The Hall XP2H-1 was an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
prototype four-engined
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
flying boat
A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...
of the 1930s. Intended as an experimental very-long-range maritime patrol aircraft, a single example was built. The XP2H-1 was the largest four engine biplane aircraft ever procured by the US Navy.
[''Test Pilot'' Airpower, September 1974 pp. 11-12]
Development and design
In 1930, the
United States Navy ordered a single example of a large flying boat from the
Hall-Aluminum Aircraft Corporation, to meet a requirement for an experimental very-long-range patrol aircraft. The resulting design, designated XP2H-1, was a four-engined
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
with an all-aluminum hull, scaled-up from the smaller
PH flying boat, which accommodated a crew of six. The wings were of fabric-skinned aluminum construction and were of
trapezoidal shape. The water-cooled V-12
Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror
The Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror was a 12-cylinder vee liquid-cooled aircraft engine. Representing a more powerful version of the Curtiss D-12, the engine entered production in 1926 and flew in numerous aircraft.Gunston 1989, p. 46.
Design and deve ...
engines were mounted in tandem push-pull pairs between the wings, in nacelles attached to the lower wings.
[Wegg 1990, pp.113-114.][''Flight'' January 24, 1935, p.94.]
The XP2H-1 first flew on November 15, 1932, and was extensively tested, demonstrating excellent performance, being faster than predicted.
It was possible to cruise on just two engines to extend range, and in 1935, the XP2H-1 was used to carry out a nonstop flight between
Norfolk,
Virginia and
Coco Solo,
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...
. The XP2H-1 took 25 hours and 15 minutes to fly the distance between these two locations.
[''Flight'' 21 February 1935, p.195.] It was destroyed later in the year attempting to alight in open water.
[Loftin 1985]
Chapter 8: Boats in the Sky :Biplane Flying-Boat Developments, 1920-30
No further P2Hs were built, with the US Navy equipping its patrol squadrons with smaller flying boats such as the
Consolidated P2Y.
Operators
;
*
United States Navy
Specifications
See also
References
*
For Long Range Patrol. ''
Flight'', 24 January 1935. p. 94.
A Long Distance Flight ''Flight'', 21 February 1935, p. 195.
* Boyne, Walter J.
The Flying Hallmarks: The Hall Aluminium Classics. ''The Best of Wings Magazine''. Washington, DC:Brasseys, 2001. . pp. 52–61.
* Loftin, Laurence K.
',SP-468. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, History Office, Scientific and Technical Information Branch, 1985.
* Wegg, John. ''General Dynamic Aircraft and their Predecessors''. London:Putnam, 1990. .
{{USN patrol aircraft
Flying boats
1930s United States patrol aircraft
Four-engined push-pull aircraft
P2H
Biplanes
Aircraft first flown in 1932