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American Combat Planes of the 20th Century is an incredible reference for anyone who is interested in any American Combat Plane History. There are 758 pages and 1700 b/w photos in this substantial labor of love by Ray Wagner, who has been passionately researching and writing about aircraft for over 50 years. Whether you are already familiar with his past works, or just discovering this accomplished author for the first time... This is the book that you've been waiting for!

If you'd like to see the book's Table of Contents ... Click here. You can also browse the entire Index Section to get an idea of the extensive amount of information that is covered within this book.

Search our site for other combat planes. A- 1 Eaton A- 4 Skyhawk A- 6 & A- 7 Air Weapons AV- 8 to A- 10 A- 20 Havoc A- 22 Martin Maryland A- 23 Martin Baltimore A- 24 Douglas A- 26 Douglas Invader Attack Planes B- 2A, F-111, F-117 Stealth B- 17 Flying Fortress B- 24 Liberator B- 25 North American B- 26 Marauder B- 29 Superfortress B- 32 Dominator B- 35 Flying Wing B- 36 B- 47 Stratojet B- 50 Boeing B- 52 Stratofortress B- 57 Canberra B- 58 Hustler Biplanes Biplanes, Army Pursuits Bombers, B- 70 to Stealth Bombers, First Big Curtiss Falcon CO- 1 DH- 4 De Havilland F3D- Douglas Skyknight F3H- McDonnell Demon F4D- 1 Skyray F4F Grumman Wildcats F- 4U Corsair F6F Grumman F7F Grumman F7U Vought F9F G. Cougar F9F G. Panther F- 16 Fighting Falcon F- 84 F- 86 Sabre F- 89 to F-94 F- 100 to F-108 First Fighters Flying Boats GAX Iraq to Afghanistan Martin Bombers Missile Era Fighters Navy Fighers Navy Flying Boats O- 2 Douglas P- 35 Seversky P- 36 to 42 Curtiss P- 38 Lightning P- 39 Airacobra P- 40 Line P- 47 Thunderbolt P- 51 Mustang Fighter P- 61 Black Widow P- 63 Kingcobra P- 79 to P-81 P- 82 Twin Mustang SB2C Helldiver TBF-TBM Avenger Thomas-Morse Torpedo Planes V- 11 Vultee XB -28 XP -48 / 77

Army Pursuits the Biplane Period, 1920-1932

XP-8 through XP-15, P-12's

Page 12

BOEING XP-8 BOEING XP-9

Meanwhile, Boeing turned out four Model 100 unarmed demonstrators in 1929, civilian P-12s powered by 525-hp SR-1340Ds. One tested at Wright Field in March 1930 showed a top speed of 177.5 mph, or 192 mph when a 10-pound ring cowl was added. The last Model 100 was sold to Japan.

A monoplane development of the P-12 series was Boeing’s 202, built with a 525-hp SR-1340D, metal fuselage, and high, strut-braced, metal-covered wing. The model 202 was completed in January 1930, and loaned to the Army for tests on March 10. Designated XP-15, it did 185 mph with a ring cowl on May 3, 1930, and 178 mph when flown with bare cylinders. A curved rudder on an XF5B-l Navy version was later installed on the XP-15, but that aircraft was returned to Boeing without purchase.

Although the XP-15’s performance was good, the Army preferred to order 96 P-12C and 35 P-12D biplanes on June 20, 1930. Delivered from August 1930 to February 1931, the P-12C had a 450-hp R-1340-9 under a ring cowl and a crossed-axle landing gear, instead of the older split-axle style. The P-12Ds delivered from February to March 1931 were similar, but for a 500-hp R-1340-17 and different auxiliary tank.

The fabric-covered metal tube structure of early P-12 fuselages was replaced by the XP-15’s all-metal semi-monocoque body on the Boeing Model 218 first flown September 29, 1930, and tested by the Army in December as the XP-925. Sometimes seen with wheel pants, it became the XP-925A in August 1931 when the 450-hp SR-1340C was replaced by a 500-hp R-1340F, and was also tested by the Navy. CURTISS XP-10 BOEING P-12

Sent to China for demonstration, it became the first American fighter to combat Japanese planes, but was destroyed near Soochow on February 22, 1932, in the Japanese Navy’s first air victory. Pilot Robert Short had attacked three Type 13 three-place bombers from the Kaga, killing the commander and wounding the gunner of one, but when a Type 3 fighter escort joined the fight, Short became the first American pilot killed defending China.

Best-known of the Boeing biplanes became the P-12E, which had the Model 281’s metal fuselage. Powered by an R-1340-17, it had a 55-gallon fuel tank behind the engine and a 55-gallon auxiliary belly tank could be added. Like the others in the series, it was armed with two .30-caliber guns, the right one replaceable by a .50-caliber weapon when required. Bomb racks handled five 30 or two 122-pound bombs.

Ordered on March 20, 1931, the P-12E cost $10,197 each. Delivered by train between September 15 and October 15, 1931, the 110 P-12Es were popular with Air Corps pilots for their maneuverability and flying qualities. Twenty-five P-12F pursuits delivered on the same contract from March 6 to May 17, 1932, had the R-1340-19 Wasp and the last one tested a cockpit canopy. Boeing delivered in total 336 Army P-12 series aircraft, in addition to two l00E (P-12E) fighters shipped to Siam in November 1931, the civilian and export models mentioned and the Navy’s F4B series described in Chapter 10. BOEING XP-12A

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