Loening PW-2

Loening PW-2
Role	Monoplane fighter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Loening Aeronautical Engineering
Designer	Grover Loening
First flight	1920
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	7
Developed from	Loening M-8

The Loening PW-2 was a 1920s American single-seat fighter monoplane designed by Grover Loening and built by his Loening Aeronautical Engineering Company.

Development

Based on the earlier two-seat braced-wing monoplane fighter, the M-8, the PW-2 was a single-seat variant for the United States Army Air Corps. It had a fixed tailskid landing gear and was powered by a nose-mounted Wright-Hispano H engine with a tractor propeller. The pilot had an open cockpit. The company built three prototypes designated the PW-2 and a production order for 10 aircraft designated the PW-2A followed. The PW-2As were similar to the PW-2 but had a revised tail unit. After four aircraft had been delivered, one aircraft crashed when the wings separated from the aircraft; the contract was canceled. One of the PW-2As was modified with shorter-span wings and a 350 hp (260 kW) Packard 1A-1237 engine as the PW-2B.

Variants

PW-2

Prototype, three built one of which had twin rudders and was not flown and used for static testing.

PW-2A

Production variant with revised tail unit, four built and six cancelled.

PW-2B

One PW-2A modified with shorter span wings and a 350hp (261kW) Packard 1A-1237

Operators

United States

United States Army Air Corps

Specifications (PW-2A)

Data from Fighters of the United States Air Force

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 26 ft 1 in (7.95 m)
• Wingspan: 39 ft 9 in (12.12 m)
• Wing area: 299 ft² (27.8 m²)
• Gross weight: 2799 lb (1270 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright-Hispano H engine, 320 hp (239 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 136 mph (219 km/h)

Armament

2 × .30 in (7.62 mm) Lewis machine guns

See also

• Loening M-8
• List of military aircraft of the United States

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9. 
• Dorr, Robert F.; Donald, David (1990). Fighters of the United States Air Force. London: Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 0-600-55094-X. 
• Swanborough, F.G.; Bowers, Peter M. (1963). United States Military Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam. 
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. pp. 2376.