English: Boeing P-26 of the 19th Pursuit Squadron. Boeing P-26 Peashooters were introduced into the Army Air Corps in 1933. Ungainly and quaint to modern eyes, the P-26 actually represented very advanced technology for its day. It was the Army's first all-metal monoplane fighter, and its 600 hp engine gave it a top speed of 234 mph. The very high headrest concealed a strong arch which protected pilots in the case the airplane should flip over upon landing. Pilots still preferred open cockpits, and the streamlined, fixed wheels were lighter than the mechanism necessary for retracting landing gear with rubber wheels.