Fleetwings PQ-12

Fleetwings PQ-12
A YPQ-12A
General information
Type	Manned aerial-target
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Fleetwings
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	9

The Fleetwings PQ-12 , company designation Fleetwings Model 36, was a 1940s American manned aerial-target designed and built by Fleetwings for the United States Army Air Corps. ^[1]

Design and development

The PQ-12 was a single-engined monoplane with a 225 hp (168 kW) Lycoming O-435 piston engine. ^[2] It had a fixed nose-wheel landing gear, twin vertical tails and an open-cockpit was provided for manned flight. ^[2] Instead of the optional pilot a 500 lb (225 kg) bomb could be carried in the cockpit. ^[2] The original prototype was cancelled but a modified variant was built followed by eight test aircraft, although an order for 40 production aircraft was placed it was subsequently cancelled. ^[1]

Variants

XPQ-12

Prototype, not built. ^[1]

XPQ-12A

Modified prototype, one-built. ^[1]

YPQ-12A

Test and evaluation aircraft, eight-built. ^[1]

PQ-12A

Production variant, 40 ordered but none were built. ^[1]

Specifications (YPQ-12A)

Data fromJane's all the World's Aircraft 1947 ^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: 0 / 1
• Length: 20 ft 0 in (6.1 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 2 in (9.2 m)
• Height: 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
• Gross weight: 2,196 lb (996 kg) with pilot; 2,688 lb (1,219 kg) pilotless with 500 lb (230 kg) bomb
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-435-5 6-cyl. air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 225 hp (168 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch wooden propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 185 mph (298 km/h, 161 kn) as pilotless target

References

Notes

1. Andrade 1979. p. 157
2. PQ Series (PQ-8 through PQ-15)
3. Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1947). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. p. 232c.

Bibliography

• Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN   0-904597-22-9.