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Little known / experimental aircraft

Randy Daytona

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
As I continued going through family history records, ended up with some in the 37th Fighter (Pursuit) Group. What did they fly and where were they based? P-51's?, P-47's?, P-38's? Wait, it is a Boeing P-26 Peashooter and flying in Panama. Ironic that this was to be Boeing's last fighter accepted for mass production until they bought McDonnell Douglas. (Eventually the unit would get the P-40 which it used until disbanded in November 1943. The Boeing P-26 "Peashooter" was the first American production all-metal fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane to enter squadron service with the United States Army Air Corps.

en.wikipedia.org

Boeing P-26 Peashooter - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

37th Fighter Group (USAAF)

The 37th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a fighter unit that served as part of the defense force of the Panama Canal from 1940 until 1943.
www.historyofwar.org

37th Pursuit/Fighter Group

p40hawksnest.com p40hawksnest.com

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Treetop Flyer

Treetop Flyer

Well-Known Member
pilot
Randy Daytona said:
As I continued going through family history records, ended up with some in the 37th Fighter (Pursuit) Group. What did they fly and where were they based? P-51's?, P-47's?, P-38's? Wait, it is a Boeing P-26 Peashooter and flying in Panama. Ironic that this was to be Boeing's last fighter accepted for mass production until they bought McDonnell Douglas. (Eventually the unit would get the P-40 which it used until disbanded in November 1943. The Boeing P-26 "Peashooter" was the first American production all-metal fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane to enter squadron service with the United States Army Air Corps.

en.wikipedia.org

Boeing P-26 Peashooter - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

37th Fighter Group (USAAF)

The 37th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a fighter unit that served as part of the defense force of the Panama Canal from 1940 until 1943.
www.historyofwar.org

37th Pursuit/Fighter Group

p40hawksnest.com p40hawksnest.com

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Peashooter sounds pretty lame but if it were flying today they’d just rename it something tough sounding like viper
 
Jim123

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
The P-26 is featured in the book In the Cockpit- Flying the World's Greatest Aircraft, a really nice coffee table book with a variety of mil and civil airplanes from pre-WWI airplanes all the way through to what was modern stuff in 1980. Lots and lots of pictures and long writeups of first hand accounts written by some historically famous pilots who flew them. There are some really famous airplanes featured in it but there are also a lot gems that aren't well known, sort of representative of their era but not necessarily significant themselves.

I think it's been out of print for a while, ISBN 9780856136276
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
As a fun aside, back in 1941 the Army ran JATO tests using the Ercoupe (military designation YO-55). Must have been a blast to do (pun somewhat intended) since the Ercoupe is a naturally slow airplane with no rudder pedals.

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Jim123

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Griz882 said:
As a fun aside, back in 1941 the Army ran JATO tests using the Ercoupe
Click to expand...
When I was about 13, my friends and I wanted to install model rocket D motors (two or perhaps four) on our bikes and let 'er rip. Fortunately we didn't follow through on that wild idea. Maybe more like unfortunately we didn't follow through on that magnificent idea.

(Then again, I have a bunch of days off next month...)
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Jim123 said:
When I was about 13, my friends and I wanted to install model rocket D motors (two or perhaps four) on our bikes and let 'er rip. Fortunately we didn't follow through on that wild idea. Maybe more like unfortunately we didn't follow through on that magnificent idea.

(Then again, I have a bunch of days off next month...)
Click to expand...
I haven’t been to test pilot school….but I know how to work a lighter. Count me in!
 
jmcquate

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Got a ride in one of these when I was in college. EC-135 ARIA "Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft". It was used to support manned and un-manned launches. The ride I got was out of Wright-Pat in 84'.
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HuggyU2

HuggyU2

Well-Known Member
None
Griz882 said:
As a fun aside, back in 1941 the Army ran JATO tests using the Ercoupe (military designation YO-55). Must have been a blast to do (pun somewhat intended) since the Ercoupe is a naturally slow airplane with no rudder pedals.
Click to expand...
I'd never heard of this!!! YGBSM!!

Good airplane.

Another thing of interest with the Ercoupe.. and its lack of rudder pedals... it was the perfect fixed-wing platform for Jessica Cox to solo in. If you've never met her, her story will impress you.

www.smithsonianmag.com

Jessica Cox Flies in the Face of Challenges

The world's first licensed armless pilot is an advocate for people with disabilities and motivates people around the world to overcome their differences.
www.smithsonianmag.com www.smithsonianmag.com
 
wink

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Two Ercoupes in the hangar next to mine, but this is my favorite "Ercoupe" . Mooney bought the type certificate and tooling in 1967. They attached the distinctive Money vertical stab and gave it true rudder controls. Awesome little plane. I have been wanting one for years but am discouraged by my personal aircraft ownership rule. I will not own a plane with a training wheel on the nose or younger in age than me. The Mooney Cadet fails to meet both of those requirements. The M10 is one of the few planes that has tempted me time and again.
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