The Curtiss YP-60E was an experimental fighter aircraft developed by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II.
It was intended to be a high-performance fighter with a top speed of over 400 mph and excellent climb and diving capabilities.
The YP-60E was based on the Curtiss P-60, which was itself a development of the earlier P-40 fighter.
The YP-60E featured a more powerful Allison V-1710-E19 engine and a redesigned cockpit with better visibility.
It also had a new wing design with increased area and improved aerodynamics.
The first YP-60E prototype flew on August 15, 1942, and was tested extensively by the USAAF. However, the aircraft did not meet the performance requirements set by the USAAF, and the project was cancelled after only two prototypes were built.
Despite its short-lived development, the YP-60E was an important steppingstone in the evolution of American fighter aircraft, and many of its features would be incorporated into later designs.
Full Specifications
Crew
1
Length
31 ft 6 in (9.60 m)
Wingspan
37 ft 4 in (11.38 m)
Height
9 ft 11 in (3.02 m)
Wing area
223 sq ft (20.72 sq m)
Empty weight
5,886 lb (2,668 kg)
Gross weight
7,130 lb (3,235 kg)
Max take-off weight
8,100 lb (3,674 kg)
Powerplant
1 × Allison V-1710-E19 liquid-cooled V12 engine,
1,325 hp (988 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed
390 mph (628 km/h, 340 kn) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Range
500 mi (800 km, 430 nmi)
Service ceiling
36,000 ft (11,000 m)
Rate of climb
3,750 ft/min (19.1 m/s)
Wing loading
31.9 lb/sq ft (156 kg/sq m)
Power/mass
0.19 hp/lb (0.31 kW/kg)
Armament
4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns,
Up to 1,000 lb (454 kg) of bombs or rockets on underwing hardpoints.
