Consolidated P-30
Consolidated Aircraft · United States · first flew 1934 · fighter
The Consolidated P-30 (PB-2) was a two-seat, turbosupercharged fighter built for the US Army Air Corps in the early 1930s, unusual for pairing an enclosed cockpit and gun turret with an otherwise conventional-looking monoplane.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | low cantilever wing under an all-metal monoplane fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- low cantilever wing under an all-metal monoplane fuselage
- long, framed enclosed canopy over a tandem cockpit
- rear gunner's turret behind the pilot's position
The low cantilever wing, enclosed cockpit canopy, and rear gunner's turret set it apart from contemporary open-cockpit pursuit biplanes.
Specifications
- The Consolidated P-30 has a length of 9.14 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.36 m (44 ft).
- Typical crew: 2 (pilot and gunner).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Derived from the Consolidated Y1P-25, the P-30 introduced a turbosupercharged Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror engine and an enclosed, gun-armed rear cockpit at a time when most US fighters were still open-cockpit biplanes.
Variants
A small batch of P-30s (also designated PB-2A) were built; the design was quickly rendered obsolete by faster monoplane fighters.
Where you'll see it
It equipped a handful of US Army pursuit squadrons in the mid-1930s before being withdrawn as newer designs arrived.
Related aircraft
- Consolidated P-30A
- Consolidated A-11
- Consolidated PBY Catalina
- Consolidated XB2Y-1
- Aero A.102
- ANF Les Mureaux 115
- Arado Ar 68
- Arado Ar 76
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