General Background

Boeing’s first and last all-metal monoplane fighter produced for the US Army Air Corps. was the P-26. Known as the “Peashooter” there were 111 P-26As produced. The wings were braced with wire instead of wooden struts and this reduced drag and along with a 500 hp engine the aircraft was much faster than the older bi-planes. The mono-wing also meant a higher landing speed so flaps had to be added to slow the aircraft down. It had fixed landing gear and an open cockpit with just a windscreen to protect the pilot.

The Aircraft

In 1917 it was called Flying Field Anacostia but renamed Bolling Field on July 1,1918. Colonel Raynal Bolling was the first high-ranking U.S. officer killed in WWI combat. On March 26, 1918 near Amiens, France Col. Bolling died defending himself and his driver from German soldiers. The field was used for personnel proficiency flying and supporting flights such as Colonel Henry “Hap” Arnold’s 1934 4,000 mile flight of bombers to Alaska. Aircraft P-26A 33-77 stationed at Bolling Field was struck off charge in May 1935.