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P-12 / F4B
Boeing P-12E at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, in markings of 6th Pursuit Squadron, 18th PG, Wheeler Field, Hawaii
Role	Fighter aircraft
Manufacturer	Boeing Aircraft Company
First flight	25 June 1928
Introduction	1930
Retired	1949 Brazilian Air Force [1]
Primary users	United States Army Air Corps United States Navy Philippine Army Air Corps Royal Thai Air Force
Produced	1929–1932
Number built	586[2] 366 P-12 187 F4B 33 demonstrators and exports

The Boeing P-12/F4B was an American pursuit aircraft that was operated by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Navy.

Design and development

Developed as a private venture to replace the Boeing F2B and F3B with the United States Navy, the Boeing P-12 first flew on 25 June 1928. The new aircraft was smaller, lighter and more agile than the ones it replaced but still used the Wasp engine of the F3B. This resulted in a higher top speed and overall better performance. As result of Navy evaluation 27 were ordered as the F4B-1; later evaluation by the United States Army Air Corps resulted in orders with the designation P-12. Boeing supplied the USAAC with 366 P-12s between 1929 and 1932. Production of all variants totalled 586.

Operational history

P-12s were flown by the 17th Pursuit Group (34th, 73rd, and 95th Pursuit Squadrons) at March Field, California, and the 20th Pursuit Group (55th, 77th and 79th Pursuit Squadrons) at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. Older P-12s were used by groups overseas: the 4th Composite Group (3rd Pursuit Squadron) in the Philippines, the 16th Pursuit Group (24th, 29th, 74th, and 79th Pursuit Squadrons) in the Canal Zone, and the 18th Pursuit Group (6th and 19th Pursuit Squadrons) in Hawaii.

The P-12 remained in service with first-line pursuit groups until replaced by Boeing P-26s in 1934–1935. Survivors were relegated to training duties until 1941, when most were grounded and assigned to mechanic's schools.

Production History

The production runs are shown below with the P-12 designations for Army aircraft and the F4B designations being for the Navy.
The remaining aircraft are civilian or export.

Variants

Boeing P-12

Boeing P-12 with Captain Ira Eaker

Boeing F4B-1 of VF-5 squadron

Boeing P-12E, trainer aircraft, 25th Bombardment Squadron, France Field, 1923

Model 83

One prototype with spreader-bar landing gear and 425 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-8 engine, later designated XF4B-1 for Navy evaluation.

Model 89

One prototype with split-axle undercarriage and provision for a 500 lb bomb on ventral rack, later designated XF4B-1 for Navy evaluation.

P-12

Model 102, U.S. Army Air Corps version of the F4B-1 with a 450 hp R-1340-7 engine, nine built.

XP-12A

10th built P-12 with NACA cowl a 525 hp R-1340-9 engine and shorter undercarriage, one built.

P-12B

Model 102B, as P-12 with larger mainwheels and improvements tested on XP-12A, 90 built.

P-12C

Model 222, as P-12B with ring cowl and spreader-bar undercarriage, 96 built.

P-12D

Model 234, as P-12C with a 525 hp R-1340-17 engine, 35 built.

P-12E

Model 234, as P-12D with semi-monocoque metal fuselage, redesigned vertical tail surfaces, some were later fitted with tailwheels instead of skids, 110 built.

P-12F

Model 251, as P-12E with a 600 hp R-1340-19 engine, 25 built.

XP-12G

P-12B modified with a R-1340-15 engine with side-type supercharger, one converted.

XP-12H

P-12D modified with a GISR-1340E experimental engine, one converted.

P-12J

P-12E modified with a 575 hp R-1340-23 engine, and special bomb sight, one conversion.

YP-12K

P-12E and P-12J re-engined with a fuel injected SR-1340E engine, seven temporary conversions.

XP-12L

YP-12K temporary fitted with a F-2 supercharger, one converted.

A-5

designation for proposed use of P-12 as a radio-controlled target drone (cancelled)

XF4B-1

Designation given to two prototypes for Navy evaluation, the former Model 83 and the former Model 89.^[3]

F4B-1

Boeing Model 99 for the United States Navy, split-axle landing gear and ventral bomb rack, 27 built.^[4]

F4B-1A

One F4B-1 converted to unarmed executive transport for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, fuel tank moved to upper wing centre section.^[5]

F4B-2

Boeing Model 223, spreader bar landing gear, frise ailerons, tailwheel replacing skid, 46 built.^[6]

F4B-3

Boeing Model 235, as F4B-2 but with semi-monocoque metal fuselage and equipment changes, 21 built.^[7]

F4B-4

Boeing Model 235, as F4B-3 but with redesigned vertical tail surfaces, 550 hp R-1340-16 engine, underwing racks for two 116 lb bombs, last 45 built had an enlarged headrest housing a life raft, 92 built and one built from spares.^[8]

F4B-4A

23 assorted P-12 aircraft transferred from USAAC for use as a radio-controlled target aircraft.^[9]

Model 100

Civil version of the F4B-1, four built.^[10]

Boeing 100 NX872H

Model 100A

Two-seat civil version for Howard Hughes, later converted to a single-seater, one built.^[11]

Model 100D

One Model 100 temporary used as a P-12 demonstrator.^[12]

Model 100E

Export version of the P-12E for the Siamese Air Force, two built, one later transferred to the Japanese Navy under the designation AXB.^[13]

Model 100F

One civil variant of the P-12F sold to Pratt & Whitney as an engine test bed.^[14]

Model 218

Prototype of the P-12E/F4B-3 variant, after evaluation sold to the Chinese Air Force.^[15]

Model 256

Export version of the F4B-4 for Brazilian Navy, 14 built.^[16]

Model 267

Export version for Brazil with an F4B-3 fuselage and P-12E wings, nine built.^[17]

Operators

Boeing 100E at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum

 Brazil

• Brazilian Air Force

 China

• Chinese Nationalist Air Force

 Philippines

• Philippine Army Air Corps

 Spain

• Spanish Air Force

 Thailand

• 
  Royal Thai Air Force operated Boeing 100E variant.

 United States

• United States Army Air Corps


• United States Navy

Aircraft on display

• 31-559 – P-12E on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio.^[18]
  


• 32-017 – P-12E on display at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California. This airframe is painted as an F4B-1.^[19][20]
  


• 32-092 – P-12F on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. This airframe is restored to look like an F4B-4 and painted with the markings of Fighting Squadron 6B "Felix the Cat".^[21][22]
  


• 9241 – F4B-4 on display in the "Sea-Air Operations" Gallery at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.^[23]
  


• 1143 – Model 100 on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.^[24]
  


• 1488 – Model 100E on display at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum in Bangkok.^[25]
  


• Replica – A 3/4 scale replica P-12F is on display at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Sevierville, Tennessee.^[26]
  


• Replica – A 3/4 scale replica F4B-4 is on display in the entrance hall of the Honolulu International Airport.^[27]
  

Specifications (P-12E)

F4B-2

Data from Bowers 1989

General characteristics

• 
  Crew: one


• 
  Length: 20 ft 4 in (6.19 m)


• 
  Wingspan: 30 ft (9.14 m)


• 
  Height: 9 ft (2.74 m)


• 
  Loaded weight: 2,690 lb (1,220 kg)


• 
  Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-17 Radial engine, 500 hp (373 kW)

Performance

• 
  Maximum speed: 189 mph (304 km/h)


• 
  Cruise speed: 160 mph (257 km/h)


• 
  Range: 570 miles (917 km)


• 
  Service ceiling: 8,020 m^[28] (26,300 ft)

Armament

• 
  Guns: 2 x .30 inch (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns with 600 rounds per gun or 1 x .30 inch (7.62 mm) machine gun with 600 rounds and 1 x .50 inch (12.7 mm) machine gun with 200 rounds ^[29]
  


• 
  Bombs: 244 lb (111 kg) of bombs carried externally.

See also

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States


• List of fighter aircraft

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boeing P-12.

• P-12 fact sheet at the National Museum of the United States Air Force


• Joe Baugher's P-12 History Page


• The Boeing P-12/F4b picture page


• Boeing F4B US Navy Version