XP-22 Hawk

Infobox Aircraft
name=XP-22 Hawk


caption=
type=Experimental biplane fighter
manufacturer=Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
designer=
first flight=
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=United States Army Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=1
variants with their own articles=

The Curtiss XP-22 Hawk was an 1930s American experimental biplane fighter built by Curtiss for evaluation by the United States Army Air Service.

Development

In 1929, the AAC ordered three P-11 Hawks for testing of the 600 hp (447 kW) Curtiss H-1640 Chieftain engine. This engine proved a failure, and before completion, one of the three was converted to use a 9-cylinder 575 hp Cyclone, being completed as the YP-20. Testing with the R1820 was prolonged, so the Army acquired another of the three P-11s, instead. This became the XP-22.

A number of changes were made for installing the 700 hp (520 kW) Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror engine. The radiator was relocated, a new cowl was fitted, and the tail was given more fin and less rudder area, [Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons and Warfare" (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 12, p.1255.] and featured a steerable tailwheel, rather than the original skid. [Fitzsimons, p.1255.] For these changes, Curtiss charged only US$1.

During testing, the XP-22 underwent a number of alterations and improvements, including a change from a three-strut landing gear to a single streamlined strut, later fitted with wheel pants; fillets were added where struts joined the wing; and the tail was briefly reduced in area, to P-6 standard. The XP-22 was also the Army's first fighter capable of 200 mph (320 km/h), achieving 202 mph (325 km/h). [Jones, p.58.]

In June 1931, the AAC held a competition to evaluate the P-6, P-12, YP-20, and XP-22. The XP-22 came out the winner, earning a contract for 45 aircraft as the Y1P-22. Following the trials, the XP-22 donated a nose and landing gear graft to the YP-20, which became the XP-6E, and the 45 production aircraft were completed to this standard.

Operators

;USA
*United States Army Air Force

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref="U.S.Fighters", Lloyd Jones, Aero Publishers, 1975.
crew= one pilot
capacity=
length main= 23 ft 7 in
length alt= 7.2 m
span main= 31 ft 6 in
span alt= 9.6 m
height main= 8 ft 10 in
height alt= 2.7 m
area main= 252 ft²
area alt= 23.41 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,597lb
empty weight alt= 1178 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 3,354 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 1521 kg
more general=
engine (prop)= V-1570 Conqueror
type of prop= water-cooled 12-cylinder vee engine
number of props=1
power main= 575 hp
power alt=
power original=
max speed main= 176 knots
max speed alt= 202 mph (325 km/h)
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 26,500 ft
ceiling alt= 8,077 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

Notes

References

*Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons and Warfare". Volume 12, pp.1255-6, "Hawk, Curtiss Models 34 and 35 P-1 to P-6 and F6C". London: Phoebus Publishing, 1978.
*Donald, David, ed. "Encyclopedia of World Aircraft". Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997.
*Jones, Lloyd S. "U.S. Fighters". Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, 1975.

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