North American P-64

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_P-64

The North American P-64 was the designation assigned by the United States Army
Air Corps (USAAC) to the North American Aviation NA-68 fighter, an upgraded
variant of the NA-50 developed during the late 1930s. Seven NA-50s were
purchased by the Peruvian Air Force, which nicknamed it Torito ("Little Bull").

Six NA-68s ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force were seized before export by the
US government in 1941, after the Franco-Thai War and growing ties between
Thailand and the Empire of Japan. These aircraft were used by the USAAC as
unarmed fighter trainers.

The Peruvian NA-50s subsequently saw action during the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War
of 1941.

NA-50

The North American Aviation NA-50 was developed as a simple single-seat,
low-wing, single-engined fighter for export. The design was developed from the
NA-16/BT-9 basic training aircraft of 1935. The NA-16 evolved into a series of
aircraft that were some of the most widely used advanced and basic training
aircraft produced by any country, and provided the basic design for a
single-engined fighter intended for small countries that needed a simple
aircraft with modern capabilities and features.

The NA-50 Torito (Spanish slang for "little bull"), built for Peru, was a
single-seat fighter design based on the two-seat Basic Combat Demonstrator
NA-44. The NA-50 was powered by an 840 hp (626 kW) Wright R-1820-G3 radial
air-cooled engine that gave the NA-50 a top speed of 295 mph at 9,500 feet. It
was armed with two .30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns. The aircraft
were manufactured in May 1939, and test-flown at the factory.

NA-68

In 1940, the Royal Thai Air Force ordered six aircraft similar to the NA-50 that
were designated NA-68. The changes in the NA-68 included a modified landing
gear, new outer wings, heavier armament, and redesigned tail surfaces similar to
those adopted on later production trainers. North American test pilot Lewis
Waite flew the first NA-68 on 1 September 1940.


Role
Fighter

Manufacturer
North American Aviation

First flight
May 1939 (NA-50)
1 September 1940 (NA-68)

Retired
1950 (Peru)

Primary users
Peruvian Air Force
United States Army Air Forces

Number built
13

Developed from
North American NA-16

Peru purchased seven aircraft for the Peruvian Air Force, with deliveries
completed in May 1939. In Peruvian service, these aircraft were fitted with bomb
racks under the fuselage for light bombs. The Peruvian NA-50s took part in the
Ecuadorian-Peruvian war of July 1941, supporting Army of Peru ground forces.

In 1940, the NA-68s (along with a parallel order for NA-69 two seaters) ordered
by the Royal Thai Air Force were en route to Thailand when their export
clearance was cancelled and were returned to the United States where they were
assigned the designation P-64, disarmed, and used for advanced fighter training.


Specifications (NA-68/P-64)

General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 27 ft (8.23 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 3 in (11.35 m)
Height: 19 ft 8 in (5.99 m)
Empty weight: 4,660 lb (2,114 kg)
Loaded weight: 5,990 lb (2,717 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 6,800 lb (3,080 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-G5 radial engine, 950 hp (708 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 295 miles per hour (475 km/h)
Service ceiling: 27,500 ft (8,400 m)
Wing loading: 26 lb/ft² (/m²)
Power/mass: 0.13 hp/lb (0.21 kW/kg)

Armament

4 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns (2 synchronized in the nose, 1 in each wing)
2 × 20 mm cannons (Located in pods beneath each wing)
Up to 400 lb (181 kg) of bombs




*