Lockheed YP-24

YP-24 Y1A-9
Type	Two-seat fighter Ground attack
Manufacturer	Detroit Lockheed
Designed by	Robert J. Woods
Maiden flight	1931
Status	Prototype
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	1 YP-24
Variants	Consolidated Y1P-25 Consolidated XA-11 Consolidated P-30

The Lockheed-Detroit YP-24 was a 1930s prototype two-seat fighter aircraft. An attack version called the A-9 was also proposed. The YP-24 is most remarkable for being the first fighter aircraft to bear the Lockheed name.

Development

In 1930, Detroit Aircraft Corporation undertook a private venture to develop a new fighter ("pursuit aircraft" in contemporary terminology) for US Army Air Corps based on the successful Lockheed Altair transport plane. Designed by Robert J. Woods, the aircraft was completed in 1931 with Detroit Aircraft fabricating the metal fuselage and Lockheed providing the wooden wings, essentially identical to the Altair. Wright Field assigned the prototype the designation XP-900. The aircraft was purchased by USAAC in September 1931 and redesignated YP-24, serial number 32-320. Early testing was sufficiently impressive to generate an order for five Y1P-24 fighters and four Y1A-9 attack aircraft intended to replace the Berliner-Joyce P-16. The A-9 differed in having four forward-firing machine guns, underwing racks for bombs, and a V-1570-27 engine better low-altitude performance.

On 19 October 1931, the sole aircraft crashed when the landing gear lever had broken off. Unfortunately, the Great Depression forced Detroit Aircraft into bankruptcy in October 1931 with Lockheed following suit in June 1932. Although Lockheed was resuscitated by a group of investors only five days after it closed doors, the financial hardships had taken their toll and the P-24/A-9 project was cancelled with no aircraft built beyond the original prototype. However, after Robert Woods left Detroit Aircraft for Consolidated Aircraft, he continued to develop the YP-24/A-9 concept into Consolidated Y1P-25/Y1A-11 which eventually entered service as Consolidated P-30.

Specifications (YP-24)

General characteristics

• Crew: two
• Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.8 m)
• Wingspan: 42 ft 9 in (13.0 m)
• Height: ft in (m)
• Wing area: ft² (m²)
• Empty weight: lb (kg)
• Max takeoff weight: lb (kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Curtiss V-1570-23 "Conqueror" liquid-cooled V12 engine, 602 hp (449 kW)
• Propellers: 3-bladed propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 215 mph (187 knots, 346 km/h)
• Range: 560 mi (490 nm, 900 km)
• Service ceiling: 26,400 ft (8,050 m)

Armament

• Guns:
  
  • 1× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun firing through the propeller
  • 1× 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun firing through the propeller
  • 1× 0.30 in machine gun in rear cockpit

References

• Bowers, Peter M.; Angellucci, E. (1987). The American Fighter. Orion Books. ISBN 0-517-56588-9. 
• Francillon, R. J. (1987). Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-897-2. 
• Swanborough, G.; Bowers, Peter M. (1989). United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. Smithsonian. ISBN 0-87474-880-1. 

External links

• Joe Baugher page on P-24/A-9
• USAF Museum page on P-24/A-9

Related content

Related development

• Lockheed Altair
• Consolidated P-30

Designation sequence

• P sequence: XP-21 - XP-22 - XP-23 - YP-24 - Y1P-25 - P-26 - YP-27
• A sequence: A-6 - XA-7 - XA-8 - A-9 - YA-10 - XA-11 - A-12

Related lists

• List of fighter aircraft
• List of Lockheed aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States