Curtiss Robin

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Curtiss Robin
Robin CX at the Museum of Flight (Seattle)
Type: Light aircraft
Design country:

United StatesUnited States United States

Manufacturer:

Curtiss-Robertson Aircraft Corporation

First flight:

August 7, 1928 (first series machine)

Production time:

1928-1930

Number of pieces:

769

Robin at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum

The Curtiss Model 50 Robin is a light aircraft produced by the American manufacturer Curtiss-Robertson Aircraft Corp. from the 1920s. The Robin was the product produced in large numbers by the company founded in St. Louis in 1928. After merging with Wright in 1929, it became the Curtiss-Robertson Division of Curtiss-Wright. Curtiss-Robertson was tasked with producing Curtiss aircraft in the midwestern United States. The Robin prototypes were built in Garden City on Roosevelt Field in Long Island , New York . Evelyn Trout and Edna Mae Cooper set up a long-term flight record for women with the Robin in early 1931.

history

development

In the wake of the general aviation euphoria after Lindbergh's crossing of the Atlantic , Curtiss decided to build a three-seater cabin monoplane. The engine chosen was the OX-5 , which was actually already outdated, but still available in large numbers, from surplus army stocks. An engine cost only $ 250, so the starting price for the Robin was only $ 4000.

The first four prototypes, with the Curtiss project designation L-710, were built in Garden City, but series production was then relocated to St. Louis, where the first machine flew on August 7, 1928. A total of 769 machines were built, making the Robin one of the most widely built American aircraft between the two world wars. The maximum production rate was reached in mid-1929 with 17 copies a week. In total, the Robin received 10 type approvals ( Approved Type Certificate , ATC) in the course of its development .

Records

The endurance flight record was broken three times with in-flight refueling:

  • 420 h from July 13th to 30th, 1929
  • 553 h from July 21 to August 17, 1930 (Robin C-1)
  • 123 h from January 4 to 9, 1931; Evelyn Trout and Edna Mae Cooper break the women's endurance flight record in Los Angeles
  • 653 h from June 4 to July 1, 1935

The most famous Robin is probably an original OX-5 model that was later converted into a J-1, with the one on 17/18. July 1938 the pilot Douglas Corrigan flew from New York City to Ireland. Since this flight Corrigan is also called Wrong-Way Corrigan, as he declared before departure that he wanted to fly non-stop to Los Angeles, but then turned east and crossed the Atlantic.

variants

Civil

Robin (Model 50, ATC 40 from May 1929)
The four prototypes and the first series copies equipped with an OX-5 were simply marketed as Curtiss Robin.
Challenger Robin (Model 50A, ATC 63 from August 1928)

Early Robin using a 165 hp Curtiss six cylinder radial engine. A variant letter was not assigned. The only difference from the earlier version was the naming of the respective engine.

Comet Robin
Privately converted J-1 Robin (serial number 693) which was fitted with a 150 hp Comet star engine.
Robin B (ATC 68)
The most popular version of the Robin had only minor differences compared to the machines approved under ATC 40. About 325 Robin B were built. The selling price was reduced to US $ 2,495 in the depression year of 1930 in order to reduce inventory.
Robin B-2
Some Robin were equipped with the 150 to 180 hp Wright A, I or E engines
Robin C (ATC 69)
About 50 copies of the Robin C equipped with a Curtiss Challenger (185 hp) were produced. Two machines received a Challenger engine with only 170 hp.
Robin C-1 (Model 50C, ATC 143)
The C-1 was the main Challenger variant of the Robin. At least 200 copies were made.
Robin C-2 (Model 50D, ATC 144)
The six Robin C-2s built had a 170 hp Challenger engine. They had an additional tank built above the cabin.
Robin CR
This was to be the production version with the 120 hp Curtiss Crusader engine intended to replace the OX-5. At least two were used for engine tests. The Curtiss Crusader, however, did not go into series production.
Robin W (Model 50J, ATC 268)
At least four robins were equipped with the 110 hp Warner-Scarab radial engine. This was cheaper than the Curtiss Challenger, had more power than an OX-5, but produced less thrust.
Robin J-1 (Model 50H, ATC 220)
The 1929 change to the Wright J-6-5 Whirlwind, which developed 165 hp, led to the Robin J-1. At least 40 were shipped from the factory in this variant, while other variants were later converted into a J-1.
Robin J-2 (Model 50I, ATC 221)
The J-2 largely corresponded to the J-1, but had an enlarged tank capacity from 189 to 302 l. Two were built.
Robin J-3
The first J-2 was temporarily addressed as J-3.
Robin M
On some Robin B's, the OX-5 engine was replaced by a Milwaukee Tank V-502 with 115 hp.
Robin 4C (Model 50E, ATC 270)
This was the first four-seater Robin, whereby in a standard Robin C, next to the pilot, who had moved all the way to the left, another seat was set back a little. After testing in September 1929, however, no further production took place.
Robin 4C-1
Second version of a four-seater Robin with the front torso widened in width and height. However, the three Robin 4C-1s built only had three seats.
Robin 4C-1A (Model 50G, ATC 309)
Four-seat version, of which at least eleven were built. The front part of the cabin was widened by 10.6 cm, the fuselage floor was lowered and the windshield was enlarged. As a result, it was also necessary to enlarge the vertical stabilizer.
Robin 4C-2
A 4C-1A received the Wright J-6-7 Whirlwind with 225 hp.

Military

XC-10

In 1929 the US Army procured a civilian Robin W (Warner engine) as an experimental aircraft under the designation XC-10 . The machine was used to carry out some of the first tests with unmanned remote-controlled aircraft. In preparation for the test program, the XC-10 was extensively modified. So the engine was moved further forward and, because of a higher thrust line, also upwards. The V-position was increased to 4.5 degrees and the total tail surfaces increased in order to maintain sufficient controllability in the intended low speed range. In addition, the aircraft received a radio receiver that passed the signals for the control servos on.

In the subsequent test program, the machine completed around 100 flight hours in 1929 and 1930. The experience gained was incorporated into the USAAC's drone program in the late 1930s .

construction

Interior of the Robin with the pilot's seat in the foreground

Some of the first Robins had a special feature aerodynamically clad wing struts that should provide additional lift. The first chassis version still used rubber band shock absorbers, which were later replaced by oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers.

Technical specifications

Three-sided tear
Parameter Data Robin B Robin C-1 Robin J-1 Robin 4C-1A
crew 1
Passengers 2 3
length 7.83 m 7.64 m 7.74 m
span 12.49 m 12.59 m
height 2.37 m 2.43 m
Wing area 20.71 m 2 20.9 m 2
Empty mass 668 kg 771 kg 744 kg 821 kg
Max. Takeoff mass 1107 kg 1071 kg 1293 kg
Cruising speed 135 km / h 164 km / h 161 km / h 158 km / h
Top speed 162 km / h 193 km / h 190 km / h 185 km / h
Service ceiling 3100 m 3870 m 3960 m 3400 m
Range 772 km 483 km 544 km 774 km
Engines 1 × Curtiss OX-5 , 90 hp 1 × Curtiss Challenger , 185 hp 1 × Wright J-6 -5 1 × Curtiss Challenger, 185 hp

See also

literature

  • ER Johnson: American Military Transport Aircraft. McFarland and Co., 2013, ISBN 978-0-7864-3974-4 , pp. 35-37.
  • Peter M. Bowers: Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947. Putnam, 1979, ISBN 0-370-10029-8 , pp. 377-386.
  • Joseph P. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 1, Aero Publishers, 1962, no ISBN.
  • Joseph P. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 2, Aero Publishers, 1962, reprinted in 1994 by TAB Books, no ISBN.
  • Joseph P. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 3, Aero Publishers, 1966, no ISBN.

Web links

Commons : Curtiss Robin  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Evelyn Trout and Edna Mae Cooper break the women's endurance flight record (accessed April 17, 2019)
  2. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 1, p. 111 f.
  3. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 1, p. 163.
  4. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 1, p. 174.
  5. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 1, p. 176.
  6. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 2, p. 127.
  7. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 2, p. 130.
  8. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 3, p. 196.
  9. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 3, p. 63.
  10. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 3, p. 66.
  11. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 3, p. 201.
  12. Juptner: US Civil Aircraft Series. Volume 4, p. 39.