View source for Engineering Division TP-1

{{Short description|American fighter aircraft}}
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{|{{Infobox Aircraft Begin
|name=TP-1 / XCO-5
|image=XCO-5 and Lt Macready.JPG
|caption=XCO-5
}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type
|type=Biplane [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]]
|national origin=United States
|manufacturer=[[Engineering Division]]
|designer=[[Alfred V. Verville]] <br /> and [[Virginius E. Clark]]
|first flight=
|introduced=
|retired=
|status=
|primary user=
|number built=2
|developed from= 
|variants with their own articles=
}}
|}

The '''Engineering Division TP-1''' was a two-seat biplane [[Fighter aircraft|fighter]] designed by [[Alfred V. Verville]] and Virginius E. Clark at the [[United States Army Air Corps]] [[Engineering Division]].<ref name="Andrade98"/> A second aircraft was completed as an observation biplane and designated the '''Engineering Division XCO-5'''.<ref name="Andrade98" /><ref name="Andrade171" />

==Development==
The prototype TP-1 was built as the '''XTP-1''' and tested at McCook Field in 1923. A biplane, the upper wing had a smaller span and narrower chord than the lower wing.<ref name="Andrade98"/> The XTP-1 was armed with five {{convert|.30|in|mm|2|abbr=on}} [[machine gun]]s and fitted with a {{convert|423|hp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}} [[Liberty 12]] engine.<ref name="Andrade98"/> A second prototype was completed as an observation/reconnaissance aircraft with the designation '''XCO-5'''.<ref name="Andrade171"/>

The XCO-5 needed a high-lift wing suitable for high-altitude work. New wings were prepared. The aerofoil was Joukowsky StAe-27A, a heavily cambered wingshape with a thick leading edge. The upper and lower wings had a pronounced stagger, with a total wing area of 600&nbsp;ft<sup>2</sup>. As well as lining and insulating the cockpit, heat was taken from the engine exhaust. A cover over the top of the cockpit kept the heat in; a clear panel in the cover allowed the pilot to see his instruments.<ref>''Flight'' p68</ref>

==Operational history==
On October 10, 1928, [[St. Clair Streett|Bill Streett]] and [[Albert William Stevens]] achieved an unofficial altitude record in the XCO-5 for aircraft carrying more than one person: {{convert|37854|ft|m|abbr=on}}; less than {{convert|1000|ft|m|abbr=on}} short of the official single-person altitude record.<ref name="nasa"/> At that height they measured a temperature of {{convert|-78|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, cold enough to freeze the aircraft controls.<ref name= PopularScience/> With frozen controls, Streett was unable to reduce altitude or to turn off the engine until some 20 minutes later when it ran out of fuel, after which he piloted the fragile experimental biplane down in a gentle glide and made a [[deadstick landing]].<ref name= "PopularScience"/>

==Variants==
;TP-1
:Two-seat pursuit fighter prototype, one built.<ref name="Andrade98"/>
;XCO-5
:Observation variant of the TP-1, one built.<ref name="Andrade171"/>

==Operators==
;{{Flag|United States|1912}}
*[[United States Army Air Corps]]

==Specifications==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=The American Fighter<ref name="Amfight p199">Angelucci and Bowers 1987, p. 199.</ref>
|prime units?=imp
|crew=2
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=25
|length in=1
|span m=
|span ft=36
|span in=0
|height m=
|height ft=10
|height in=0
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=375
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=2748
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=4363
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Liberty L-12]]
|eng1 type=water-cooled [[V12 engine]]
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=423
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=129
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at sea level
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=117
|cruise speed kts=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|endurance=3.95 hr
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=13450
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=495
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|power/mass met=
|power/mass imp=
|guns= <br/>
*2 × fixed forward firing {{convert|.30|in|mm|2|abbr=on}} [[machine gun]]s
*2 × flexibly-mounted .30-in machine guns in rear cockpit
*1 × .30-in machine gun firing through ventral grille
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent
<!-- include as many lines are appropriate. additional lines/entries with carriage return. -->
|see also=
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
*[[List of military aircraft of the United States]]
}}

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="Andrade98">Andrade 1979, p. 98</ref>
<ref name="Andrade171">Andrade 1979, p. 171</ref>
<ref name="nasa">National Aeronautics and Space Administration. [https://history.nasa.gov/Timeline/1925-29.html Aeronautics and Astronautics Chronology, 1925–1929.] Retrieved on 3 January 2010.</ref>
<ref name=PopularScience>Armagnac, Alden P. ''Popular Science'', May 1929. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bCoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22&lpg=PA22 "Stranded—Seven Miles Up!"] Retrieved on 22 November 2009.</ref>
}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last= Andrade |first= John |title= U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909|year=1979 |publisher=Midland Counties Publications|isbn= 0-904597-22-9}}
*{{cite book |last1=Angelucci |first1=Enzo |last2=Bowers|first2=Peter M.|authorlink2=Peter M. Bowers| title=The American Fighter |year=1987 |publisher=Haynes |location=Sparkford, UK |isbn= 0-85429-635-2}}
*{{citation |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1926/1926%20-%200080.html |title=A Fine American Altitude Flight |journal=Flight |date=4 February 1926 |page=68 }}
{{refend}}

{{Engineering Division aircraft}}
{{lone designation|system=[[United States Army Air Service|USAAS]] two-seat pursuit |designation=TP-1 }}
{{USAAS observation aircraft}}

{{commons category|Engineering Division TP-1}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Engineering Division TP-1}}
[[Category:1920s United States fighter aircraft]]
[[Category:Engineering Division aircraft|TP-1]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Biplanes]]