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EspañolCURTISS FALCON
(Redirected from Curtiss F8C)
A number of biplanes built by Curtiss were named "'Falcon'", most under the US Army Air Corps designation 'O-1'. They first appeared in 1924. Curtiss Falcons fought in the Constitutional Revolution of 1932, in Brazil, used by the forces of São Paulo.
The 'Falcon XO-1' prototype was evaluated along with eleven other prototypes in 1924 and the Douglas XO-2 was declared the winner. So Curtiss re-engined the prototype with the Packard 1A-1500 for the 1925 trials, which it won. The engine failed to live up to expectations and the 'O-1' ordered by the Army was fitted with the 435 hp (324 kW) Curtiss V-1150 (D-12) engine.
The aircraft was a conventional unequal-span design with wooden wings, while the fuselage was built using aluminum tubing with steel tie-rod bracing[2]. The landing gear was fixed and the tail included a balanced rudder with a rear skid originally, later changed to a tail wheel.
Reasonably successful as an observation aircraft, Falcons flew primarily in the 1st, 5th and 99th Observation Squadrons of the 9th Observation Group, Mitchel Field, New York. The 'A-3 Attack Falcon' variant saw considerable use, in front line service with the 8th, 13th and 19th Attack Squadrons of the 3rd Attack Group, Barksdale Field, Louisiana, and the 26th Attack Squadron in Hawaii from 1928 to 1934 and with reserve units until 1937.
Curtiss Falcon aircraft fought during the Brazil Revolution of 1930, under the flag of São Paulo. In Bolivia the aircraft type also fought in the Chaco War (1932-1935), bombing Paraguayan troopers.[3] [4]
[5]
★ 'A-3' - ''(Model 44)'' - O-1B converted for use as an attack aircraft, 66 built for the US Army. It was armed with two 7.62 mm (0.30-inch) machine guns and 91 kg (200-lb) of bombs.
★ 'A-3A' - Six A-3s were converted into trainers.
★ 'A-3B' - ''(Model 37H)'' - O-1E converted for attack use, 78 built
★ 'XA-4' - One A-3 with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-1 Wasp radial piston engine. Scrapped in March 1932
★ 'O-1' - ''(Model 37A)'' - Two-seat observation aircraft, the first production model. One aircraft was converted into the 'O-1 Special' for VIP transport, ten built
★ 'O-1A' - Two-seat observation aircraft, powered by the Liberty piston engine, one built.
★ 'O-1B' - ''(Model 37B)'' - This was the first major production version for the US Army, 45 built.
★ 'O-1C' - Four O-1Bs converted into VIP transports.
★ 'O-1E' - ''(Model 37I)'' - This version was powered by the 324 kW (435-hp) Curtiss V-1150E piston engine, 41 built.
★ 'O-1F' - ''(Model 37J)'' - One O-1E converted into VIP transport.
★ 'O-1G' - ''(Model 38)'' - This was the final O-1 version, 30 built
★ 'XO-11' - Two aircraft were converted into X0-11 prototypes.
★ 'O-11' - This version was powered by the Liberty piston engine, 66 built.
★ 'XO-12' - One of the XO-11 prototypes was redesignated X0-12.
★ 'XO-13' - One O-1 was fitted with a Curtiss Conqueror engine, and took part in the 1927 National Air Race.
★ 'XO-13A' - The XO-13A was another aircraft which was converted into a racing machine.
★ 'O-13B' - One O-1C was fitted with a Conqueror engine, and tested as an observation aircraft.
★ 'YO-13C' - Three O-1Es were re-engined with a Conqueror engine.
★ 'YO-13D' - One O-11 was fitted with supercharged Conqueror engine.
★ 'XO-16' - One O-11 was fitted with a Conqueror engine.
★ 'XO-18' - One O-1B used to test the Chieftain engine.
★ 'Y1O-26' - One O-1E fitted with a Conqueror engine, and the Prestone cooling system.
★ 'O-39' - This was the O-1G airframe fitted with a Conqueror engine, ten built.
★ 'Civil Falcon' - 20 civil versions were built.
★
★ 'Conqueror Mail plane'
★
★ 'D-12 Mailplane'
★
★ 'Lindbergh Special' - It was sold to Charles Lindbergh.
★
★ 'Liberty Mailplane' - Single-seat mailplane, powered by a Liberty piston engine. 14 were sold to National Air Transport.
★ 'XF8C-1' - ''(Model 37C)'' - This version was developed from the US Army's X0-12 aircraft. Two were built for the US Navy.
★ 'F8C-1' - ''(Model 37C)'' - Four were built for the US Marine Corps, they were used as light bombers, fighters and observation aircraft. The F8C-1 powered by the 313 kW (420-hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial piston engine. It was later redesignated 'OC-1'.
★ 'F8C-3' - ''(Model 37C)'' - 21 were built for the US Navy. It was powered by the P313 kW (420-hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radiual piston engine. It was later redesignated 'OC-2'.
★ 'XOC-3' - One XF8C-1 prototype was fitted with a Chieftain engine.
★ 'Export Falcon' - Twin-float version of O-1B sold to Colombia, 16 built.
★ 'South American D-12 Falcon' - ten Model 35F were sold to Peru.
★ 'Colombia Cyclone Falcon' - Model 37F fitted with the 531 kW (712-hp) Wright Cyclone radial piston engine. 100 were built and sold to Colombia.
★ 'Chilean Falcon' - O-1E design built under license in Chile, ten were later sold to Brazil.
★ 'XBT-4' - ''(Model 46)'' - One O-1E aircraft was converted into a basic trainer for the US Army.
★ 'A-5' - a proposed version of the A-3 with a Curtiss Conqueror engine
★ 'A-6' - a proposed version of the A-3 with a Curtiss H-1640-1 Chieftain engine
;
★ Brazilian Air Force
;
★ Chilean Air Force
;
★ Colombian Air Force
;Peru
★ Peruvian Air Force
;
★ Philippine Army Air Corps
;United States
★ United States Army Air Corps
★ United States Marines
★ United States Navy
;United States
★ National Air Transport operated 14 aircraft.
1. Swanborough and Bowers 1964
2. Eden and Moeng 2002. cover Encyclopedia of World Aircraft
3. Hagedorn, Dan and Sapienza,Antonio Luis. ''Aircraft of the Chaco War''. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2000, p. 144. ISBN 0-76430-146-2.
4. Corum, James S. "O Poder Aéreo na Guerra do Chaco." ''Air & Space Power Journal'' (en Português), February 2003. Guerra do Chaco
5. Eden and Moeng 2002. cover Encyclopedia of World Aircraft
----
★ Eden, Paul and Moeng, Soph, eds. ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
★ Swanborough, F. Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. ''United States Military Aircraft Since 1909''. New York: Putnam, 1964. ISBN 0-85177-816-X.
★ Curtiss A-3 fact sheet on National Museum of the USAF website
A number of biplanes built by Curtiss were named "'Falcon'", most under the US Army Air Corps designation 'O-1'. They first appeared in 1924. Curtiss Falcons fought in the Constitutional Revolution of 1932, in Brazil, used by the forces of São Paulo.
| Contents |
| Design and development |
| Operational history |
| Variants |
| Operators |
| Military operators |
| Civil operators |
| Specifications Model 37H (A-3B) |
| References |
| External links |
| Related content |
Design and development
The 'Falcon XO-1' prototype was evaluated along with eleven other prototypes in 1924 and the Douglas XO-2 was declared the winner. So Curtiss re-engined the prototype with the Packard 1A-1500 for the 1925 trials, which it won. The engine failed to live up to expectations and the 'O-1' ordered by the Army was fitted with the 435 hp (324 kW) Curtiss V-1150 (D-12) engine.
The aircraft was a conventional unequal-span design with wooden wings, while the fuselage was built using aluminum tubing with steel tie-rod bracing[2]. The landing gear was fixed and the tail included a balanced rudder with a rear skid originally, later changed to a tail wheel.
Operational history
Reasonably successful as an observation aircraft, Falcons flew primarily in the 1st, 5th and 99th Observation Squadrons of the 9th Observation Group, Mitchel Field, New York. The 'A-3 Attack Falcon' variant saw considerable use, in front line service with the 8th, 13th and 19th Attack Squadrons of the 3rd Attack Group, Barksdale Field, Louisiana, and the 26th Attack Squadron in Hawaii from 1928 to 1934 and with reserve units until 1937.
Curtiss Falcon aircraft fought during the Brazil Revolution of 1930, under the flag of São Paulo. In Bolivia the aircraft type also fought in the Chaco War (1932-1935), bombing Paraguayan troopers.[3] [4]
Variants
[5]
Curtiss A-3B Falcon
★ 'A-3' - ''(Model 44)'' - O-1B converted for use as an attack aircraft, 66 built for the US Army. It was armed with two 7.62 mm (0.30-inch) machine guns and 91 kg (200-lb) of bombs.
★ 'A-3A' - Six A-3s were converted into trainers.
★ 'A-3B' - ''(Model 37H)'' - O-1E converted for attack use, 78 built
★ 'XA-4' - One A-3 with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-1 Wasp radial piston engine. Scrapped in March 1932
★ 'O-1' - ''(Model 37A)'' - Two-seat observation aircraft, the first production model. One aircraft was converted into the 'O-1 Special' for VIP transport, ten built
★ 'O-1A' - Two-seat observation aircraft, powered by the Liberty piston engine, one built.
★ 'O-1B' - ''(Model 37B)'' - This was the first major production version for the US Army, 45 built.
★ 'O-1C' - Four O-1Bs converted into VIP transports.
★ 'O-1E' - ''(Model 37I)'' - This version was powered by the 324 kW (435-hp) Curtiss V-1150E piston engine, 41 built.
Curtiss XA-4 Falcon
★ 'O-1F' - ''(Model 37J)'' - One O-1E converted into VIP transport.
★ 'O-1G' - ''(Model 38)'' - This was the final O-1 version, 30 built
★ 'XO-11' - Two aircraft were converted into X0-11 prototypes.
★ 'O-11' - This version was powered by the Liberty piston engine, 66 built.
★ 'XO-12' - One of the XO-11 prototypes was redesignated X0-12.
★ 'XO-13' - One O-1 was fitted with a Curtiss Conqueror engine, and took part in the 1927 National Air Race.
★ 'XO-13A' - The XO-13A was another aircraft which was converted into a racing machine.
★ 'O-13B' - One O-1C was fitted with a Conqueror engine, and tested as an observation aircraft.
★ 'YO-13C' - Three O-1Es were re-engined with a Conqueror engine.
★ 'YO-13D' - One O-11 was fitted with supercharged Conqueror engine.
★ 'XO-16' - One O-11 was fitted with a Conqueror engine.
★ 'XO-18' - One O-1B used to test the Chieftain engine.
★ 'Y1O-26' - One O-1E fitted with a Conqueror engine, and the Prestone cooling system.
★ 'O-39' - This was the O-1G airframe fitted with a Conqueror engine, ten built.
★ 'Civil Falcon' - 20 civil versions were built.
★
★ 'Conqueror Mail plane'
★
★ 'D-12 Mailplane'
★
★ 'Lindbergh Special' - It was sold to Charles Lindbergh.
★
★ 'Liberty Mailplane' - Single-seat mailplane, powered by a Liberty piston engine. 14 were sold to National Air Transport.
★ 'XF8C-1' - ''(Model 37C)'' - This version was developed from the US Army's X0-12 aircraft. Two were built for the US Navy.
★ 'F8C-1' - ''(Model 37C)'' - Four were built for the US Marine Corps, they were used as light bombers, fighters and observation aircraft. The F8C-1 powered by the 313 kW (420-hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial piston engine. It was later redesignated 'OC-1'.
★ 'F8C-3' - ''(Model 37C)'' - 21 were built for the US Navy. It was powered by the P313 kW (420-hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radiual piston engine. It was later redesignated 'OC-2'.
★ 'XOC-3' - One XF8C-1 prototype was fitted with a Chieftain engine.
★ 'Export Falcon' - Twin-float version of O-1B sold to Colombia, 16 built.
★ 'South American D-12 Falcon' - ten Model 35F were sold to Peru.
★ 'Colombia Cyclone Falcon' - Model 37F fitted with the 531 kW (712-hp) Wright Cyclone radial piston engine. 100 were built and sold to Colombia.
★ 'Chilean Falcon' - O-1E design built under license in Chile, ten were later sold to Brazil.
★ 'XBT-4' - ''(Model 46)'' - One O-1E aircraft was converted into a basic trainer for the US Army.
★ 'A-5' - a proposed version of the A-3 with a Curtiss Conqueror engine
★ 'A-6' - a proposed version of the A-3 with a Curtiss H-1640-1 Chieftain engine
Operators
Military operators
;
★ Brazilian Air Force
;
★ Chilean Air Force
;
★ Colombian Air Force
;Peru
★ Peruvian Air Force
;
★ Philippine Army Air Corps
;United States
★ United States Army Air Corps
★ United States Marines
★ United States Navy
Civil operators
;United States
★ National Air Transport operated 14 aircraft.
Specifications Model 37H (A-3B)
References
1. Swanborough and Bowers 1964
2. Eden and Moeng 2002. cover Encyclopedia of World Aircraft
3. Hagedorn, Dan and Sapienza,Antonio Luis. ''Aircraft of the Chaco War''. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2000, p. 144. ISBN 0-76430-146-2.
4. Corum, James S. "O Poder Aéreo na Guerra do Chaco." ''Air & Space Power Journal'' (en Português), February 2003. Guerra do Chaco
5. Eden and Moeng 2002. cover Encyclopedia of World Aircraft
----
★ Eden, Paul and Moeng, Soph, eds. ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
★ Swanborough, F. Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. ''United States Military Aircraft Since 1909''. New York: Putnam, 1964. ISBN 0-85177-816-X.
External links
★ Curtiss A-3 fact sheet on National Museum of the USAF website
Related content
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