The American Boeing P-26, nicknamed the "Peashooter", was the first all-metal production fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane used by the United States Army Air Corps. The prototype first flew in 1932, and were used by the Air Corps as late as 1941 in the Philippines.
3d Pursuit Squadron, Clark Field, Philippine Islands.
Combat service
By December 1941, U.S. fighter strength in the Philippines included 28 P-26s, most in the service of the Philippine Army Air Corps. Most of these were destroyed on the ground in the first Japanese attacks following Pearl Harbor, but two flown by Filipino pilots scored victories over Japanese airplanes. In 1942, in a desperate defense of their homeland, the few surviving P-26s which the Filipino 6th Fighter Squadron still had at its disposal were completely overwhelmed by Japanese Zero fighters.
Capt. Jesus Villamor
1st Lt. Cesar Basa
Overmatched in number, firepower, speed and quality of aircraft, Villamor's gallant squadron - flying six obsolete Boeing P-26 fighters - managed to stall the Japanese air offensive in two famous dogfights over Manila and Batangas, shooting down two enemy fighters and one bomber. All but one of the amazing Filipino pilots, 1st Lt. Cesar Basa, survived the epic aerial battle.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Performance
Maximum speed: 234 mph (203 knots, 377 km/h) at 6,000 ft (1,800 m)
Armament
Guns: 2× .30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns
Bombs: 1× 200 lb (90 kg) bomb
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