Curtiss-Wright C-76 Caravan
Template:Infobox Aircraft C-76 Caravan is the United States military designation for the Curtiss-Wright CW-27 medium military transport aircraft.
In 1941 Curtiss-Wright were contracted by the United States Army Air Force to design and construct an all-wooden military transport. The all-wooden construction was an insurance against any wartime shortage of light alloys.
Design and development
The Curtiss-Wright CW-27 was designed to meet the military requirements. It was a high-wing aircraft with tricycle undercarriage. A radial engine was mounted on each wing. It had accommodation for 23 persons. The initial contract was for 11 YC-76 pre-production aircraft. The prototype YC-76 first flew on January 1 1943. Further orders for five C-76 production aircraft and nine revised YC-76A were placed by the USAAF.
Only 5 aircraft were delivered in 1943, when production was terminated as the shortage of light alloys did not materalise. In addition, the C-76 failed a number of critical flight tests.[1] It was discovered in testing that the C-76 could not be flown when empty of cargo; in order to remain stable in flight and obtain a stable center of gravity, the plane had to be ballasted beyond its maximum permissible gross takeoff weight. At any speed, or in any gusting wind, the C-76's elevators would flap back and forth violently.[2] The wing structure failed in eight separate static tests, sometimes with a load as low as 40% of the wing's rated capacity.[3]. The first C-76 crashed in a test flight in May, 1943.[4] The wing failures were attributed by some sources to the failure of the fasteners used to secure the wood components of the aircraft.[5][6] Numerous additional fasteners, stirrups, and reinforcements were added, all of which increased the plane's weight.[7] A proposed order for 175 aircraft was cancelled, and the prototype aircraft were recalled from testing and active service.
Specification
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2
- Capacity: 23
Performance
See also
Related lists
References
- ^ Mansfield, Howard, Skylark: The Life, Lies, and Inventions of Harry Atwood, UPNE (1999) ISBN 0874518911, 9780874518917, pp. 204-205
- ^ Mansfield, Howard, Skylark: The Life, Lies, and Inventions of Harry Atwood, UPNE (1999) ISBN 0874518911, 9780874518917, pp. 204-205
- ^ Curtiss-Wright Corporate Records, Static Tests of Curtiss-Wright C-76 Wings, ENG-51-C359-10, 7/24/43
- ^ Kleber, John E., The Encyclopedia of Louisville, University Press of Kentucky (2001) ISBN 0813121000, 9780813121000, p. xxvii
- ^ Mansfield, Howard, Skylark: The Life, Lies, and Inventions of Harry Atwood, UPNE (1999) ISBN 0874518911, 9780874518917, pp. 204-205
- ^ Aviation Enthusiast Corner, Curtiss C-76 Caravan http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/specs/curtiss/c-76.htm
- ^ Mansfield, Howard, Skylark: The Life, Lies, and Inventions of Harry Atwood, UPNE (1999) ISBN 0874518911, 9780874518917, pp. 204-205
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
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