North American P-64

NA-50, NA-68/P-64
Role	Fighter
Manufacturer	North American Aviation
First flight	May 1939 (NA-50) 1 September 1940 (NA-68)
Retired	1950 (Peru)
Primary users	Peru United States Army Air Forces
Number built	13
Developed from	North American NA-16

The North American Aviation P-64 was the designation assigned by the United States Army Air Corps to six North American model NA-68 fighter aircraft seized by the US government that were destined for Thailand when that country aligned itself with the Japanese after the fall of France in World War II. The NA-68 was, in turn, a development of the NA-50 of which seven had been purchased by Peru.

Design and development

The North American NA-50 was developed by the North American Aviation as a simple single seat, low-wing, single engine fighter for export. The design was developed from the NA-16/BT-9 basic training aircraft of 1935. The NA-16 evolved into a series of aircraft that were some of the most widely used advanced and basic training aircraft produced by any country and provided the basic design for a single engine fighter intended for small countries that needed a simple aircraft with modern capabilities and features.

The NA-50 Torito (Spanish slang for "little bull"), built for Peru, was a single-seat fighter design based on the two-seat Basic Combat Demonstrator NA-44. The NA-50 was powered by an 870 hp (650 kW) Wright R-1820-77 radial air-cooled engine and was armed with two .30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns. The aircraft were manufactured in May 1939, and test flown at the factory.

In 1940, the Royal Thai Air Force ordered six aircraft similar to the NA-50 that were designated NA-68. The changes in the NA-68 included a modified landing gear, new outer wings, heavier armament, and redesigned tail surfaces similar to those adopted on later production trainers. North American Test pilot Lewis Waite flew the first NA-68 on 1 September 1940.

Operational history

USAAC P-64

Peru purchased seven aircraft for the Peruvian Air Force, with deliveries completed in May 1939. In Peruvian service, these aircraft were fitted with bomb racks under the fuselage for light bombs. The Peruvian NA-50s took part in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian war of July 1941, supporting Army of Peru ground forces.

In 1940, the NA-68s (along with a parallel order for NA-69 two seaters) ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force were en route to Thailand when their export clearance was cancelled and were returned to the United States where they were assigned the designation P-64, disarmed and used for advanced fighter training.

Survivors

• NA-50 XXI-41-3 (c/n 50-950). One of the original seven NA-50s built is displayed on a pedestal in front of the Museo Aeronáutico del Perú at Las Palmas Air Base, Lima, Peru, and next to the Mausoleum of Captain José Quiñones Gonzáles, (a Peruvian national hero who died while flying an NA-50). This example was initially assigned to Escuadrón de Aviación No.1 (Chiclayo Field) and was later transferred to the 28th Advanced Fighter Training Group, 4th squadron until retired in 1967.

• NA-68A 41-19085 (c/n 68-3061). One of the six intercepted Thai-bound P-64s survives and after being used for training and liaison, is now on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum.

• A replica of the NA-50 was built from a Canadian Harvard and is currently airworthy.

Operators

Peru

• Peruvian Air Force

United States

• United States Army Air Corps/United States Army Air Forces

Specifications (NA-68/P-64)

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General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 27 ft (8.23 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 3 in (11.35 m)
• Height: 19 ft 8 in (5.99 m)
• Wing area: 227 ft² (21.1 m²)
• Empty weight: 4,660 lb (2,114 kg)
• Loaded weight: 5,990 lb (2,717 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 6,800 lb (3,080 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-77 radial engine, 870 hp (649 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 270 mph (435 km/h) at 8,700 ft (2,650 m)
• Range: 965 mi (1,550 km)
• Service ceiling: 27,500 ft (8,400 m)
• Wing loading: 26 lb/ft² (129 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.13 hp/lb (0.21 kW/kg)

Armament

• 2 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
• 2 × 20 mm cannons
• Up to 400 lb (180 kg) of bombs

See also

Related development

• North American NA-16
• North American A-27
• North American T-6 Texan
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• CAC Boomerang
  

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of aircraft of World War II
  

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War - Fighters (Vol 4). London: MacDonald, 1961.

External links

• Airventure Museum: North American P-64/NA-50 – N840
• North American P-64