SC Seahawk

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Curtiss SC Seahawk
Curtiss Seahawk
Description
Role	Seaplane scout
Crew	1
First Flight	1944
Entered Service	October 1944
Manufacturer	Curtiss
Dimensions
Length	36 ft 5 in	11.1 m
Wingspan	41 ft 0 in	12.5 m
Length of Fuselage	29 ft 0 in	8.8 m
Length of Aircraft With Float	36 ft 4.5in	11.0 m
Height	12 ft 9 in	3.9 m
Wing area	280 ft²	26 m²
Weights
Empty	6320 lb	2867 kg
Loaded	lb	kg
Maximum takeoff	9000 lb	4,082 kg
Powerplant
Engines	1 Wright R-1820 Cyclone radials
Power	1350 hp	994 kW
Performance
Maximum speed with gear	313 mph	504 km/h
Maximum speed with float	290 mph	465 km/h
Combat range	625 miles	1000 km
Ferry range	miles	km
Service ceiling	37,300 ft	11,370 m
Service ceiling with float	32,000 ft	9,750 m
Rate of climb	ft/min	m/min
Wing loading	lb/ft²	kg/m²
Power/Mass	hp/lb	kW/kg
Avionics
Avionics
Armament
Guns	2 .50 machine guns with 200 rounds in each
Bombs	up to 650 lb of ordinance

1 History
2 Armament
3 Operators
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

The Curtiss SC Seahawk was designed in June, 1942 as a replacement for the Curtiss SO3C Seamew and the Vought OS2U Kingfisher. The first prototype Curtiss XSC-1 took off in February 1944. Curtiss produced 577 of the aircraft to deliver to the Navy, including nine prototype SC-2 models fitted for two people.

The planes were produced at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation's Columbus plant in Ohio. They were flown to U.S. Navy bases fitted with classical runway landing gear, and the central main and supplementary stabilizing floats were installed on site. For on land work, undercarriage was added to the floats.

The first serial Seahawks were delived on October 22, 1944 to the USS Guam. According to official statements, the Seahawk first saw action in June 1945 during the invasion of Borneo.

Capable of being fitted with either float or wheeled landing gear, the Seahawk was arguably America's best floatplane scout ever, however it entered service too late to see significant action in World War II, and was replaced soon afterwards by helicopters.

Tri-color camouflage and markings on the Seahawk were in accordance with U.S. Navy regulations from 1944, 1945, and later post-war regulations.

[edit] Armament

The Seahawk was armed with two Browning .50 caliber machine guns, one placed on each wing. Each of these guns contained 200 rounds of ammunition.

The underside of each wing could carry one 250 lb bomb. Originally there was provision in the main float for a bomb bay containing two 100 lb bombs, but due to problems the area was later used as a fuel tank instead.

Finally, the bomb rack on the right wing could be used to carry an anti shipping radar container.