North American P-64

Last updated
NA-50, NA-68/P-64
North American P-64 Wright Field 1941 (15953226470).jpg
North American P-64
General information
TypeFighter
Manufacturer North American Aviation
Primary users Peruvian Air Force
Number built13
History
First flightMay 1939 (NA-50) [1]
1 September 1940 (NA-68) [2]
Retired1950 (Peru)
Developed from North American NA-16

The North American P-64 was the designation assigned by the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) to the North American Aviation NA-68 fighter, an upgraded variant of the NA-50 developed during the late 1930s. Seven NA-50s were purchased by the Peruvian Air Force, which nicknamed it Torito ("Little Bull"). [3]

Contents

Six NA-68s ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force were seized before export by the US government in 1941, after the Franco-Thai War and growing ties between Thailand and the Empire of Japan. These aircraft were used by the USAAC as unarmed fighter trainers.

The Peruvian NA-50s subsequently saw action during the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War of 1941.

Design and development

NA-50

NA-50 "Torito" destined for Peruvian service North American NA-50 fighter 'Torito'.jpg
NA-50 "Torito" destined for Peruvian service

The North American Aviation NA-50 was developed as a simple single-seat, low-wing, single-engined fighter for export. The design was developed from the NA-16/BT-9 basic training aircraft of 1935. The NA-16 evolved into a series of aircraft that were some of the most widely used advanced and basic training aircraft produced by any country, and provided the basic design for a single-engined fighter intended for small countries that needed a simple aircraft with modern capabilities and features.

The NA-50 Torito (Spanish slang for "little bull"), built for Peru, was a single-seat fighter design based on the two-seat Basic Combat Demonstrator NA-44. The NA-50 was powered by an 840 hp (626 kW) Wright R-1820-G3 radial air-cooled engine that gave the NA-50 a top speed of 295 mph (475 km/h) at 9,500 ft (2,900 m). It was armed with two .30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns. The aircraft were manufactured in May 1939, and test-flown at the factory. [1]

NA-68

In 1940, the Royal Thai Air Force ordered six aircraft similar to the NA-50 that were designated NA-68. The changes in the NA-68 included a modified landing gear, new outer wings, heavier armament, and redesigned tail surfaces similar to those adopted on later production trainers. North American test pilot Lewis Waite flew the first NA-68 on 1 September 1940. [2]

Operational history

USAAC P-64 USAAC P-64.jpg
USAAC P-64

Peru purchased seven aircraft for the Peruvian Air Force, with deliveries completed in May 1939. In Peruvian service, these aircraft were fitted with bomb racks under the fuselage for light bombs. The Peruvian NA-50s took part in the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War of July 1941, supporting Army of Peru ground forces. [4]

In 1940, the NA-68s (along with a parallel order for NA-69 two seaters) ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force were en route to Thailand when their export clearance was canceled and were returned to the United States where they were assigned the designation P-64, disarmed, and used for advanced fighter training.

Operators

Flag of Peru.svg  Peru
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States

Surviving aircraft

Specifications (NA-68/P-64)

Data from The American Fighter [7]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Green 1961, p. 134.
  2. 1 2 Gates, John and Tom Lymburn. "North American P-64/NA-50 – N840." Archived 2014-03-25 at the Wayback Machine AirVenture Museum. Retrieved: 6 January 2012.
  3. Mireles, Anthony J. (2024-12-05). Fatal Army Air Forces Aviation Accidents in the United States, 1941-1945. McFarland. ISBN   978-1-4766-0492-3.
  4. Cooper, Tom Cooper and Esteban Rivera."The Most Powerful Air Force in Latin America." [usurped] Acig.org, 1 September 2003. Retrieved: 26 March 2010.
  5. "Peruvian NA-50 to fly for bicentennial". Aeroplane . Vol. 47, no. 10. October 2019. p. 12. ISSN   0143-7240.
  6. "For many years, EAA founder Paul Poberezny flew aerobatic performances in the EAA Aviation Museum's 1940 North American P-64 at air shows around the country, spreading The Spirit of Aviation. The airplane was retired to static display in 1988 but returned to the skies at #OSH16 to help commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks. EAA (accessed 22 December 2022)
  7. Angelucci & Bowers 1987, pp. 329–330

Bibliography