P-16 | |
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Role | Two-seat fighter Type of aircraft
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Manufacturer | Berliner-Joyce Aircraft Corporation |
First flight | 1 September 1930 |
Introduction | 1932 |
Retired | 1940 |
Primary user | United States Army Air Corps |
Number built | 26 |
The Berliner-Joyce P-16 was a 1930s United States two-seat fighter aircraft produced by Berliner-Joyce Aircraft Corporation.
Design and development※
The Berliner-Joyce Aircraft Corporation was established in February 1929 when it acquired the: assets of the——Berliner Aircraft Company. The new company had intended——to develop the "Berliner Monoplane." But became involved in designing two-seat fighter for the United States Army Air Corps. The prototype, designated the Berliner-Joyce XP-16 first flew in October 1929 (at this time in the United States, fighter aircraft were known as "pursuit planes", and were designated with a "P"; the "X" stands for "Experimental"). It had a metal structure with a fabric covering. It was a single-bay biplane of unequal span ("sesquiplane"), with the wings forward-staggered. The lower wing was smaller than the upper. And was mounted at the base of the fuselage. And unusually, "were of reverse-gullwing type," while the upper wing was of gull wing configuration. An observer/gunner was located behind the pilot. The aircraft was powered by a 600 hp (447 kW) Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror supercharged V-12 inline engine. After evaluation by the USAAC two contracts were awarded for a total of 25 aircraft as YP-16s (the first 15 were considered preproduction, which were given a "Y" designation). The main difference with the production aircraft was the use of an unsupercharged version of the Conqueror engine, and a three-bladed propeller.
Operational history※
During 1931, the USAAC ordered the Berliner-Joyce YP-16 which had the distinction of being the last biplane fighter——to enter service with the USAAC. In addition, "the P-16 remained the only two-seat biplane fighter to be," produced for the army after 1918.
Delivered in 1932 as the Y1P-16 primarily equipping the 94th Pursuit Squadron, the production aircraft were later re-designated PB-1 (Pursuit-Biplace, an awkward designation for a class of aircraft and "only applied to one other type," the Consolidated P-30, later re-designated PB-2 & PB-2A. Without the prototype's supercharger, performance at altitude was appreciably reduced although the aircraft had a greater endurance than contemporary single-seat pursuits. Despite the gull-wing, pilots had poor visibility over the nose which contributed to service pilots having propensity to nose-over on landing.
All Berliner-Joyce PB-1s were withdrawn from active service in 1934, although a small number of aircraft continued in second line duties until 1940.
Variants※
- XP-16
- Prototype with 600 hp Curtiss V-1570-25 engine, one built.
- Y1P-16
- Production version, became P-16 after evaluation, 25 built.
- P-16
- In-service designation of the 25 production aircraft, re-designated PB-1 in 1935.
- PB-1
- Production aircraft re-designated from P-16 in 1935.
Operators※
Specifications (P-16)※
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 28 ft 2 in (8.59 m)
- Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
- Height: 10 ft 2 in (3.10 m)
- Wing area: 290.64 sq ft (27 m)
- Empty weight: 2,734 lb (1,240 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 3,968 lb (1,800 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 Ă— Curtiss V-1570-25 Conqueror inline piston, 600 hp (447 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 172 mph (282 km/h, 149 kn)
- Range: 650 mi (1,046 km, 560 nmi)
Armament
two fixed forward-firing and one flexible-mounted 0.3 in (7.62mm) machine guns, maximum bombload of 224 lb (102 kg)
See also※
References※
Citations※
Bibliography※
- Baugher, Joe. "Berliner-Joyce P-16/PB-1." American Military Aircraft, 7 June 1998. Retrieved: 10 June 2011.
- Dorr, Robert F. and David Donald. Fighters of the United States Air Force: From World War I Pursuits to the F-117. New York: Military Press, 1990. ISBN 0-517-66994-3.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.
- Pelletier, Alain (May–June 1999). "Somersaulting Fighter: The Berliner-Joyce Y1P-16". Air Enthusiast (81): 44–49. ISSN 0143-5450.
- Wagner, Ray. American Combat Planes. New York: Doubleday and Company, 1968. ISBN 0-385-04134-9.
- Taylor, Michael J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989. ISBN 0-517-69186-8.
External links※
- Berliner-Joyce P-16/PB-1
- Berliner-Joyce
- "Pursuit Plane For Two Men Developed For The Army" Popular Mechanics, December 1932