Boeing P-26A Peashooter

Boeing · United States · first flew 1932 · fighter

The Boeing P-26 Peashooter was the first all-metal monoplane fighter to enter service with the US Army Air Corps and the last with an open cockpit and fixed undercarriage. It bridged the gap between biplane fighters and the modern monoplane era.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	External wing bracing wires from fuselage to wings
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Braced low-wing monoplane with fixed spatted undercarriage
External wing bracing wires from fuselage to wings
Open cockpit with small windscreen

The wire-braced low monoplane wing, spatted fixed undercarriage, open cockpit, and the very short barrel-like fuselage with a large radial engine cowling are all distinctive identifiers.

Specifications

The Boeing P-26A Peashooter has a length of 7.26 m (24 ft).
It has a wingspan of 8.52 m (28 ft).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The Model 248 prototype first flew in March 1932 and production P-26As entered USAAC service in 1934. Though fast for its time, the P-26 was already obsolescent by the late 1930s. Philippine Army Air Corps P-26s fought against Japanese forces during the December 1941 invasion, achieving several kills.

Variants

The P-26A was the main production variant; the P-26B introduced a fuel-injected engine; the P-26C had a revised fuel system. Export versions were supplied to China and Guatemala.

Where you'll see it

P-26s served with the USAAC until replaced by the P-36, with export aircraft seeing combat in China against Japanese attackers and in the Philippines in December 1941.

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