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Consolidated P-30

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P-30 (PB-2)
Consolidated P-30
Role Fighter aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Consolidated Aircraft
First flight January 1934
Status Retired
Primary user United States Army Air Corps
Number built 60

TheConsolidated P-30 (PB-2)was a 1930sUnited Statestwo-seatfighter aircraft.An attack version called theA-11was also built, along with 2Y1P-25prototypes andYP-27,Y1P-28,andXP-33proposals. The P-30 is significant for being the first fighter inUnited States Army Air Corpsservice to have retractable landing gear, an enclosed and heated cockpit for the pilot, and an exhaust-driventurbo-superchargerfor altitude operation.[citation needed]

Design and development

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In 1931, theDetroit Aircraft Corporation,parent company of theLockheed Aircraft Company,built a two-seat single-engined fighter aircraft based on theLockheed Altairhigh-speed transport as a private venture. The prototype, the Detroit-Lockheed XP-900, flew in September 1931 and was purchased by theUnited States Army Air Corpsas theLockheed YP-24.Its performance was impressive, being faster than any fighter then in service with the Air Corps, and an order for five Y1P-24 fighters and four Y1A-9 attack aircraft was placed for the new aircraft, despite the loss of the prototype on 19 October 1931.[1][2]The Detroit Aircraft Corporation went intobankruptcyeight days later, however, leading to the cancellation of the contract.[1][3]

When the Detroit Aircraft Corporation failed, the chief designer of the YP-24,Robert J. Woodswas hired byConsolidated Aircraft.[3]Woods continued to develop the YP-24, the design becoming the Consolidated Model 25, with all-metal wings replacing the wooden wings of the YP-24 and a larger tail. The Army Air Corps ordered two prototypes as the Y1P-25 in March 1932, to be powered by aCurtiss V-1570-27, fitted with a turbo-supercharger on the port side of the forward fuselage. The order for the second prototype was quickly changed to a Y1A-11 attack aircraft, omitting the supercharger.[4][5]

First to fly was the Y1P-25, which was delivered to the Air Corps on 9 December 1932. It demonstrated promising performance, reaching a speed of 247 miles per hour (398 km/h) at 15,000 feet (4,600 m), but was destroyed in a crash on 13 January 1933, killing its pilot, Capt. Hugh M. Elmendorf (whose name was later given toElmendorf Air Basein Alaska).[4][6]

The Y1A-11, armed with four forward-firing machine guns instead of the two of the Y1P-25 and racks for 400 lb (180 kg) of bombs, was delivered toWright Fieldon 5 January 1933. On 20 January 1933, the Y1A-11 disintegrated in midair, killing pilot Lt. Irvin A. Woodring.[7]Despite the loss of both prototypes in a week, on 1 March 1933, the Air Corps placed an order for four P-30 fighters and four A-11 attack aircraft. These production variants differed from the prototypes in having stronger fuselages, simplified undercarriages and more powerful engines.[3][8]

Operational history

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The first P-30 was delivered in January 1934.[8]Testing showed that the gunner's cockpit was uncomfortable and cold at the high altitudes where the P-30 was intended to fight, while the rearward facing gunners were liable to black out when the aircraft was maneuvered.[9]Despite these concerns, on 6 December 1934, the U.S. Air Corps placed an order for a further 50 P-30As, with more powerful V-1570-61 engines driving a three-bladedvariable-pitch propellerand with oxygen supplies for the crew.[10][11]

Three of the four P-30s were delivered to the94th Pursuit SquadronatSelfridge Fieldin 1934. The first P-30A, by this time redesignated PB-2A (Pursuit, Biplace), made its maiden flight on 17 December 1935, with deliveries to service units starting on 28 April 1936. The last of the 50 PB-2As were completed by August that year.[11]

While intended as a high altitude fighter, the PB-2 flew relatively few high altitude flights, partly because of the discomfort for the crew. One exception took place in March 1937, when a PB-2A was flown to 39,300 feet (12,000 m) before being forced to return to lower altitudes when the aircraft's controls froze.[12]On 17 October 1936, a PB-2A flown by Lt.John M. Sterlingwon theMitchell Trophyair racewith a speed of 217.5 miles per hour (350.0 km/h).[13]Since the PB-2A was one of the few aircraft at the time to have retractable landing gear, they were frequently damaged in "wheels-up" landings when the pilots forgot to extend the landing gear.[14]

One PB-2A was modified to a single-seat configuration as the PB-2A Special, to compete in a 1936 Air Corps competition for a new fighter to replace theBoeing P-26 Peashooter.It was larger and heavier than the other competitors and was much more expensive.[citation needed]It crashed during testing, with theSeversky P-35being ordered into production.[15][16]One A-11 was converted to the XA-11A testbed with the new 1,000 hp (750 kW)Allison XV-1710-7engine.[13]

While the PB-2 was sturdy,[14]the two-seat fighter concept was obsolete by the time the aircraft entered service,[13]and by 1939, all had been replaced in front-line service bySeversky P-35andCurtiss P-36 Hawkaircraft. The survivors remained in use as training aircraft until after the start ofWorld War II,with the last being withdrawn from use on 2 June 1942.[17]

Variants

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Y1P-25
Further development ofLockheed YP-24with all-metal wing, 600 hp (450 kW)Curtiss V-1570-27Conqueror turbo-supercharged engine. Two fixed forward firing.30 in machine guns and one flexibly mounted gun in rear cockpit. One built.[6]
Y1A-11
Ground-attack version of Y1P-25. Powered by unsupercharged engine and armament of 4x forward firing.30 in guns in nose, one in rear cockpit and up to 400 lb (180 kg) of bombs. One built.[3][7]
YP-27
Proposed variant of Y1P-25 with a 550 hp (410 kW)Pratt & Whitney R-1340-21G Waspradial engine.Unbuilt.[18]
Y1P-28
Proposed variant of Y1P-25 with a 600 hp (450 kW) R-1340-19 Wasp; unbuilt.[18]
P-30
Initial production batch for Army Air Corps. 675 hp (503 kW)Curtiss V-1570-57turbo-supercharged engine. Four built, later redesignatedPB-2.[3][15]
The last of the four Consolidated A-11s
A-11
Initial production ground-attack aircraft, with unsupercharged V-1570-59 engine. Four built.[3]
P-30A
Main production fighter powered by a 700 hp (520 kW) turbo-superchargedCurtiss V-1570-61engine; 50 built, redesignatedPB-2A.[15]
The PB-2A Special
PB-2A Special
Seventh PB-2A modified to single-seat configuration. Crashed during flight testing.
XP-33
Proposed version with a 800 hp (600 kW)Pratt & Whitney R-1830-1 Twin Wasp engine; unbuilt.[15]
XA-11A
Conversion of A-11 as testbed for 1,000 hp (750 kW)Allison XV-1710-7.One converted.[13]

Specifications (PB-2A)

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Data fromSingular Two-Seater[11]

General characteristics

  • Crew:two
  • Length:30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
  • Wingspan:43 ft 11 in (13.38 m)
  • Height:8 ft 3 in (2.51 m)
  • Wing area:297 sq ft (27.6 m2)
  • Empty weight:4,306 lb (1,950 kg)
  • Gross weight:5,623 lb (2,556 kg)
  • Powerplant:1 ×Curtiss V-1570-61Conqueror liquid-cooledV12 engine,700 hp (520 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed:275 mph (443 km/h, 239 kn) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)[15]
  • Cruise speed:215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn) at {15,000 ft (4,600 m)
  • Range:508 mi (818 km, 442 nmi)
  • Service ceiling:28,000 ft (8,530 m)
  • Climb to 15,000 ft (4,600 m):7 min 48 s

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 2 x 0.30 in (7.62 mm)machine gunsfiring through the propeller
    • 1 x 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun in the rear cockpit
  • Bombs:170 lb (77 kg) bombs

See also

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Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Notes

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  1. ^abFrancillon 1982, pp. 114–115.
  2. ^Angelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 262.
  3. ^abcdefWegg 1990, p. 68.
  4. ^abPelletier 2000, p. 2.
  5. ^Angelucci and Bowers 1987, pp. 95–96.
  6. ^abDorr and Donald 1990, p. 51.
  7. ^abPelletier 2002, pp. 2–3.
  8. ^abPelletier 2002, p. 3.
  9. ^Dorr and Donald 1990, p. 57.
  10. ^Wegg 1990, pp. 68–69.
  11. ^abcPelletier 2000, p. 5
  12. ^Pelletier 2002, p. 10.
  13. ^abcdWegg 1990, p. 69.
  14. ^abPelletier 2002, p. 9.
  15. ^abcdeAngelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 97.
  16. ^Green and Swanborough 1979, p. 11.
  17. ^Pelletier 2002, p. 11.
  18. ^abAngelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 96.

Bibliography

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  • Angelucci, Enzo. andPeter M. Bowers.The American Fighter.New York: Orion Books, 1987.ISBN0-517-56588-9.
  • Dorr, Robert F. and David Donald.Fighters of the United States Air Force.London: Temple Press/Aerospace, 1990.ISBN0-600-55094-X
  • Francillon, René J.Lockheed Aircraft since 1913.London: Putnam, 1982.ISBN0-370-30329-6.
  • Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The end of the beginning... The Seversky P-35".Air Enthusiast Ten,July–September 1979, pp. 8–21.
  • Pelletier, Alain J. "Singular Two-Seater: Consolidated's PB-2A – The USAAC's Only Two-Seat Fighter".Air EnthusiastNo. 85,January/February 2000, pp. 2–11. ISSN 0143-5450.
  • Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers.United States Military Aircraft Since 1909.Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian, 1989.ISBN0-87474-880-1.
  • Wegg, John.General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors.London: Putnam, 1990.ISBN0-85177-833-X.
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