Consolidated P2Y. The Consolidated P2Y was an American sesquiplane maritime patrol flying boat. The aircraft was also made by Martin as the P3M, as a parasol monoplane, due to the Navy awarding production contracts separately from prototype contracts.

Development
Designed to meet a February 28, 1928 U.S. Navy contract, the prototype Model 9, XPY-1, a parasol monoplane, was designed by Isaac M. 'Mac' Laddon in accordance to the specifications laid out by Captain Holden C. "Dick" Richardson. Construction began in March 1928 and the aircraft was ready to fly by the end of the year, but would make its first flight on 10 January 1929 out of Anacostia NAS, Washington, D.C.

In standard Navy practice, production contracts were open to other bidders, and Martin underbid them, and was awarded the contract to build them as the Martin P3M-1 and P3M-2. Three P3M-1s and six P3M-2s were built; one XP2M-1 was also built to a similar design, powered by three Wright Cyclone engines but following the removal of the third engine it was redesignated XP2M-2. The third engine on the XPY-1 had been studied and rejected by Navy Bureau of Aeronautics staff.

The Navy placed a new contract on May 26, 1931 for an improved version, designation the Model 22 Ranger by Consolidated. Incorporating features of the Model 16 Commodore, such as the enclosed cockpit, and designated XP2Y-1 by the Navy. This new prototype had the same  top wing, but became a sesquiplane with a smaller lower wing mounted to the top of the hull, replacing struts supporting the wingtip floats. Two Wright R-1820-E1 Cyclone engines were located on the underside of the top wing and had narrow-chord cowlings. A third similar engine was mounted on struts above the wing, but was removed after the first test in April 1932.

The Navy ordered 23 P2Y-3s as production models similar to the P2Y-2s that were modified from the original batch of P2Y-1s.

Operational history
The Navy ordered 23 P2Y-1s on 7 July 1931. By mid-1933 they were serving with VP-10F and VP-5F squadrons which made a number of long-range formation flights. At least 21 P2Y-1s were modified to P2Y-2s in 1936 and flown by VP-5F and VP-10F until 1938, when they were transferred to VP-14 and VP-15.

The first P2Y-3s reached VP-7F in 1935, and this version was flown by VP-4F at Pearl Harbor and in 1939 was in operation with VP-19, VP-20, and VP-21. By the end of 1941, all the P2Y-2s and P2Y-3s had been withdrawn from operational use and were at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

The Colombian Air Force used one Commodore P2Y as a bomber in the Colombia-Peru War in 1932–1933.

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service evaluated the Consolidated P2Y as the "Consolidated Navy Experimental Type C Flying-Boat".

A P2Y-3 was used to test Curtiss electric propellers in 1936.

Variants

XP2Y-1 One prototype
P2Y-1 Navy version of the Commodore. 23 were ordered on July 7, 1931, and were delivered to Patrol Squadron 10 (VP-10) at Norfolk, Virginia on February 1, 1933.
P2Y-1C One aircraft delivered to Colombia in December 1932.
P2Y-1J One aircraft delivered to Japan in January 1935.
XP2Y-2 One prototype
P2Y-2 More powerful R-1820-88 engines faired into the leading edges of the wing. Other -1s were converted in 1936
P2Y-3 Production version of the -2. 23 were ordered on 27 December 1933, which entered service with VP-7 in early 1935.
Consolidated Navy Experimental Type C Flying Boat.
The full designation of the P2Y evaluated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service.
HXC
Short designation for the P2Y evaluated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air service.

Operators

Argentine Naval Aviation – six P2Y-3A, 1936–49

Colombian Air Force – one P2Y-1C

Imperial Japanese Navy – one P2Y-1J as HXC

United States Navy

Specifications (P2Y-3)

See also
Boeing XPB

References

Notes

Bibliography

Donald, David. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero Books, 1997. .
Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. .

O'Neill, Ralph A. "A Dream of Eagles"  Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company 1972.
Swanborough, F. Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. New York: Putnam, 1964. .
Swanborough, F. Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1976. .

Further reading

External links

Century of Flight
Flying Boat Progenitor

Flying boats
Consolidated P02Y
P2Y
Sesquiplanes
Aircraft first flown in 1929
Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft