Loening PW 2

Development

Based on the earlier two-seat braced-wing monoplane fighter, the M-8, the PW-2 was a single-seat variant for the United States Army Air Corps. It had a fixed tailskid landing gear and was powered by a nose-mounted Wright-Hispano H engine with a tractor propeller. The pilot had an open cockpit. The company built three prototypes designated the PW-2 and a production order for 10 aircraft designated the PW-2A followed. The PW-2As were similar to the PW-2 but had a revised tail unit. After four aircraft had been delivered, one aircraft crashed when the wings separated from the aircraft; the contract was canceled. One of the PW-2As was modified with shorter-span wings and a 350 hp (260 kW) Packard 1A-1237 engine as the PW-2B.

Variants

PW-2

Prototype, three built one of which had twin rudders and was not flown and used for static testing.

PW-2A

Production variant with revised tail unit, four built and six cancelled.

PW-2B

PW-2A variant with shorter span wings and a 350hp (261kW) Packard 1A-1237

Operators

 United States

United States Army Air Corps

Specifications (PW-2A)

Data from Fighters of the United States Air Force

General characteristics

Crew: 1

Length: 26 ft 1 in (7.95 m)

Wingspan: 39 ft 9 in (12.12 m)

Wing area: 299 ft² (27.8 m²)

Gross weight: 2799 lb (1270 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Wright-Hispano H engine, 320 hp (239 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 136 mph (219 km/h)

Armament

2 × .30 in (7.62 mm) Lewis machine guns