The new company had intended to develop the Berliner Monoplane but became involved in designing a two-seat fighter for the United States Army Air Corps.

The main difference with the production aircraft was the use of an unsupercharged version of the Conqueror engine and a three-bladed propeller.

[1] Without the prototype's supercharger, performance at altitude was appreciably reduced, although the aircraft had a greater endurance than contemporary single-seat pursuits.

All Berliner-Joyce PB-1s were withdrawn from active service in 1934, although a small number of aircraft continued in second-line duties until 1940.

General characteristics Performance Armament two fixed forward-firing and one flexible-mounted 0.3 in (7.62 mm) machine guns, maximum bombload of 224 lb (102 kg)