often the case today, shot negatives
not only for their own files, but also for others with whom
they traded. This trading, which in the case of many
photos in this book took place nearly a half-century ago,
today causes problems in determining accurate credit
lines. A print supplied by one collector could easily have
been made from a negative taken by another. This pro-
blem is made significantly more complicated by the fact
that some negatives, during the half-century that has
passed since they were taken, have passed through
many hands, with the name of the original photographer
having long ago been lost in the trading process. Accor
dingly, the majority of the photos in this book are a mix
of Boeing, Army, and Individual collector's photos, pro-
perly credited wherever possible. The structural and
detail photos, unless otherwise noted, are from the files
of the Boeing Company.
The Boeing Model 281 was the export version of the P-26A and differed from it only in minor details. This aircraft is the first demonstrator (X-12771) at roll-out at Boeing
Field on August 2, 1934. Coloring was the same olive drab and yellow seen on most production P-26A's. Note total absence of antenna masts on both the forward
cowling and the vertical fin.
10
Three-quarter rear view of the first Model 281 demonstrator providing detail markings reference. Boeing logo on vertical fin is noteworthy, as is X-12771 registration on
rudder. Note that the horizontal stabilizer root fairing is painted yellow and that the leading edge is black. Also visible on the wingtips are the fairings for the
navigation lights.
A P-26A of the 94th Pursuit Squadron also photographed on orthochromatic film.
Note how light the later blue fuselage appears compared to the yellow tail. The
fuselage band is red.
i i i I ~ : : : : ; ; : ; ; : : ; ; : : : : : ; ~ ~ = : : : : 1
P-26B of the 17th Pursuit Squadron photographed on orthochromatic film. Yellow
wing appears as dark as the olive drab fuselage.
The crude figure 8 in washable paint identifies a 94th Pursuit Squadron P-26A
entered in the 1935 Mitchell Trophy Race at Selfridge Field.
A lineup of P-26A's of the 94th Pursuit Squadron at Selfridge Field. Tail numbers are
last two digits of aircraft Army serial number.
P-26B. 33-194, of the 17th Pursuit Squadron, converted from a P-26C. After
mid-1937, a diagonal stripe identified the leader of "B" Flight in a squadron.
P-26A, 33-124, of the 94th Pursuit Squadron with wide red, white, and blue stripes
on the wing in addition to the squadron's red fuselage stripe.
11
The 27th Pursuit Squadron also had P-26A's, but they were not photographed as
extensively as those of the 17th and 94th Squadrons.
P-26A, 33-123, was originally assigned to the 94th Pursuit Squadron but was
transferred to the Headquarters Squadron of the 1st Pursuit Group and carried the
group insignia on its fuselage.
J
P-26A, 33-122, of the 17th Pursuit Squadron with the new tail designator adopted in
mid-1937. PA 22 translates as 20th Pursuit Group, Airplane No. 22.
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P-26A, 33-133, with open-sided wheel pants, 1st Pursuit Group insignia on the
engine cowling, and the group commander's name, "Pilot - Col. Royce", painted on
the engine cowling as well.
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P-26A, 33,195, formerly qf the 95th Pursuit Squadron, as flown by the 1st P.G. in its
original markings with the 95th Squadron insignia removed and the last two digits of
the Army serial number added to the cowling/fin.
P-26A, 33-64, in the black-and-white markings of the 34th Pursuit Squadron.
Absence of forward antenna mast indicates no radio.
_ . _ - - ~
P-26A's of the 34th Pursuit Squadron (foreground) and 73rd Pursuit Squadron
(background) at March Field, California, in 1934.
12
P-26A of the 73rd Pursuit Squadron. "Bear" insignia and red and yellow trim (wings
and vertical fin) are notable.
Water-paint camouflage is seen as applied to a 34th Pursuit Squadron P-26A for the
1934 West Coast War Games. Note squadron patch on ground crew member's
jacket.
All P-26A's of the 17th Pursuit Group are seen lined up for inspection at March
Field. Aircraft 102 and 100 were assigned to Group Headquarters; 00 was assigned
to Wing Headquarters.
Initial markings for the 20th Pursuit Group's P-26A's were large white block figures
on the fuselage, 0 thru 48.
Interim markings are seen on a 20th Pursuit Group's P-26A. Markings consisted of
scalloping in the squadron colors applied with an appropriate outline to the engine
cowling.
An oddity of the 20th Pursuit Group was that the group insignia, rather than the
squadron insignia, was applied to all aircraft. Note how light the blue fuselage of
this P-26A appears when photographed on orthochromatic film.
P-26A, 33-102, transferred from the 17th Pursuit Group to the 20th. Note group
rather than squadron insignia on fuselage and three-color cowling of a headquarters
and headquarters squadron aircraft.
Nine P-26A's of the 20th Pursuit Group headquarters and headquarters squadron
with three equal color areas on the cowlings and the new tail designators of the
mid-193711940 period. PT translates to 20th P.G.
Eighteen P-26A's of the 20th Pursuit Group, all with group insignia on the fuselage
and a mix of cowlings in solid squadron colors and three-color group headquarters
coloring.
13
- ~
f : & - - ~
P-26A's of the 20th Pursuit Group's 77th Pursuit Squadron with 193711940 tail
designators and new standardized command stripes in the squadron color (white).
P-26A, 33-77, was defivered to Bolling Field on April 24, 19:1'4. Note Bolling Field in-
signia and blue and yellow striped cowling.
The first P-26A, 33-28, after crashing at March Field on October 23, 1934, while
testing experimental wing flaps. Note how the modified headrest protected the
cockpit area after the aircraft flipped over.
The first Model 281 demonstrator is seen on September 13, 1934, crated for ship-
ment to China. Note the extra set of low-pressure Goodyear "Airwhee/s".
All ten of the Boeing Model 281 's ordered are seen shortly after their arrival at Nanking, China, in 1936. Each aircraft was assigned a large fuselage number from 1 thru
10. Note lack of radio antenna masts on the fuselage and vertical fin. Also note that some aircraft have tail wheel fairings and some do not.
..--::;:
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8
I
A P-26A of the 19th Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group, over Oahu, Hawaii, on
March 6, 1939. The fuselage command stripes and engine cowling are painted gold.
The base fuselage color is blue.
14
Starting in 1940, formerly blue-and-yellow P-26A's were repainted over-all silver. The
aircraft shown are in the 19th Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group, Wheeler Field,
Hawaii.
The last P-26B in the continental US, 33-197, shown in olive drab and gray
camouflage when it was the only P-26 in the 40th Pursuit Squadron, 31st Pursuit
Group at Selfridge Field, in early 1941.
P-26B, 33-197, at its last flying station-the 10th Air Base Group at Chanute Field,
Rantoul, Illinois. It was based there from June of 1941 thru October of 1942.
P-26A, 33-92, of the 94th Pursuit Squadron is seen on skis. Note the cutout on the
inner side of the wheel pants to accommodate the hydraulic snubber.
The last P-26A to be photographed in US Army markings. P-26A, 33-49, is seen at
Guatemala City, Guatemala, on May 11, 1943. The tail serial number, adopted in
January of 1942, translates to 33-49.
r--------
The P-26A's transferred to the Philippines Army Air Force from July to November of
1941, retained their US Army colors and markings.
Guatemalan Air Force P-26A in flight after WWII. The fuselage has been stripped of
paint and shows original anodized metal.
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P-26A, 33-56, with Bolling Field markings, is seen mounted in the NACA full-scale
wind tunnel at Langley AFB, Virginia, in order to test experimental flap installations.
Decoration of the second Model 281 demonstrator was inspired by the P-26A's of
the 34th Pursuit Squadron. The fuselage and landing gear were gloss black and the
wings and tail were yellow.
15
Fresh paint on the fuselages of these 94th Pursuit Squadron P-26A's is evidence of
the recent reinforcement of the upper aft fuselage structure. Aircraft No. 23 is
33-123, now owned by the Planes of Fame Museum.
~ ."'ollowing an accident which resulted in serious damage to the airframe: P-26A,
33-103, is loaded on a truck at snow-covered Selfridge Field for a trip to the
repair depot.
Two Chinese Model 281 's are seen undergoing maintenance in a Nanking hangar.
The aircraft on the left has the original over-all gray scheme while the aircraft on the
right is in the later over-all olive drab scheme
On most P-26A's, the open cockpit door covered the aircraft serial number which
was stenciled in black or white on the left fuselage side along with crew weight
information.
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Wright Field technicians mounted this P-26A on a decorated truck as part of the
Field's participation in a Dayton parade.
P-26A of the 6ih Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group, in Hawaii in 1939. The cowl
and forward fuselage are trimmed in red with a white outline.
P-26A, 33-135, as presently displayed in the National Air & Space Museum in
Washington, D.C. This aircraft was displayed in the AF Museum for many years.
16
Edward Maloney's (Planes of Fame Museum) restored P-26A, 33-123, on September
24, 1962. Its appearance at that time was spoiled by the prevailing FAA require-
ment calling for foot-high registration numbers on all civil aircraft.
Seen in July of 1969, during an Ontario, California airshow, Ed Maloney's P-26A was still wearing the large civil registration (N-3378G) required at the time'by the
Federal Aviation Administration. This rule has now been rescinded and the large N-number has been removed.
Seen in August of 1978, during a Chino, California airshow, Ed Maloney's P-26A no longer had large civil registration on fuselage side. Vertical fin color also had
changed from yellow to white, and the black tail number, 23 had been revised in shape and location. Additionally, the vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer leading edge
scallops had been changed in color from blue to red.
17
r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~ - " 1 ~
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Ed Maloney's P-26A, one of two complete P-26's extant in the world, is the only one that remains flyable. Demonstrations of this ability are sporadic-and almost
always well-attended by buffs and enthusiasts. This 1978 photo was taken as the aircraft taxied out for take-off from its home field in Chino, California.
, . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ . _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . ~
~
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Recent photo of Ed Maloney's P-26A, taken in May of 1983, during a display at the Chino, California airport. Red, white, and blue color scheme of the 17th Pursuit
Group, 34th Pursuit Squadron is not accurate for this particular unit. Maloney acquired 33-123 in 1957.
18
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19
The P-26's Df the 1st Pursuit GrDup at Selfridge Field had the squadrDn insignia backed with a diagDnal band in
A the squadron cDIDr until mid-1937. The 17th squadron used white with a black bDrder; the 27th, dark yellDw with
a black bDrder; and the 94th (shown), a red stripe with a yellDw bDrder. The fin number (which represented the
last twD digits of the Army serial number) and the cDwling number were in the squadron cDIDr. The fuselage,
cDwling, and landing gear cDfDr changed from Dlive drab tD medium blue during 1936 and early 1937.
The 17th Pursuit Group had unique markings fDr its P-26A's during the year that it had them. The squadrDn
number was carried in large white Dr yellDw blDck figures IDngitudinally under the belly, and the individual
airplane number was carried similarly Dn the tDR Df the fuselage and Dn each side Df the fin. P-26A, 33-51,
ND.2 Df the 34th Pursuit SquadrDn, is illustrated with a white fin and headrest, and the tDp Df the stabilizer
scallDped in black. The fuselage striping was black and white.
Each squadrDn Df the 17th Pursuit GrDup carried squadrDn insignia in the standard pDsitiDn shDwn. P-26A,
33-60, nD. 30 Df the 73rd Pursuit Squadron, had a red fin, stabilizers, and headrest with yellDw scallDping
and red and yellDw fuselage striping. AlsD, each pilDt's name in the grDup was carried in a shield in the
squadron cDIDr just ahead of the left side Df the cDckpit. RibbDns above and belDw the shield Dn nD. 2
Df the 34th SquadrDn read "CDmmunicatiDns Officer".
P-26A, 33-84, Df the 95th Pursuit SquadrDn. The tail and headrest cDIDrs were blue with yellDw scallDps; the
fuselage striping was blue and yellDw. After the 17th Pursuit GrDup became the 17th Attack Group Dn March 1,
1935, it gave up its P-26A's between April 2nd and August 25th. Those that went tD the 1st Pursuit Group re-
tained their unique 17th Group markings, deleting Dnly the Driginal squadrDn insignia and airplane numbers and
adding the 1st Pursuit GrDup fin and cDwling numbers that matched the last twD digits Df the aircraft's Army
serial number.
--
20
In mid-1937, the leader's stripes were standardized at two 4" vertical bands in the squadron color for squadron
leaders, a single 4" vertical band for A-Flight leaders, a forward-sloping band (like the old 1st Pursuit Group) for
B-Flight leaders, and an aft sloping band for C-Flight leaders. Cowlings were in the squadron color except for
the group headquarters and headquarters squadron; in a three-squadron group the cowling was trisected in the
three squadron colors. At the same time, the group designators were added to each side of the fin and
sometimes the upper left wing. PT here identified the 20th Pursuit Group. This leader's P-26 of the 79th Pursuit
Squadron (color white) of the 20th Pursuit Group uses the number 100.
In 1941, some of the P-26's still in US Army service were repainted in the new olive drab and gray camouflage.
National insignia application was modified to one star on the upper left wingtip, one on the lower right, and one
on each side of the rear fuselage. The colorful Army rudder stripes were deleted. In January of 1942, the air-
craft's Army serial number was added to the rudder and fin in a minimum of four 8-inch block figures in either
black or yellow. The first digit of the fiscal year was deleted; 33-183 appeared on this P-26C/B conversion as
3183. The red center in the American star marking was deleted on May 15, 1942, because of its similarity to
the Japanese "meatball".
The ten Boeing Model 281 's delivered to China were originally painted over-all light gray with national insignia
.only on the wingtips and large black identification numbers 1 thru lOon the fuselage. Later, the aircraft were re-
painted over-all olive drab with 12 alternating white (from the top) and blue horizontal rudder stripes and the
Chinese 12-pointed star on the fuselage. The Model 281 demonstrator that crashed in China was painted US
Army olive drab and yellow and carried the US civil registration XI2271.
When Guatemala established an Air Force in the 1920's it used a star-in-circle marking on the wings and
fuselage, similar to that used by the US but in Guatemala's national colors of blue-white-blue. The rudder stripes
were vertical blue-white-blue; the markings are still in use today. The P-26A's acquired from the US Army in
1942143 merely had Guatemalan markings applied over the US markings. Later, the Guatemalan P-26A's were
camouflaged in green. After the war, some had their fuselage paint stripped and were seen flying in the irregUlar
gray of the anodized aluminum skin. The fuselage star of the P-26A's was replaced by large training numbers
after the war.
BOEING MODEL 281, X12771--
Boeing's first Model 281 demonstrator was painted olive drab and yellow, like its US Army counterparts. There
were no trim markings, however, except for the gloss black horizontal stabilizer leading edge. Note that the
horizontal stabilizer and vertical fin fairings were painted yellow. The X12271 registration, visible on the rudder,
the top of the right wing, and the bottom of the left, was painted in black. The Boeing logo on the vertical fin
also was biack, as was the wing walkway at the wing root.
21
Scale: 1/32nd
Drawn by Jay Miller
21
22
The only other known intact P-26A is 33-135, now owned by the National Air & Space Mus,eum. Like Maloney's aircraft, the NASM's P-26A is painted in the markings of
the 17th Pursuit Group, 34th Pursuit Squadron-though the base color is olive drab, rather than blue.
The standard yellow wings and olive drab fuselage markings seen on most P-26A's offered a pleasing contrast in colors. The NASM's P-26A, seen during its tenure at
the AF Museum near Dayton, Ohio, and prior to being placed on display, had previously worn the markings of the Guatemalan Air Force.
23
The AF Museum had P-26A, 33-135, on loan for some seven years prior to returning it to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air & Space Museum. Today it hangs in
the latter and is visually accessible from both ground and second and third floor levels of the main NASM building. The revised pitot boom, visible in this view, is
noteworthy.
The cockpit of Ed Maloney's P-26A has been significantly changed from the original. The instrument panel has been substantially revised, the guns have been removed
(the mounts are visible, however), and the canvas covering is missing from the map and manual rack. Visible in this photo is the crank handle for flap actuation.
24
The standard P-26A cockpit was relatively spartan by contemporary standards. The fuselage walls remained uninsulated, the guns, mounted on either side of the floor-
ing protruded into the cockpit, and instrumentation was minimal, to say the least. The throttle quadrant is visible on the left, the control stick is seen in the center, and
the auxiliary instrument panel is directly in front of it.
The XP-936 had the same instruments as the later
P-26A, though both differed in detail and layout.
Main fuel tank is visible under flooring.
The P-26A main instrument board contained primary flight instrumentation, the pull handle for the starter
(extreme left), fuel and oil pressure gauges, a standard 8-day clock, the supercharger pressure gauge,
and an engine tachometer.
25
The P-268 cockpit was almost identical to the arrangement found in late P-26A's except for the modified throttle/mixture control lever and the relocation of the right-side
cockpit light. The latter was due to the addition of the wing flap control handle. Note primitive radio equipment ahead of control stick.
The early model P-26A auxiliary instrument board
permitted control of the fuel management system,
lighting, and weapons.
26
Some 20th P.G. P-26A's, such as 33-59, had the US Army serial number stenciled on the inside of the door to
permit ready identification when the door was folded down. Door was hinged at its base and facilitated pilot
ingress and egress. The door was on the left side of the fuselage, only.
.
The P-26C cockpit was identical to that of the P-26A except for the revised auxiliary instrument panel and the addition of the wing flap control handle. On all P-26's, in-
strument panel glare was controlled by giving the panel surfaces a black crackle finish. The instruments were individually lighted for night ,'lying. Descriptive panel
reproduced on the back cover of this Minigraph is visible to the left of the throttle quadrant.
P-26A INSTRUMENT PANa DETAILS
S T A R T E R - ~
PULL
.. __ AMMUNITION
COUNTERS
BOEING NAME. PLATE
The microphone for radio-equipped P-26A 's (33-65
of the 94th P.S., shown) was hung on an elastic
cord stretched across the cockpit.
27

&
~ ' ~ \
Left side view of a P-26A cockpit illustrates the hinged door, the throttle quadrant,
the trim handles, the portable starter crank, the left gun, and the carburetor heat
control.
~ , ~
Right side view of a P-26A cockpit illustrates the rack for maps, reports, ang the
flight handbook, the right gun, and miscellaneous electrical accessories.
The view looking forward in a P-26A, showing the permanent locatifms of the radio
on the right and the liquid oxygen system on the left.
"" "
~ ~ > J '
,J ..
All P-26's and the Model 281 used standard Air Corps bucket seats designed for a
seat-tYPe parachute. The seat back cushion could be used as a life preserver in
water emergencies.
28
Equipment in the Model 281 for export was identical to the standard P-26A except
for a different radio (not installed in photo). Note flap handle and indicator.
Canvas baggage compartment, with zippered back for access to rear fuselage, is
laced into grommets in the side of bulkhead no. 2. The Boeing nameplate is visible
on the right and the Air Corps nameplate on the left.
RECEIVER ANTENNA
RECEIVER
MAST
JUNCTION BOX
TAANSMITTER,
'-__ 8LOCK
........... ,: ...........
...TOR
, . ,
'5;
: TRANSMITTER
1 "'NT'tNNA
/
-----_/
RECEIVER. TUNING CONTROl..

"1 ISOLANTIIE INC.

MOUNT
RECEIVER CONTROL
CORO
TUBE ----;.-=';;;"
P-26A RADIO EQUIPMENT
ll-'_
Original P-26A headrest was shorter and on its front end, significantly more rounded than its replacement. BlaCk
leather cushion prGvided minimal comfort for pilot. Note handle below headrest fOr removing panel for bag"gage
compartment access.
The XP-936 fuselage as from the cockpit. The
interior was painted with red oxide primer and then
with silver lacquer.
g> ....;
.
<Xl
Forward structure of the improved, strengthened,
and lengthened P-26A Headrest.
The first XP-936 had an undesireable airflow problem around the cockpit and headrest, so Wright Field developed some changes. Note the riveted-in patch changing the
fuselage contour, the enlarged headrest, and the added slot structure to smooth the airflow around the interim headrest.
29
The original XP-936 landing gear had a full fork on the shock strut and it was
necessary to remove the axle in order to replace the wheel. Tires shown are
General "Streamlines" and not Goodyear "Airwheels".
The landing gear structure was not stable until both the inside cross-wires, shown,
and the flying wires were installed. When the wings were off, a spreader bar,
shown, was installed to maintain tension.
4. fRON. r .It \\0 Li\NOINu I.; U\t\
", , Ll -l.A .
,!j,
____..... "
The XP-936 wheel fairing, shown, was attached to the wheel pivot arm and moved
with it in an arc. On the P-26A/Model 281, the fairing was attached to the shock
strut to permit vertical movement.
_:::;;;0..........--.----- l'
P-26A landing gear are shown attached to a jig that was designed to assist in at-
tachment of fairings. Wheel pant construction details are readily apparent in this
view.
...... ;
Front view of complete P-26A landing gear. Note rub strips for moveable wheel
pants and the reversion by the flying wires to a round section where they cross.
Three-quarter front view of complete P-26A landing gear. Fairings for flying wires are
notable. Rub strips are particularly visible from this angle.
30
MAIN LANDING GEAR
I..F"T SIDE VIEW
LANDING GEAR IN
"TAll" POSITION
PARKING BRAKE LEVCR
SET SCREW l='OR
MOF"." POSITION STOP
PEDAL. ADJUSTING
LEVER
BRAKE ARM

A detailed view of one of the several ski-wheel landing gear systems available for the P-26A. Note how the
wheel fairings have been cut to accomodate the ski snubbers. Skis fit either wheel.
The P-26A tail wheel installation is seen without fairing in place. The tail wheel was
steerable via cables attached to the rudder pedals. Proximity of tail wheel to
fuselage was somewhat unusual.
TNI. WHCL.IN:.T Wlnt
.... u.A, ..
The P-26A tail wheel installation is seen with fairing in place. The fairing had
relatively close tolerances and could be troublesome if) muddy or highly
vegetated environments.
External view of the new P-26 tail wheel assembly. This was retrofitted to all
P-26A's, B's, and C's in service, starting in late 1936. Note sheet metal
covering over old cutout.
In 1936, Boeing developed a new P-26 tail wheel assembly. It pivoted about the
apex to the left and was attached to an oleo-pneumatic shock absorber.
31
....ILEROI't &. ELEVATOR CONTROLS
CONTROL SYSTEM
RUOOe:B &. ,AIL WHEEL COI'l"'TROL&
A top side view of the wing framework in its jig. Wing construction was relatively uncomplicated yet sufficiently
rugged. Forward and aft spars were braced by external flying wires.
......a=::.,..;.,; =-- _
The nearly completed outer wing panefs of the first XP-936 are seen in their assembly jig. Notice the nearly symmetrical rounding of the wingtips-which differed can
siderably from the later semi tapered P-26 wing. Visible in this view are the ailerons, some ribbing, and most of the wing skin.
Bottom (left) and top (right) views of the finished P-26A wing providing details of flying wire attachment points, flying light positions, location of wing markings, and aux
iliary fuel door location. Wings were painted yellow and provided with markings prior to installation. Compare wingtips of P-26A wing to those of XP-936, above.
32
Wing root stub mounts wing hinge points for both spars. Brazier-type rivets were ob-
viously not in short supply at Boeing at the time the P-26 was being built!
The spars for the center section extended across the fuselage at main bulkheads
nos. 1 and 3. Note the recessed structure and hinge points in the trailing edge for
wing flaps.
The trailing edge cove for the wing flaps. This Model 281 wing was built initially to use flaps.
modified to accommodate them; the P-26B's and C's were built with flaps.
for access to the auxiliary fuel tanks.
The Model 281/P-26A wing flap had a recessed
trailing edge so that it could extend past the
aileron. The single spar is a torque tube.
--j
MODE.L aSI
'1'TS7 0
A P-26A aileron is seen half-covered in its assembly jig. Note six hinge points. Not
visible is ground-adjustable trim tab.
Built-up tail assembly hinges for the P-26A. Hinges were relatively simple ball bear-
ing types that required periodic hand-lubrication.
33
Tail assembly was conventional with normal vertical and horizontal tail surfaces, a
single rudder, and elevators. A small trim tab was mounted on the inboard trailing
edge of each elevator.
The horizontal stabilizer was a non-adjustable cantilever unit of conventionaL con-
struction. The hinge mounts for the elevator can be seen protruding from the trailing
edge.

The vertical fin was a fixed cantilever unit of conventional construction. It was offset
to the left side of the aircraft some 3 deg. to compensate for engine torque.
~ -
r.
<0
~ .
g-
~
<;
i
g"
The single-piece P-26A rudder is seen in its jig during construction. The ribbing and external skin were all-metal. There were three hinge points and a single leading
edge spar. There was no trim tab.
34
RIGHT E:LEVAT0!3.
The elevator was divided into two sections, one of which is shown in its jig. The ribbing and external skin were all-metal. Each elevator section had three hinge points
and a single leading edge spar. The cutout for the trim tab is visible on the upper right corner.
f
<ll
FUEL SYSTEM
55 GAL.. TOTAL. MAIN TANt<.
r
i -.042 ACU.... 4S0 VENT j ,--- GRAV"Y 'LAPPER VALVE
~ . . . ; , = , - " " " " , __(-J = = ~ j _
_ . __._- 1<:.-2 COCK
- 0-2 PUMP
STRAINER
NOTE:
ALL F'UEL L.INES ~ .042
ALU..... ALec 460, UNL.ESS
OTHERWISE NOTED,
The 55-gallon main gas tank was installed under the cockpit flooring through
removeable panels. The supporting metal tray and cables are noteworthy.
Upside-down view of the fuselage illustrates the gas tank door installation that
covers the gas tank in the wing center section.
35
'"
J



1l.
i
g' "
"Q'" VltW

Top view of the cowling covering the engine mount
and engine accessories behind the engine. Note
sight mount and offset antenna mast.
Installation of Pratt & Whitney SR-1340E "Wasp"
engine in the Boeing XP-936.
Overhead view of Pratt & Whitney R-1340-27 engine
in a P-26A. Airspeed venturi is visible between left
and center cylinders.
RIGHT 510E view COWLING-
MODtL p- 2faA
Right side view 0Ip-26A cowling and Townend ring. Second exhaust stack from top
is routed so that the heat it generates Can be used for Carburetor heating,
Left side view of P-26A cowling and Townend ring. As with right side, second ex-
haust stack from top is routed so that the heat it generates can be used for car-
bUretor heating.
Right side view of P-26A powerplant installation gives good detail of exhaust pipe
configuration, engine mounts, carburetor heating system, oil tank, and other
miscellaneous accessories.
.:111
1:1
i!
Left side view of P-26A powerplant inStallation gives good detaif of exhaust pipe
configuration, engine mounts, carburetor heating and oil cooling systems, oil tank,
and gun barrel extension tube.
36
Close-up detail of powerplant accessory area pro-
vides good view of 2-wire electrical system and gun
barrel extension tube.
The fower end of the steel-tube engine mount bolted directly to the front spar. The box-like structure projecting
forward from the No. 1 bulkhead accommodated the pilot's feet and rudder pedals. Silver paint is typical of
interior coloring.
Overhead view of engine accessory area details down-draft carburetion, engine
mount, and other miscellaneous engine accessories.
Rear view of R-1340-27 prior to installation in Ed Maloney's P-26A. Note dual
magnetos, intake manifold configuration, and oil sump.
{
<xl
Front view of freshly overhauled Pratt & Whitney R-1340-27 "Wasp" engine ready
for installation in Ed Maloney's refurbished P-26A, 33-123, in September of 1962.
Pratt & Whitney R-1340-27 engine with ring cowling and engine cowling as installed
in a Boeing P-26A. Ring cowling improved airflow through and around cylinders.
37
For routine operations, the Army used an electrically-driven energizer with a geared
drive to wind up the inertia starts on P-26's. This is P-26A, 33-51, of the 34th
Pursuit Group.
...--
Though taken in 1962, this photo of Ed Maloney's P-26A gives a good visual im-
pression of the 1930's vintage hand-cranked starting method using the aircraft's
inertia starter.
c:
~
."
0 0
~ .
~
i.
~
Another view of the Type A-3 bomb rack with two 116-pound demolition bombs.
Bomb release was strictly mechanical and actuated by a handle inside the cockpit.
~ - < - ~ ~ .
~ ...... ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~
Two 116-pound demolition bombs are seen mounted on a US Army Type A-3 bomb
rack beneath the first XP-936 on March 14, 1932. Drag was obviously not a major
consideration in the design of the rack!
, . . - - - - - - ~ - _ .
Five 25-pound fragmentation bombs are seen mounted on a A-3 bomb rack on
P-26A, 33-62. The bombs could be dropped individually or all at once.
Front view of five 25-pound fragmentation bombs mounted under P-26A, 33-62. The
fragmentation bomb was primarily an anti-personnel weapon. Bomb release
mechanism is visible on right end of rack.
38
A parachute flare is seen being carried qn an A-3 bomb rack under a P-26A. The
normal load in this configuration was two flares. This flare is marked "inert".
The ammunition box was installed just ahead of the 55-gallon belly fuel tank, permit-
ting the ammunition to feed vertically the two guns installed above it.
-_.-
~ ~ ~
The camera gun was mounted on the P-26's right wing root and the operating batteries were carried in the right-hand ammunition box. The gun "barrel" was actually a
long lens.
Another view of the camera gun installation. The area of coverage was not as
restricted as it appears as the target being filmed was usually several hundred feet
in front of the aircraft.
A ground crewman is seen loading the left-hand .30-calibre machine gun of a 20th
Pursuit Group P-26A, on November 3, 1937. Ammunition was pulled up from the
ammo box through doors on each side of the fuselage.
39
ARMAMENT SYSTEM
GUN CONTR,OL. SWITCH
,r-AMM. COUNTER.S
r.30 CAL. ~ E E O CHUTE
,--.30 CAL. EJECT. CHUTE:
R.!-l.F'EED
RE:F"ER TO E:LECTR.ICAL
DIAGRAM FOR GUN
CONTROLS.
BOMB RACK SYSTEM
AAMING HANDLE
TVPE 8-3
Bo.... e RELEASE
HANOL...
TYPE A-3
801018 AACK
TVPE .... -3 R.H.
The removable /lotation bags are seen inflated on P-26A, 33-52, during functional tests at Wright Field. The bags were made of rubberized canvas and formed to fit
under the wing /lying wires. The bags proved troublesome in service and were easily punctured and periodically accidentally in/lated. Accidental inflight inflations
could prove fatal.
Front and side views of the Goodyear-manufactured /lotation bags in their inflated condition. The entire system, mounted in a wing upper surface fairing, was
mechanically attached to the wing root section with a mechanical actuator connected to a handle in the cockpit. A pressurized carbon dioxide system inflated the bags
when the handle was pulled.
40
AEROFAX INC. is pleased to announce its new MINIGRAPH aircraft monograph series. These high-quality,
authoritative booklets have been created for the serious enthusiast and modeler and are desiilned to pro-
vide textual and pictorial detail not usually found in other readily available books of this type. Each
MINIGRAPH contains over 100 photos, fOld-out-type multi-view drawings, color scheme information, systems
drawings, and high detailed and accurate text.
An extensive title listing is currently in preparation. MINIGRAPHS presently available (marked with
an *) or due for delivery during 1985 include the following:
. MINIGRAPH 1: LOCKHEED SR71 (A.12fYF12/D21)"
MINIGRAPH 2: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F15A/B"
MINIGRAPH 3: GRUMMAN F14A/B"
MINIGRAPH 4: MCDONNELL F4D
MINIGRAPH 5: MCDONNELL F101B/F"
MINIGRAPH 6: BOEING B52G/H
MINIGRAPH 7: GRUMMAN EA6A/B
MINIGRAPH 8: BOEING P-26 VARIANTS"
MINIGRAPH 9: NORTH AMERICAN A3../A5 VARIANTS
MINIGRAPH 10: ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL SPACE SHUTTLE
MINIGRAPH 11: LOCKHEED P3 VARIANTS
MINIGRAPH 12: SAAB ..35 VARIANTS
MINIGRAPH 13: MCDONNELL RF4 VARIANTS"
MINIGRAPH 14: LOCKHEED F94 VARIANTS
If you find the new MINIGRAPH series to you liking and would like to have your name added to our mailing
list, please drop us a line at P. O. Box 120127, Arlington, Texas 76012. We would like to hear from you and
would particularly appreciate comments, criticisms, and suggestions for future titles.
AEROFAX is also in need of interesting, previously unpublished photos of aircraft for use in forthcoming
MINICRAPH titles and other AEROFAX publications. If you have such items in your files, please consider
loaning them to AEROFAX so that others may have a chance to see them, too. You will, of course, be credited
if your photo is used, and a free copy of the publication in which it is used will be sent.
AEROFAX is planning to publish a new aviation magazine and 1985 will likely see the appearance of the
first issue. If you would like to have your name added to the mailing list of those who will be receiving in-
troductory copies and introductory subscription rates, please write.
And don't forget the other fine AEROFAX publications, including the definitive AEROGRAPH series describ-
ing the General Dynamics F-16, the Air National Guard, and the Lockheed U-2. Forthcoming AEROGRAPH
titles due for release in 1985 include the Convair B-58 and the Douglas A-3.
AEROFAX looks forward to hearing from you ....
Thanks for your interest,
Jay Miller and
the AEROFAX, INC.
Editorial Staff
WEIGHT DATA RIGGING DIAGRAM FUEL SYSTEM
K-2 COCK
PUMP
B-2 REL. VALVE
C-2 STRAINER
F-4 PUMP
CARBURETOR
RIGHT ANGLE DRIVE
LEFT AUX. TANK RIGHT AUX. TANK
26 GALS. 26 GALS.
MAIN TANK 55 GALS.
(INCL. 20 GAL. RESERVE)
PRIMER
VENT
FUEL SYSTEM INST. SEE DWG.15-2707.
ELECTRICAL WIRING DIAGRAM SEE:
DWG. 6-3008. ONE WIRE SYSTEM
F"OR: A.C. 33-28 TO A.C.33-51 INCL.
A.C. 33-53 TO A.C.33-IOS INCL.
DWG. S-3463, TWO WIRE SYSTEM
F"OR: AC. 33 -52
A.C. 33-107 TO A.C.33-138 INCL.
VENTS ! ..042ALU
Pl=tIMER LINE A-.026
COPPER.
GAGE L.INE *"-.032 COPPER
PUMP DRAIN *-.042 AL.UM.
AL.L. OTHER WNEe
AL.L. ALUM. ALeo 4 S.O.
WING BRACE WIRES
WIRE PART SIZE LGTH !!!!!- LGTH OFTHD.
am'Q !lli. LH
INNER .LYING 3-4512 *-20 69 *4 2 i 21
.RQNT RYING AN678AC7850 1-
20
78 4 2i 2
REAR .LYING AN676AC80 -24 eo 4 2 I
ffiONT LAND'G AN676AC8875 -24 6Bi 4 2 I
REAR LANDG AN676AC1065O _24 IOGlE 2 2 I
LANDING WIRES MUST BE RIGGED TO APPROX.2200"rENSION
WING INCIDENCE ANGLE 1 DIHEDRAL 4
LEVELING LUGS ARE lOCATED ON FLOOR NEAR SEAT.
MOVEMENT OF CONTROL SURFACES
SURFACE ABOVE NEUTRAL BELOW NEUTRAL
AILERON 24 ISO
ELEVATOR 30 26
ELEVATOR F"LAP 30 30
RUDDER 30LEFT 30RIGHT
t-- 40'-
"!;:! -'0
r-:- t I
<t INCIDENCE BOARD <t
REAR
SPA.R
INCLUDES 20 GAL. RESERVE
(ACTUALTANK CAP'Y 55 GALS.)
POUNDS
EMPTY 2213
CREW 200
ARMAMENT 125
EQUIPMENT 73
F'UEL
MAIN 52.3 GALS.SPEC. 314
AUXILIARY 52 GALS._312
AUXILIARY TANK INST. (2) 77
OIL
MAIN 4 GALS. 30
AUXILIARY 3.95 GALS._30
NORMAL LOAD 742
GROSS WEIGHT__2S55