The second crewman and ability to carry extra electronics such as radar and spotlights made the twin engine “heavy” fighter the usual choice as night fighters. Many lists of the “greatest” piston engine fighter planes do not even include twin engine fighters, although that second engine often gave its airframe longer range, higher speed, increased ability to carry heavy armament and electronics, a second crewman, and increased safety factor when flying over vast stretches of ocean. Far from an anomaly, the P-38 was not the only important twin engine fighter plane to grace the skies during combat operation in World War II and the Korean War, Today we look at 10 of the best 2 engine fighter aircraft from the peak of the piston powered era, the finest such airplanes designed or adapted mainly for air to air combat.

Appropriately named, the Lightning was the fastest fighter in the world at that time, being the first to exceed 400 mph in level flight. (Certain aircraft with specific STOL kits installed are disapproved as a result of the kit, and have placards prohibiting them).On January 27, 1939, one of the great American fighter planes of World War II, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, made its first flight. Most Cessna 172s are approved for spins in the utility category and are not placarded against them. UTILITY CATEGORY - NO BAGGAGE OR AFT PASSENGERS, and maximum entry speeds for other acrobatic maneuvers). they also have other restrictions for utility category operations which are found in the POH and on aircraft placards (e.g. The Piper Warrior is not approved for spins in the utility category (they are placarded with SPINS PROHIBITED). Generally the restrictions you find on aircraft are not regulatory ones (from the FARs) but Operating Limitations (in the POH or placarded on the aircraft) which you must comply with (per Part 91 of the FARs).įor example, the Cessna 172 and the Piper Warrior are both dual-category aircraft (Normal and Utility), and specify a 'Utility Category CG Envelope' in their weight and balance charts. An aircraft certificated in the Commuter category may not be certificated in any of the other categories however.

Commuter category aircraft can also have a higher maximum takeoff weight (up to 19,000 pounds).Īn aircraft can be certificated in any combination of the Normal, Utility, and Acrobatic categories if the aircraft meets the requirements of the appropriate category (as specified later in FAR 23). The commuter category is boring: It's basically the normal category, but with more engines (at least 2) and more seats (up to a maximum of 19). Utility Category is the same type and size of airplane, but approved for 'limited acrobatic operations' - this may include intentional spins, as well as the 'commercial maneuvers' with higher bank angles (greater than 60 degrees, up to 90 degrees).Īcrobatic Category is the same type and size of airplane, but approved for acrobatics without any restrictions 'other than those shown to be necessary as a result of required flight tests' - basically 'airplanes that can go upside-down'.

What most pilots recognize as the 'commercial flight test maneuvers': Lazy eights, chandelles, and steep turns, but with an angle of bank not greater than 60 degrees in any of these maneuvers.

(for very vanilla definitions of 'normal' - they expect you to use some common sense here!) They go on to specify that nonacrobatic operation includes: Normal Category is limited to airplanes that have a seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, of nine or less, a maximum certificated takeoff weight of 12,500 pounds or less, and intended for nonacrobatic operation. From a regulatory standpoint the governing regulation is FAR 23 (airworthiness standards for what we'd generally call 'small' airplanes - Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, and Commuter category).įAR 23.3 is probably what you're interested in, and tells us:

Piston aircraft air combat maneuvers