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Packard-Le Peré LUSAC-11
The LUSAC-11 (Le Peré United States Army Combat) was an early American Army fighter aircraft.
When the U.S. entered World War One, the Signal Corps had just 55 aircraft,[1] none fit for combat. The American Expeditionary Force was equipped with French types,[2] and the LUSAC was part of a plan to build Frency designs in the U.S.
The creation of a Capitaine Le Peré,[3] it was a two seat biplane of equal span wit forward stagger. It was powered by a 425 hp (317 kW) Liberty L-12 engine.
Proving fast, and armed with two .30 (7.62mm) Lewis machineguns (one on the cowl, on on a flexible mount for the observer) 3525 were ordered. Only thirty were completed by the Armistice, the rest being cancelled.
Three additional aircraft were completed with 420 hp (317 kW) Bugatti 16 engines as LUSAC-21s. These were delivered in August 1919.
In addition, three strafer aircraft were built, as LUSAGH (Le Peré United States Army Ground Harassment), two with Bugatti engines (LUSAGH-21), one a Liberty (LUSAGH-11).
One LUSAC-11, fitted with a turbocharged Liberty, was flown to a record height of 34,507' (10,518 m) on 28 September 1921 by Lieutanant James Macready. The record held two years.
There was also an experimental LUSAC-11 triplane, the LUSAO-11 (Le Pere United States Army Observation), which used two Liberty L-12As.
Specifications (LUSAC-11)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 (pilot & observer/gunner)
- Length: 24 ft 4 in (7.42 m)
- Wingspan: 41 ft 7 in (12.67 m)
- Height: ()
- Max takeoff weight: 3,746 lb (1,699 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Liberty liquid-cooled V12 engine, 425 hp (317 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 118 knots (136 knots, 219 km/h)
Armament
- Guns:
- 1×.30 (7.62mm) Lewis machinegun on the upper fuselage
- 1×.30 (7.62mm) Lewis gun in the observer's cockpit
References
- Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare. Volume 16, p.1782-3, "LUSAC-11, Packard-Le Peré". London: Phoebus, 1978.
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