Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Curtiss XP 10

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Top speed
  
278 km/h

Length
  
7.47 m

Wingspan
  
10 m

Retired
  
1928

Curtiss XP-10 httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Manufacturer
  
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company

The Curtiss XP-10 was an American experimental biplane fighter developed by Curtiss and tested by the United States Army Air Corps.

Contents

Design and development

Ordered on 18 June 1928, it was intended to be fast and maneuverable enough to win a dogfight. The XP-10 used a gull wing top wing, joined at the fuselage; this offered much better pilot visibility than the traditional biplane configuration. Coincidentally, this also permitted the wing and fuselage to meet at the optimum angle for minimizing drag. The wings were plywood-covered (rather than doped fabric, as used in World War I), and the fuselage was fabric-covered steel tubing.

The XP-10 used a 600 hp (447 kW) Curtiss V-1570-15 Conqueror water-cooled V12 engine. To overcome the drag of a radiator (a quite serious issue before the introduction of ethylene glycol), Curtiss incorporated it into the upper wing. It was formed of corrugated brass sheets through which cooling water was run. While ingenious, this introduced technical and mechanical problems, especially vulnerability to enemy fire in a combat aircraft.

Operational history

Delivered to the Army Air Corps in August 1928, the XP-10 first flew in September. Despite excellent maneuverability, with the XP-10 proving superior to the Curtiss Hawk in testing, persistent problems with cooling and the plumbing of the surface radiator led to the XP-10 being abandoned.

Operators

 United States
  • United States Army Air Corps

    • Specifications

    Data from U.S.Fighters, Lloyd Jones, Aero Publishers 1975, Fighters of the United States Air Force.

    General characteristics

  • Crew: one pilot
  • Length: 24 ft 6 in (7.47m)
  • Wingspan: 33 ft (10.06 m)
  • Height: 10 ft 10 in (3.30 m)
  • Wing area: 238 ft² (21.1 m²)
  • Empty weight: approx. 2,900 lb (1,315 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 3,400 lb (1,542 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss V-1570-15 Conqueror water-cooled 12-cylinder vee, 600 hp (448 kW)

    • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 150 knots (173 mph, 279 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 113 knots (130 mph, 209 km/h)
  • Range: 195 mi (170 NM, 314 km)
  • Service ceiling: 19,610 ft (5,977 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,940 ft/min (9.86 m/s)

    • Armament

    none installed (one 0.3 in and one 0.5 in machine guns planned

    References

    Curtiss XP-10 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA