Curtiss R3C-2
| Curtiss R3C-2 | |
|---|---|
 Curtiss R3C-2 |
|
| Type: | Racing plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| Production time: |
1925 |
The Curtiss R3C-2 was an American seaplane that was built to participate in the Schneider Trophy .
history
Two copies were built for the US Navy ( BuA. 6978 and 6979), another machine (BuA. 7054) was commissioned by the US Army Air Service . The type identifier "R" was used by the US Navy from 1922 to 1928 for racing aircraft (see also the designation system for aircraft of the US Navy from 1922 to 1962 ). The R3C was formally included in the sequence of the US Navy fighters under the "paper designation" F3C .
It was a single-seat biplane with two floats made by Curtiss Airplane and Motor Company Incorporated . (The R3C-1 was the corresponding land version of the same model and won the Pulitzer Trophy Air Race on October 12, 1925 at 406.5 km / h.)
The Schneider Trophy 1925 took place on October 26th in Baltimore , USA . USAAC pilot James Doolittle took first place at 374.274 km / h. The other two US Navy R3C-2s, pilots George Cuddihy and Ralph Oftsie, did not reach their destination.
The next day Doolittle flew a new world record on a straight course at 395.4 km / h.
For the next Schneider Trophy, which took place on November 13, 1926, the engine was further improved, and the R3C-2 with pilot Christian Franck Schilt achieved second place with 372.34 km / h.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 6.15 m |
| span | 6.71 m |
| Takeoff mass | 1242 kg |
| Top speed | 395.4 km / h |
| Engine | a Curtiss V-1400 with 619 PS (455 kW) |
Web links
- Computer drawing (and photo) on www.hydroretro.net
- Photo of the R3C-2 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum