Boeing P-12


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 totaled 586.
F4B-1
The F4B-1 was built using traditional construction techniques of the day. The fuselage was a steel tube truss design with formers and longerons to define the aerodynamic shape. Wings were of traditional construction and covered by fabric. Ailerons were of a tapered design with corrugated aluminum covering. The Pratt & Whitney R-1340 nine-cylinder radial engine was uncowled and sported prominent cooling fairings behind each cylinder which were later removed in service.

Operational history

P-12s were flown by the 17th Pursuit Group at March Field, California, and the 20th Pursuit Group at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. Older P-12s were used by groups overseas: the 4th Composite Group in the Philippines, the 16th Pursuit Group in the Canal Zone, and the 18th Pursuit Group 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.
Number BuiltModelEngineModifications
9P-12R-1340-7
90P-12BR-1340-9NACA cowl, shorter landing gear, larger wheels
96P-12Cring cowl, spreader-bar landing gear
35P-12DR-1340-17
110P-12Esemi-monocoque metal fuselage, redesigned vertical tail, some with tailwheels replacing skids
25P-12FR-1340-19
27F4B-1split axle landing gear, ventral bomb rack
46F4B-2spreader bar landing gear, frise ailerons, tailwheel replacing skid
21F4B-3semi-monocoque metal fuselage,
92F4B-4R-1340-16redesigned vertical tail, underwing racks, last 45 had mod. headrest w/life raft
5100/100A
14256
9267

Variants

;Model 83
;Model 89
;P-12
;XP-12A
;P-12B
;P-12C
;P-12D
;P-12E
;P-12F
;XP-12G
;XP-12H
;P-12J
;YP-12K
;XP-12L
;A-5
;XF4B-1
;F4B-1
;F4B-1A
;F4B-2
;F4B-3
;F4B-4
;F4B-4A
;Model 100
;Model 100A
;Model 100D
;Model 100E
;Model 100F
;Model 218
;Model 256
;Model 267
;Aero-Tech of Hastings, Florida, built a 4/5-scale replica Boeing F4B-2/P-12C in 1978 powered by a 245hp Jacobs R-755-9.

Operators