The Aerodrome Home Page
Aces of WWI
Aircraft of WWI
Books and Videos
The Aerodrome Forum
Help
Medals & Decorations
Search The Aerodrome
Today in History



 
 
Designed by Captain G. Le Père of the French Air Service in 1918, the Packard Le Père-Lusac II was the first escort fighter developed by the United States during World War I. Equipped with two machine guns, the sturdy two-seater was fast, manoeuvrable and had an excellent rate of climb. In September 1918, its performance during air trials was so impressive that about 4,500 planes were ordered from the manufacturer. By the time of the Armistice, the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan had only built 27 planes.

Packard Le Père-Lusac 11 Specifications
Country: United States of America
Manufacturer: Packard Motor Car Company
Type: Fighter
First Introduced: 1918
Number Built: 27
Engine: Liberty 12A, 12-cylinder, liquid cooled inline V, 400 hp
Wing Span: 41 ft 7 in (12.67 m)
Length: 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
Empty Weight:
Gross Weight: 3,746 lb (1,699 kg)
Max Speed: 132 mph (212 km/h)
Ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
Endurance: 320 miles (515 km)
Crew: 2
Armament: 4 machine guns
 
Aces · Aircraft · Books · Forum · Help · Medals · Search · Today