Curtiss Eagle

Curtiss Eagle
Eagle
Role Airliner
Manufacturer Curtiss
Designer William Gilmore
First flight August 1919
Number built ca. 24

The Curtiss Eagle (retrospectively designated the Model 19 by Curtiss some years later) was an airliner produced in small numbers in the United States shortly after World War I. The aircraft was a conventional biplane with three-bay, unstaggered wings of equal span. The fuselage was a very advanced design for its day, incorporating careful streamlining of its monocoque structure, and offering the crew as well as the passengers a fully enclosed cabin. The Eagle is sometimes named as the first American tri-motor aircraft; however Curtiss' own Model H flying boat flew with three engines for a time in 1914 before being converted back to twin-engine configuration.

Contents

Development

Curtiss had developed the Eagle in preparation for an anticipated post-war boom in civil aviation. In fact, this boom was far smaller than Curtiss had been hoping for, and practically all of the demand for passenger aircraft was met by the conversion of war-surplus military aircraft that could be purchased extremely cheaply. As such, only around 20 machines were built. The original trimotor Eagle design was followed by a single example of the Eagle II, with twin engines, and by three Eagle IIIs with only one engine. These latter aircraft were purchased by the US Army, which used them as staff transports and converted one example into an air ambulance.

Variants

Curtiss Eagle
Three-engined passenger airliner, accommodating two pilots and eight passengers, powered by three 150-hp (112-kW) Curtiss K-9 piston engines.
Eagle II
Twin-engined version, powered by two 400-hp (298-kW) Curtiss C-12 engines; one built.
Eagle III
Single-engined version, powered by a 400-hp (298-kW) Liberty engine; three built.

Operators

 United States

Specifications (Eagle I)

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two pilots
  • Capacity: 6 passengers
  • Length: 36 ft 9 in (11.20 m)
  • Wingspan: 61 ft 4 in (18.69 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
  • Wing area: 900 ft2 (83.6 m2)
  • Empty weight: 5,130 lb (2,327 kg)
  • Gross weight: 7,450 lb (3,379 kg)
  • Powerplant: 3 × Curtiss K-6, 150 hp (112 kW) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 107 mph (172 km/h)
  • Range: 764 miles (475 km)
  • Rate of climb: 413 ft/min (2.1 m/s)

See also

References

  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 278. 
  • World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 819 Sheet 45. 



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company — Год основания 1916 Преемник Curtiss Wright Corporation Расположение Буффало, Нью Йорк Ключевые фигуры …   Википедия

  • Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company — Un Curtiss JN 4 au dessus de l Ontario, vers 1918 La Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company est une entreprise américaine de construction aéronautique, fondée en 1916, avec Glenn H. Curtiss (1878 1930) comme président. Elle résultait de la fusion de …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Curtiss Tanager — Tanager Role Technology desmonstrator Manufacturer Curtiss Designer Robert R. Osborn and Theodore Paul Wright First flight 12 October 1929 Number built 1 The Curtiss Model 54 Tanager was an aircraft constructed in 1929 as C …   Wikipedia

  • Curtiss-Wright — Corporation Type Public (NYSE: CW) Industry Aerospace Defense …   Wikipedia

  • Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company — Curtiss Aeroplane Motor Company, Ltd Type Public Industry manufacturing Founded January 1916 Headquarters Buffalo, New York Number of locations 3 …   Wikipedia

  • Curtiss Robin — Model C 1 (185 hp Curtiss Challenger Engine) Role Touring Manufacturer …   Wikipedia

  • Curtiss Model D — A Headed Curtiss Model D (Curtiss photo 1916) Pusher later Headless models incorporated elevators around the rudder in the tail (like most aircraft since) …   Wikipedia

  • Curtiss F — Flugboot Das amerikanische Curtiss F Flugboot war eines der meist gebauten Flugboote vor und im Ersten Weltkrieg. Glenn Curtiss galt als einer der Pioniere des Flugbootbaus. Nach Henri Fabre 1910 baute er 1911 als zweiter ein flugfähiges Flugboot …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Curtiss Model 41 Lark — Curtiss Lark Role Biplane National origin United States of America Manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company Introduction 1925 Developed from Curtiss Carrier Pigeon The Curtiss M …   Wikipedia

  • Curtiss 18 — T Wasp Role twoseat fighter triplane Manufacturer Curtiss Engineering Corporation Designer …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”