Dayton-Wright XPS-1

11/30/2009. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Of extremely advanced concept in being a parasol monoplane with a retractable landing gear, the Dayton-Wright XPS-1 (PS = Pursuit Special) was conceived as an "Alert" interceptor and three prototypes were ordered in 1921 by the Army Air Service, serialed 68534 to 68536. Delivered in 1923, the 68534, was employed for static tests, the other two were tested at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio, USA, and received the Project Number "P-38" and "P-311" respectively.

Of mixed construction, with wooden wings and horizontal tail surfaces and steel-tube, fabric covered fuselage and vertical tail, the XPS-1 was powered by a 200 hp Lawrance J-1 air-cooled radial and featured hand-operated chain-and-sprocket main landing gear members, which were originally developed by Dayton-Wright for its entry in the 1920 Gordon Bennett Air Race and could be raised in 10 seconds and lowered in six seconds.

Flown in 1923, the XPS-1 proved to possess unsatisfactory characteristics and neither of the flight test prototypes was officially accepted. 68535 ("P-308") was surveyed, while 68536 ("P-311") went to the McCook Field Museum on September 10, 1923, its cockpit section with the "first military retractable landing gear" is presently on display at the National Museum of the USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio."