Lockheed YP-24

American two-seat fighter prototype

YP-24 Y1A-9

Role	Two-seat fighter Ground attack Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Detroit Lockheed
Designer	Robert J. Woods
First flight	1931
Status	Prototype
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	1
Variants	Consolidated P-30

The Lockheed-Detroit YP-24 was a 1930s prototype two-seat fighter aircraft produced by Detroit Lockheed. 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.

Design and 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. Vance Breese was hired to be the chief test pilot for the project.^[1] 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.^[2]

Operational history

On 19 October 1931, the sole aircraft crashed. The aircraft had a partially stuck landing gear, and Wright Field pilots painted messages on the side of their P-12D and O-25C aircraft, indicating to test pilot Lt. Harrison Crocker to bail out.^[3]

Shortly after, in October 1931, events in the Great Depression forced Detroit Aircraft into bankruptcy with Lockheed following suit in June 1932.^[2] 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. Four pre-production Y1P-24s, 32-321/324, were cancelled.^[4] However, after Robert Woods left Detroit Aircraft for Consolidated Aircraft, he continued to develop the YP-24/A-9 concept into the Consolidated Y1P-25/Y1A-11 which eventually entered service as the Consolidated P-30.^[5]

Specifications (YP-24)

Data from Lockheed Aircraft since 1913^[6]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Wingspan: 42 ft 9+1⁄2 in (13.043 m)
Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Wing area: 292 sq ft (27.1 m²)
Empty weight: 3,010 lb (1,365 kg)
Gross weight: 4,360 lb (1,978 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss V-1570-23 Conqueror V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 600 hp (450 kW)
Propellers: 3-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 235 mph (378 km/h, 204 kn)
Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn)
Range: 556 mi (895 km, 483 nmi)
Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
Rate of climb: 1,820 ft/min (9.2 m/s)

Armament

Guns:

1 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun fixed forward-firing through the propeller disc
1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun fixed forward-firing through the propeller disc
1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun in rear cockpit

References

Citations

^ Robert F. Pauley. "Breese-Dallas Model 1". Skyways: 61.
^ ^a ^b "Fact Sheet: Detroit-Lockheed YP-24". Museum of the United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
^ Skyways, April 2001, p. 59.
^ Andrade 1979, p. 144.
^ "Fact Sheet: Consolidated P-30". Museum of the United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2017-07-15.
^ Francillon 1982, pp. 114–116.

Bibliography

Andrade, John M. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Earl Shilton, Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-904597-21-0.
Bowers, Peter M. and Enzo Angellucci. The American Fighter. New York: Orion Books, 1987. ISBN 0-517-56588-9.
Francillon, René J. Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913. London: Putnam, 1982. ISBN 0-370-30329-6.
Francillon, René J. Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1987. ISBN 0-87021-897-2.
Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Publications, 1989. ISBN 0-87474-880-1.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Detroit-Lockheed YP-24.

USAF Museum page on P-24/A-9

Lockheed and Lockheed Martin aircraft and spacecraft

Transports

Vega family	1 & 2 Vega 3 Air Express 4 Explorer 5 Vega 6¹ 7 Explorer 8 Sirius 8-D, E & G Altair 9 Orion DL.1 Vega
Electra family	10 Electra 12 Electra Junior 14 Super Electra 414 Hudson 18 Lodestar 37 Ventura 43 Harpoon
Constellation family	Constellation L-049 L-649 L-749 L-1049 L-1249 L-1649 Starliner C-69 C-121 EC-121 R6V XB-30
L-100 Hercules family	C-130 C-130J AC-130 DC-130 HC-130 EC-130 EC-130H KC-130 LC-130 MC-130 WC-130 L-100
L-188 Electra family	L-188 P-3 EP-3 CP-140 P-7
Other types	C-5 C-141 Excalibur JetStar L-1011 Tristar RAF L-2000 Saturn Vega Starliner

Fighter-bombers

Lightning family	P-38 XP-49 XP-58
Shooting Star family	F-80 F-94 T-33 T2V
Starfighter family	XF-104 F-104 NF-104A CL-288 CL-1200
Raptor family	YF-22 F-22 FB-22 X-44 MANTA
Other types	A-4AR A-9 F-16 F-21 F-35 F-117 XFM-2 XF-90 YP-24

Reconnaissance

Blackbird family	A-12 SR-71 Blackbird YF-12 M-21 D-21
Maritime patrol	Hudson PV-1 Ventura PV-2 Harpoon P2V/P-2 Neptune S-3 Viking P-3 Orion CP-140 Aurora P-7 LRAACA
Other crewed	CL-400 U-2 YO-3 Quiet Star TR-1 TR-X
UAVs	Aequare AQM-60 Cormorant (UAV) Desert Hawk Desert Hawk III Fury MQM-105 Polecat RQ-3 RQ-170 SR-72 X-44 (UAV)

Trainers

Helicopters

Experimental

Light aircraft

Missiles

Engines

J37/T35

Model
numbers

1
2
3
4
5
6¹
7
8
- A/D
9
10
11
12
13¹
14
15
16
17¹
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25¹
26
27
28¹
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36¹
37
38¹
39¹
40
41
42
44
45
49
50
51
52
60
61
62
75
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
99
100
104
105
122
129
133
136
137
140
141
144
149
170
171
182
185
186
188
189
193
199
200
204
206
207
210
212
222
244
245
246
249
282 (I)
282 (II)
285
286
288
293
295
296
298
300
301
320
322
325
329
330
331
346
349
351
379
380
382
389
400 (I)
400 (II)
402
407
414
422
437
449
475
480
489
500
520
522
549
580
595
622
645
649
680
685
704
749
760
780
785
822
823
840
849
880
901
915
934
949
977
980
981
984
985
995
1000
1010
1011
1020
1026
1049
- A
1060
1080
1090
1132
1149
1195
1200
1201
1235
1236
1237
1249
1329
1400
1449
1549
1600
1649
1700
1800
1980
2000
2329

Vega	1 2 3¹ 4¹ 5 6 7–10¹ 11 12–14¹ 15 16¹ 17 18 19¹ 20¹ 21 22 23 24 25¹ 26 27–32¹ 33 34 35 36¹ 37 38¹ 39¹ 40 41 42 43

¹ Not assigned

United States attack aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Army/Air Force sequence
(1925–1962)

Tri-service sequence
(1962–present)

Main sequence	A-1³ A-1 OA-1K A-2 A-3 A-4 A-5 A-6 EA-6B A-7 A-7F A-7P A-8² A-9 A-10 A-11¹ A-12 A-13¹ A-14
Non-sequential	A-16 F/A-16 F/A-18 F/A-18E/F EA-18G F/A-22 A-26 A-29 A-37³ A-37 EA-37

Related designations

¹ Not assigned • ² Unofficial designation • ³ Assigned to multiple types
Not to be confused with the Aerial target or Amphibious aircraft sequences.

USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF fighter designations 1924–1962, and Tri-Service post-1962 systems

1924 sequences
(1924–1962)

Pursuit (1924–1948)	P-1 P-2 P-3 P-4³ Curtiss P-4 Boeing P-4 P-5 P-6 P-7 P-8 P-9 P-10 P-11 P-12 P-13 P-14 P-15 P-16 P-17 P-18 P-19 P-20 P-21 P-22 P-23 P-24 P-25 P-26 P-27 P-28 P-29 P-30 P-31 P-32 P-33 P-34 P-35 P-36 P-37 P-38 P-39 P-39E P-40 P-41 P-42 P-43 P-44 P-45 P-46 P-47 P-48 P-49 P-50 P-51 P-52 P-53 P-54 P-55 P-56 P-57 P-58 P-59³ XP-59 P-59 P-60 P-61 P-62 P-63 P-64 P-65 P-66 P-67 P-68 P-69 P-70 P-71 P-72 P-73² P-74¹ P-75 P-76 P-77 P-78 P-79 P-80 P-81 P-82 P-83 P-84 P-85 P-86 P-87 P-88 P-89 P-90 P-91 P-92
Fighter (1948–1962)	F-38 F-39 F-40 F-47 F-51 F-59 F-61 RF-61C F-63 F-80 F-81 F-82 F-83 F-84 F-84F/J F-84H F-85 F-86 F-86C F-86D/G/K/L F-87 F-88 F-89 F-90 F-91 F-92 F-93 F-94 F-95 F-96 F-97 F-98 F-99 F-100 F-100B F-101 F-102 F-102B F-103 F-104 XF-104 F-104S NF-104A F-105 F-106³ XF-106 F-106 F-107 F-108 F-109² F-110 F-111 F-111B F-111C F-111K AFTI/F-111A EF-111A
Pursuit, Biplace	PB-1 PB-2 PB-3
Fighter, Multiplace	FM-1 FM-2
Non-sequential	F-24 P-322 P-400

Tri-service sequence
(1962–present)

Main sequence	F-1 F-1C/D F-1E/F F-2 F-3 F-4 F-4K/M F-5 G F-6 F-7 F-8 F-9 F-9F–J F-10 F-11 F-12 F-12C² F-13¹ F-14 F-15 F-15E F-15EX F-15J F-15 STOL/MTD F-16 F-16XL NF-16D F-17 F/A-18 F/A-18E/F EA-18G F-19¹ F-20 F-21 F-22 YF-22 FB-22 F-23
Non-sequential	F-35 F-35I X-35 F-117

Covert designations

Related designations

FV-12

¹ Not assigned • ² Unofficial • ³ Assigned to multiple types
See also: "F-19" • 1919-1924 sequence

v t e Wright Field project numbers (1930–1934)
XP-900 XB-901 XP-902 XP-903 XP-904 905¹ XB-906 XB-907 XB-908 XC-909 XC-910 XO-911 XPT-912 XPT-913 XPT-914 XPT-915 916¹ XB-917 XC-918 919¹ XC-920 XB-921 922¹ XP-923 XO-924 XP-925 XO-926 XP-927 XC-928 XP-929 XPT-930 XPT-931 XO-932 XPT-933 XP-934 XBT-935 XP-936 XBT-937 XP-938 XO-939 XP-940 XC-941 XC-942 XPT-943 XP-944 XPT-945 946¹ 947¹ XP-948 949¹ XB-950
¹ Not assigned

Wright Field project numbers (1930–1934)