Curtiss F7C Seahawk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Curtiss F7C Seahawk was a carrier-capable biplane fighter aircraft of the United States Navy Marine Corps in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
| F7C-1 Seahawk | |
|---|---|
| The Curtiss XF7C-1 in June 1929 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company |
| Primary user | United States Marine Corps |
| Number built | 17 |
| History | |
| First flight | 28 February 1927 |
| Retired | 1933 |
Curtiss' Model 43 was their first aircraft designed expressly for the Navy, rather than a modified Army type. While clearly a descendant of the P-1 Hawk, its wings were constant-chord rather than tapered, and the upper wing had a slight sweepback. The engine was a 450 hp (340 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-B Wasp radial. Entirely fabric-covered, the top wing was framed with spruce, while the fuselage was built from a combination of aluminum and steel tubing, sufficiently strong to serve as a dive bomber as well as a fighter.
The prototype XF7C-1 first flew on 28 February 1927. After some modification demanded by the Navy (such as the wing sweepback), 17 production aircraft F7C-1 Seahawks were built, and entered service in the USMC's VF-5M at Quantico. In 1930 VF-9M organized the Marines' first aerobatic stunt team, "The Red Devils", with F7Cs featuring red painted noses.[1][2] They continued in service until 1933.
Data from Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947[3]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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