Author Topic: Vultee P-66 Vanguard  (Read 2114 times)

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Vultee P-66 Vanguard
« on: September 08, 2021, 08:24:07 PM »
In the late 1930s, Vultee Aircraft began working on the implementation of the idea of using common parts — the wing, tail, etc. - for different aircraft. One of the 4 parallel projects was the V-48 single-seat piston fighter, later renamed the P-66 Vanguard.

It was an all-metal low-wing aircraft with a retractable landing gear. It was equipped with a Pratt & Whittney R-1830-33 engine (1200 hp) Maximum speed-550 km / h, flight range-1370 km. Armament — 4 × 7.62 mm machine gun + 2 × 12.7 mm machine gun. September 8, 1939-the first flight of the Vultee P-66 Vanguard fighter (aka P-48 Vanguard).

Although the P-66 showed good flight characteristics, the command of the US Army Air Corps quickly cooled down to it. Vultee Aircraft started looking for foreign customers. The government vetoed the deal with Sweden, but the planes were sold to China. A total of 146 P-66 Vanguard fighters were built. A small part of them was also used by the training units of the Air Corps.