The P-12 was one of the most successful American fighters produced between WW I and WW II. Used by both the Army and Navy (as the F4B), the P-12 was developed from prototypes built by the Boeing Airplane Company at their own expense. It was produced in a basic version and five additional series, -B through -F. The basic P-12 and the -B, -C and -D series had fabric-covered fuselages of bolted aluminum tubing. P-12E and -F fuselages were all-metal, semimonocoque (stressed skin) construction.

All had wooden wings with fabric covering. The Army Air Corps received its first P-12 in Feb. 1929 and the last P-12F in May 1932. The last of the biplane fighters flown by the Army; some remained in service until 1941. In all, 366 were produced for the Army. More P-12Es were built (110) than any other series. The P-12E on display served with the 6th Pursuit Squadron in Hawaii during the 1930s and was retired in 1940. It was donated to the USAF Museum in 1973 by Marcellus Foose and Glen Courtwright of Oaklawn, Ill. Museum specialists began restoration in 1974 and completed it in 1983.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 30 ft.
Length: 20 ft. 4 in.
Height: 9 ft.
Weight: 2,690 lbs. loaded
Armament: Two .30-cal. machine guns or one .30-cal. and one .50-cal.;244 lbs. of bombs carried externally.
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-17 of 500 hp.
Crew: One 
Cost: $15,000 
Serial number: 31-559
C/N: 1466 

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 189 mph.
Cruising speed: 160 mph.
Range: 570 miles
Service Ceiling: 26,300 ft.