Curtiss Falcon
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(Redirected from A-3 Falcon)
A number of biplanes built by Curtiss were named "Falcon", most under the US Army designation O-1. They first appeared in 1924.
The plane was a conventional unequal-span design with wooden wings, while the fuselage was built using aluminium tubing. The tail included a balanced rudder, and the landing gear was fixed, with a rear skid originally, later changed to a tail wheel.
It was reasonably successful as an observation plane, and the A-3 attack variant also saw considerable use, reserve units flying them until 1937.
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Variants
- A-3 - 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 - O-1E converted for attack use, 78 built
- XA-4 - One A-3 with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-1 Wasp radial piston engine.
- O-1 - Two-seat observation aircraft, the first production model. One aircraft was converted into the O-1 Special for VIP transport. 10 built
- O-1A - Two-seat observation aircraft, powered by the Liberty piston engine. 1 built.
- O-1B - This was the first major production version for the US Army. 45 built.
- O-1C - Four O-1Bs converted into VIP transports.
- O-1E - This version was powered by the 324-kW (435-hp) Curtiss V-1150E piston engine. 41 built.
- O-1F - One O-1E converted into VIP transport.
- O-1G - 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, 10 built.
- Civil Falcon - 20 civil versions were built.
- Conqueror Mailplane
- 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 - This version was developed from the US Army's X0-12 aircraft. Two were built for the US Navy.
- F8C-1 - 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 - 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 - 10 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 - One O-1E aircraft was converted into a basic trainer for the US Army.
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