P-26C Peashooter

The Boeing P‑26C Peashooter was the United States Army Air Corps’ first all‑metal monoplane fighter, entering service in 1932 and remaining operational through the early years of World War II. Designed by Boeing’s Wichita division, the aircraft evolved from the earlier Model 95 and featured a low‑wing, cantilever monoplane layout with fixed, spatted landing gear and an open cockpit that later received a canopy in the C variant. Powered by a 600‑horsepower radial engine, the P‑26C could reach 234 mph and carried a modest armament of two .30‑caliber machine guns. Its clean aerodynamic lines, all‑metal construction, and relatively high speed for the era made it a clear step forward from the biplanes it replaced, demonstrating the viability of monoplane fighters for the U.S. military. Though quickly outclassed by newer designs such as the P‑40 and the early British Spitfire, the Peashooter served as a training and coastal‑defense platform in the Pacific, and it introduced pilots to a more modern flight envelope. Today, surviving examples in museums illustrate the transitional period that bridged the biplane era and the rapid technological advances of the late 1930s and 1940s.

Boeing

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Design & Classification