BF2C Goshawk
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| BF2C-1 Goshawk | |
|---|---|
 Curtiss BF2C-1 - Model 67A (on the right) |
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| Type | Carrierborne Fighter & Fighter-Bomber |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company |
| Introduced | 1933 |
| Retired | 1949 |
| Primary users | Republic of China United States Navy Royal Thai Air Force Argentine Air Force |
| Produced | October 1934 |
| Number built | 164 plus 2 prototypes |
| Variants | F11C Goshawk |
- For other uses of Goshawk, see Goshawk (disambiguation)
The Curtiss Model 67 BF2C-1 Goshawk & Model 68 Hawk III were United States 1930s naval biplane aircraft that saw limited success but were part of a long line of Hawk Series airplanes made by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company for the American military, and for export.
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[edit] Design and development
The United States Navy and Curtiss felt the F11C-2 possessed development potential. The Navy decided to procure a variant with retractable landing gear and a metal-framed upper wing. This variant was designated XF11C-3 by the Navy and Model 67A by Curtiss. The gear retraction system was inspired by the Grumman XFF-1 prototype, and was manually operated[1].
The XF11C-3 was delivered to the USN in May 1933, with a Wright R-1820-80 radial engine rated at 700 HP (522 kW). Trials revealed a 17 mph (27.5 km/h) increase in speed over the F11C-2, and the extra weight caused a decrease in maneuverability. The Navy felt the handling degradation was more than offset by the increase in speed. The XF11C-3 was redesignated XBF2C-1 in keeping with the new Bomber-Fighter category[1].
[edit] Operational history
Twenty-Seven BF2C-1 were ordered by the US Navy, with a raised rear turtledeck, a semi-enclosed cockpit, and a metal-framed lower wing. It was armed with two Browning machine guns and three hardpoints for 500 lbs (227 kg) of external stores. Delivered in October 1934 they were assigned to VB-5 on the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-4), but served only a few months before difficulties with the landing gear led to their withdrawal[2]. In spite of its short service run many of the innovations developed for the Goshawk line found wide use in Navy aircraft for years to follow. They were the last Curtiss fighter accepted for service with the U.S. Navy[2].
The export version Model 68 or Hawk III had wooden rather than metal wings. Chinese Hawk IIIs served multipurpose roles when air combat operations against the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Air Forces began in earnest in August of 1937, and were considered the Nationalist Chinese Air Force's frontline fighter-pursuit aircraft along with their inventory of Hawk IIs and Boeing Model 281 "Peashooters". These aircraft were used against both the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Air Forces and both ground and naval targets with considerable success through the end of 1937, before being superseded by the better-armed and faster Polikarpov I-15 and I-16 fighters. In the summer of 1940, 9 surviving Hawk-III fighters, the F11C exported to the Nationalist Chinese Air Force served as night fighters to defend the Chinese wartime capital Chongqing from Japanese night bombing runs with the 22nd Squadron of the 4th Group. The Siamese aircraft were used against the French and the Japanese, then relegated for use as trainers. Some of these aircraft were still active in 1949[3]. The Model 79 Hawk IV demonstrator had a fully enclosed cockpit.
[edit] Operators
- Argentine Air Force operated 10 Model 68A Hawk III and 1 Model 79 Hawk IV.
- Republic of China Air Force operated 102 Model 68C Hawk III
- Royal Thai Air Force operated 24 Model 68B Hawk III
- Turkish Air Force operated 1 Model 68B Hawk III
- United States Navy operated 27 Model 67 BF2C-1
[edit] Specifications (BF2C-1)
Data from "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1, page 515.
General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 24 ft 4 in (7.41 m)
- Wingspan: 31 ft 6 in (9.6 m)
- Height: 9 ft 11.5 in (3.03 m)
- Wing area: 262 ft² (24.34 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,326 lb (1,509 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 4,552 lb (2,065 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Wright R-1820-04 "Cyclone" air-cooled radial engine, 770 hp (574 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 225 mph (362 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 157 mph (253 km/h)
- Range: 725 mi (1,167 km)
- Service ceiling 27,000 ft (8,230 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,150 ft/min (655 m/s)
Armament
- 2 × .30 cal (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns, 500 lbs (227 kg) of droppable stores
[edit] References
- ^ a b "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" cover Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.
- ^ a b "United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911" by Gordon Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Naval Institute Press Annapolis, MD, ISBN 0870219685) 1976, 546 pp.
- ^ Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Retrieved on 2007-04-29.
[edit] External links
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