Curtiss YP-20

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2008)

Curtiss YP-20
Parked YP-20
Type	Biplane fighter
Manufacturer	Curtiss
Primary user	United States Army Air Service
Number built	1

Curtiss YP-20 was a United States Army Air Service biplane fighter project.

In 1929, three Curtiss P-11 Hawks were ordered with 600 hp (447 kW) Curtiss H-1640 Chieftain engines. This proved a failure, and before completion, the third was converted to use a 9 cylinder 575 hp Wright Cyclone, being completed as the YP-20. Testing with the R1820 was prolonged, so the Army's intention to promptly switch to a Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror engine and redesignate the aircraft XP-22 was dropped; another P-11 was chosen for that instead.

Except for the engine change and its Townend ring cowling, the YP-20 was not drastically different from the P-6 from which both it and the P-11 derived, though the YP-20 had more fin and less rudder area,^[1] and featured a steerable tailwheel, rather than the original skid.^[2] Later, a crankcase cover, gear strut fairings, and wheel pants were added.

In June 1931, the AAC held a competition to evaluate the P-6, P-12, XP-22, and YP-20. The XP-22 came out the winner, but the YP-20 was given a nose and landing gear graft from the XP-22, becoming the XP-6E (P-6E prototype). With the addition of a supercharger and an enclosed cockpit, it was tested as the XP-6F.

[edit] Specifications (original YP-20)

Data from U.S.Fighters, Lloyd Jones, Aero Publishers 1975.

General characteristics

Crew: one pilot
Length: 23 ft 9 in ()
Wingspan: 31 ft 6 in (9.6 m)
Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
Wing area: 252 ft² (23.41 m²)
Empty weight: 2,447lb ()
Max takeoff weight: 3,233 lb ()
Powerplant: 1× R-1820 Cyclone air-cooled 9-cylinder radial engine, 575 hp ()

Performance

Maximum speed: 187 knots
Range: 248 nm (285 mi, 459 km)
Service ceiling 24,700 ft (7,529 m)

Armament two 0.30 in (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns (cowl)

[edit] Notes

^ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 12, p.1255.
^ Fitzsimons, p.1255.

[edit] References

Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons and Warfare. Volume 12, pp.1255-6, "Hawk, Curtiss Models 34 and 35 (P-1 to P-6 and F6C". London: Phoebus Publishing, 1978.
Donald, David, ed. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997.
Jones, Lloyd S. U.S. Fighters. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, 1975.

v • d • e USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF fighter designations 1924–1962

Pursuit (pre-1948) Fighter (post-1948)	P-1 • P-2 • P-3 • XP-4 • P-5 • P-6 • XP-7 • XP-8 • XP-9 • XP-10 • P-11 • P-12 • XP-13 • XP-14 • XP-15 • P-16 • XP-17 • XP-18 • XP-19 • YP-20 • XP-21 • XP-22 • XP-23 • YP-24 • Y1P-25 • P-26 • YP-27 • Y1P-28 • P-29 • P-30 • XP-31 • XP-32 • XP-33 • XP-34 • P-35 • P-36 • XP-37 • P-38 • P-39 • P-40 • XP-41 • XP-42 • P-43 • P-44 • XP-45 • XP-46 • P-47 • XP-48 • XP-49 • XP-50 • P-51 • XP-52 • XP-53 • XP-54 • XP-55 • XP-56 • XP-57 • XP-58 • P-59 • YP-60 • P-61 • XP-62 • P-63 • P-64 • XP-65 • P-66 • XP-67 • XP-68 • XP-69 • P-70 • XP-71 • XP-72 • XP-73 • (P-74 not assigned) • P-75 • XP-76 • XP-77 • XP-78 • XP-79 • P-80 • XP-81 • P-82 • XP-83 • P-84 • XP-85 • P-86 • XP-87 • XP-88 • P-89 • XF-90 • XF-91 • XF-92 • YF-93 • F-94 • YF-95 • YF-96 • F-97 • XF-98 • F-99 • F-100 • F-101 • F-102 • XF-103 • F-104 • F-105 • F-106 • F-107 • XF-108 • XF-109 • F-110 • F-111 see also: F-24 (redesignation of A-24 in 1948)

Pursuit, Biplace	PB-1 • PB-2 • XPB-3

Fighter, Multiplace	YFM-1 • XFM-2

See also	Post-1962 list

v • d • e Aircraft produced by Curtiss

Manufacturer designations	No. 1 • No. 2 Model: C • D • E • F • G • H • J • K • L • M • N • JN • R Model: 1 • 2 • 3 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 23 • 26 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59A/59B • 60 • 61 • 63 • 64 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 79 • 81 • 82 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 90 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99

By role	Experimental: No. 1 • Model C • Tanager Racing: No. 2 • CR • R2C • R3C General utility: Model D • Model E • Model F • Robin • Thrush Maritime patrol: Model H • HS-1L and -2L Training: Model L • Model JN • AT-4 Hawk • AT-5 Hawk Naval Training: NC • N2C Fighters: 18 • PW-8 Hawk • P-1 Hawk • P-2 Hawk • P-3 Hawk • P-4 Hawk • P-5 Hawk • P-6 Hawk • XP-31 • P-36 Hawk • P-40 • XP-46 • XP-53 • YP-60 Naval Fighters: FC • F2C • F3C • F4C • F6C • F7C • F8C • F9C • F10C • F11C • XF12C • F13C • XF14C • F15C Airliners: Eagle • Kingbird Naval Scouts/Dive Bombers: CS • S2C • XS3C • S4C • SC • SBC • SB2C • XSB3C • SOC • SO2C • SO3C Observation: O-1 Falcon • O-12 Falcon • O-13 Falcon • O-16 Falcon • O-18 Falcon • O-26 Falcon • O-39 Falcon • O-52 Owl Naval Observation: OC • O2C • O3C Bombers: B-2 Condor Naval Bombers: BFC • BF2C • BTC • BT2C Ground Attack: A-3 Falcon • A-4 Falcon • A-5 Falcon • A-6 Falcon • A-8 Shrike • YA-10 Shrike • A-12 Shrike • YA-14 Licensed production: NBS-1

v • d • e Lists relating to aviation

General	Timeline of aviation · Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airports · Airlines

Military	Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft

Accidents/incidents	General · Military · Commercial (airliners) · Deaths

Records	Airspeed · Distance · Altitude · Endurance · Most-produced aircraft