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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

Boeing Pw-9, Curtiss PW-8A, Curtiss XPW-8B, & P-1

Page 7

BOEING PW-9D CURTISS PW-8A As Boeing’s PW-9 series made progress, and Thomas-Morse tried unsuccessfully to get some fighter business, production on the popular Curtiss Hawks began with ten P-ls ordered March 7, 1925, starting the fighter designation series that continued until 1962. Essentially a refined PW-8B with a 435-hp V-1150-1 (the new Curtiss D-12 engine designation), the P-l, delivered from August to October 1925, had fabric covering over wooden wing spars and a steel-tube rear fuselage and tail. A 50-gallon main tank could be supplemented by a 50-gallon auxiliary tank attached behind the tunnel radiator, increasing endurance from two to four hours. Armament remained one .30 and one .50-caliber fixed gun.

Twenty-five similar P-lAs ordered September 9, 1925, were delivered beginning in April 1926, and 25 P-lBs were purchased August 17, 1926. Deliveries from Garden City began in November on the P-lB with a V-1150-3, larger wheels and improved radiator. A V-1150-5 and wheel brakes distinguished 33 P-lCs ordered October 3, 1928, and delivered from January to April 1929.

CURTISS XPW-8B

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