| P2Y | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Consolidated Model 22 (P2Y) | |
| Role | Flying boat |
| Manufacturer | Consolidated Aircraft |
| First flight | 26 March 1932 |
| Retired | 1941 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary user | United States Navy |
| Number built | 78 [1] [2] |
The Consolidated P2Y was an American sesquiplane maritime patrol flying boat. The aircraft was also made by Martin as the P3M, as a parasol monoplane, due to the Navy awarding production contracts separately from prototype contracts.
Designed to meet a February 28, 1928 U.S. Navy contract, the prototype Model 9, XPY-1, a parasol monoplane, was designed by Isaac M. 'Mac' Laddon in accordance to the specifications laid out by Captain Holden C. "Dick" Richardson. Construction began in March 1928 and the aircraft was ready to fly by the end of the year, but would make its first flight on 10 January 1929 out of Anacostia NAS, Washington, D.C. [3]
In standard Navy practice, production contracts were open to other bidders, and Martin underbid them, and was awarded the contract to build them as the Martin P3M-1 and P3M-2. [3] Three P3M-1s and six P3M-2s were built; [4] one XP2M-1 was also built to a similar design, powered by three Wright Cyclone engines but following the removal of the third engine it was redesignated XP2M-2. [5] The third engine on the XPY-1 had been studied and rejected by Navy Bureau of Aeronautics staff. [6]
The Navy placed a new contract on May 26, 1931 for an improved version, designation the Model 22 Ranger by Consolidated. Incorporating features of the Model 16 Commodore, such as the enclosed cockpit, [2] and designated XP2Y-1 by the Navy. This new prototype had the same 100 ft (30 m) top wing, but became a sesquiplane with a smaller lower wing mounted to the top of the hull, replacing struts supporting the wingtip floats. Two Wright R-1820-E1 Cyclone engines were located on the underside of the top wing and had narrow-chord cowlings. A third similar engine was mounted on struts above the wing, but was removed after the first test in April 1932. [1]
The Navy ordered 23 P2Y-3s as production models similar to the P2Y-2s that were modified from the original batch of P2Y-1s.
The Navy ordered 23 P2Y-1s on 7 July 1931. By mid-1933 they were serving with VP-10F and VP-5F squadrons which made a number of long-range formation flights. [2] At least 21 P2Y-1s were modified to P2Y-2s in 1936 and flown by VP-5F and VP-10F until 1938, when they were transferred to VP-14 and VP-15.
The first P2Y-3s reached VP-7F in 1935, and this version was flown by VP-4F at Pearl Harbor and in 1939 was in operation with VP-19, VP-20, and VP-21. By the end of 1941, all the P2Y-2s and P2Y-3s had been withdrawn from operational use and were at Naval Air Station Pensacola. [1]
The Colombian Air Force used one Commodore P2Y as a bomber in the Colombia-Peru War in 1932–1933.
The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service evaluated the Consolidated P2Y as the "Consolidated Navy Experimental Type C Flying-Boat".
A P2Y-3 was used to test Curtiss electric propellers in 1936. [7]
Argentina 
Colombia 
Japan 
United States Data fromThe Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft; [2] range from American Aircraft of World War II [9]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
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