Curtiss P-1

Curtis P-1 Hawk
Curtiss P-1B Hawk (Model 34I)
Type:	Fighter plane
Design country:	United States
Manufacturer:	Curtiss Airplane and Motor Company
First flight:	XPW-8: January 1923 P-1: August 1925 (delivery of the first series machine)
Commissioning:	August 1925
Production time:	1925 to 1929
Number of pieces:	202

The Curtiss P-1 Hawk was the first fighter aircraft of the US Army , which was given the type designation "P" (Pursuit), which was valid from 1925, instead of the "PW" (Pursuit, water-cooled) used from 1919 to 1924. Factory name was Curtiss Model 34 .

History and construction

The single-engine P-1 emerged from the Curtiss XPW-8B , which had won a tender against the Boeing XPW-9 in July 1924 . The first series P-1 was delivered to the US Army on August 3, 1925. Ten P-1 machines were delivered, followed by 25 P-1A , 25 P-1B and 33 P-1C . Production ended in 1929. The P-1 was replaced in 1930 by the Curtiss P-6 Hawk . Under the water-cooled V-engine , the double-decker had a huge radiator and a rigid landing gear.

variants

• P-1 Curtiss V-1150-1 engine (435 hp).
• P-1A P-1 with improved wings etc.
• P-1B Curtiss V-1150-3 engine (435 hp).
• P-1C Curtiss V-1150-5 engine (435 hp).
• P-2 referred to as Model 34B. Curtiss V 1400 engine with 500 hp. Five built, three of which were later converted to P-1A and one to XP-6.
• XP-3 a converted from P-1 with 390 hp Curtiss R-1454 radial engine, later converted into XP-3A
• XP-3A converted XP-3 with Pratt & Whitney R-1340-1 (410 HP)
• P-3A designated as Model 34N. 410 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7
• XP-4 P-1A ​​equipped with a charged Packard 1A-1530 (510 hp)
• XP-5 P-1A ​​with 435 hp Curtiss V-1150-3
• P-5 designated Model 34L, Curtiss D-12F
• XP-17 Wright V-1460-3 Tornado (480 hp, air-cooled), was mainly used to test the engine
• XP-21 rebuilt XP-3A with Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior

• F6C-1 Model 34C Marine version of the P-1, not suitable for porters
• F6C-2 Model 34D Reinforced version with catch hook for the carrier insert
• F6C-3 Model 34E improved F6C-2
• XF6C-4 Model 34H prototype with radial engine Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp
• F6C-4 Model 34H Production version of the XF6C-4

Countries of operation

The aircraft was exported to Bolivia , Chile , Japan and Cuba , among others .

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data from the P-1 Hawk
Length:	6.91 m
Wingspan:	9.63 m
Wing area:	23.23 m²
Height:	2.72 m
Drive:	a Curtiss D-12 , V-1150, V12-cylinder engine, 435 hp (330 kW)
Top speed:	257 km / h
Range:	966 km
Crew:	a pilot
Service ceiling:	6900 m
Empty mass:	955 kg
Takeoff mass:	1330 kg
Armament:	1 × Browning-MG caliber .30, 1 × Browning-MG caliber .50

Web links

Commons : Curtiss P-1 Hawk  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Peter M. Bowers: Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947 . 1979, p. 241
2. ^ Peter M. Bowers: The famed Curtiss Hawks . In: AIR Enthusiast Twenty-six, December 1984, p. 56
3. ^ William Green and Gordon Swanborough: Fighter Planes of the World . Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-7276-7126-2 .
4. ↑ Edward J. Farley: US Army Air Force Fighter Planes P-1 to F-105. Aero Publishers Inc, second edition, 1957
5. ↑ ^{a b} Fighter A to Z . In: AIR International, May 1976, p. 255