Curtiss-Wright CW-21
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| Curtiss-Wright CW-21 | |
|---|---|
.jpg/300px-Curtiss-Wright_CW-21_(photo).jpg) CW-21 B Demon, Netherlands East Indies Army Air Corps |
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| Type | fighter |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss-Wright Corporation |
| Designed by | George A. Page |
| Maiden flight | January 1939 |
| Introduced | 1939 |
| Primary users | Chinese Nationalist Air Force Militaire Luchtvaart KNIL |
| Produced | 1939-1940 |
| Number built | 62 |
The Curtiss-Wright Model 21 (also known as the Curtiss-Wright Model 21 Demonstrator, the Curtiss-Wright CW-21 Interceptor, the Curtiss-Wright CW-21 Demon) was a United States-built interceptor fighter aircraft, developed by the St. Louis Airplane Division of Curtiss-Wright Corporation during the 1930s.
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[edit] Design and development
The CW-21 was not commissioned by the U.S. military; it was developed for export sales by the St. Louis Airplane Division of Curtiss-Wright. The aircraft was a single seat, all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane with rearward retracting landing gear. The Model 21 was powered by a 1,000 hp (750 kW) Wright Cyclone nine cylinder air-cooled radial Wright R-1820-G5 engine.
The Model 21 was designed by George A. Page, based on Carl W. Scott's design of the two seater Model 19. The prototype first flew in January 1939 and bore the civil experimental registration NX19431. The prototype was designed to carry various combinations of two 0.3 or 0.5 inch (7.62 mm or 12.7 mm) machines guns, mounted in the nose and synchronized to fire through the propeller.
[edit] Operational history
The first sale of the CW-21 Demon, in 1939, was to the Chinese Air Force, which received three completed examples and kits for 32 more. Assembly would be undertaken by the Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO) located in Nanking. These were armed with one 0.3 and one 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns. Three other CW-21Bs were furnished to the Chinese as kits, assembled in Loi-Wing, that were delivered to the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers). But these crashed in poor visibility on the delivery flight from Rangoon on 23 December 1941.[1]
In 1940, The Netherlands ordered 24 examples of a modified version designated the CW-21B (together with a number of two-seat Model 23s), for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Military Aviation (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger; ML-KNIL).[citation needed]
The modifications consisted of inward retracting landing gear, a semi-retractable tail wheel, two each 0.3 and 0.5 inch (7.62 and 12.7 mm) machine guns, and a slightly large fuel tank. These changes gained an eight mph (13 km/h) speed increase at sea level.[citation needed]
Deliveries started in June 1940, but only 17 had been received by Vliegtuigroep IV, Afdeling 2 (No. 2 Squadron, Air Group IV; 2-VLG IV), when war with Japan began on December 8 1941. With its rudimentary pilot protection, lack of self-sealing fuel tanks and light construction, the CW-21B was not unlike the opposing Japanese planes. It had better firepower than the Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar", but worse than the cannon-armed Mitsubishi Zero. Its climb rate was far better than either. Squadron VLG IV claimed four aerial victories during the Netherlands East Indies campaign but the ML-KNIL was overwhelmed by the sheer number of Japanese adversaries.[citation needed]
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[edit] Variants
- Model 21
- Interceptor. One prototype built in 1938 (c/n 21-1 / NX19431). Three production units : NX19441 (c/n 21-2); NX19442 (c/n 21-3); NX19443 (c/n 21-4). Twenty-seven sets of components were sent to China to be assembled by CAMCO. Easily identifiable by the Curtiss P-40 type of main undercarriage fairings.
- Model 21A
- Interceptor. Proposed design to utilize the Alison V-1710. Not built.
- Model 21B
- Interceptor. 24 built for the Netherlands East Indies (c/n 2853 to 2872, NEI serials CW-344 to CW-363). Easily identifiable by the inward retracting main landing gear that eliminated the need for the undercarriage fairings notable on the Model 21.
[edit] Operators
- Chinese Nationalist Air Force
- American Volunteer Group Flying Tigers
- Imperial Japanese Army Air Force operated captured ex-Dutch aircraft.
[edit] Specifications (CW-21B)
General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 27 ft 2 in (8.3 m)
- Wingspan: 35 ft (10.7 m)
- Height: 8 ft 11 in (2.7 m)
- Wing area: 174.3 ft² (16 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,382 lb (1,534 kg)
- Loaded weight: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Wright Cyclone R-1820-G5 nine cylinder radial air-cooled engine, 1,000 hp (750 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 315 mph at 17,000 ft (506 km/h at 5,200 m)
- Range: 630 statute miles (1,010 km)
- Service ceiling 34,300 ft (10,500 m)
- Rate of climb: 4,500 ft/min (1,400 m/min)
Armament
- 2 × 0.3 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns
- 2 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Taylor 1969, p. 480.
[edit] Bibliography
- Angelucci, Enzo and Bowers, Peter M. The American Fighter: The Definitive Guide to American Fighter Aircraft from 1917 to the Present. New York: Orion Books, 1987. ISBN 0-517-56588-9.
- Bond, Charles R. and Anderson, Terry H. A Flying Tiger's Diary. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press, 1984. ISBN 0-89096-408-4.
- Bowers, Peter M. Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1979. ISBN 0-87021-155-8.
- Casius, Gerald. "The St Louis Lightweight". Air Enthusiast Number 16, August-November 1981.
- Dean, Francis H. and Hagedorn, Dan. Curtiss Fighter Aircraft: A Photographic History, 1917-1948. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2007. ISBN 0-764325-80-9.
- Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Four: Fighters. London: MacDonald 7 Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 1961 (Sixth impression 1969). ISBN 0-356-01448-7.
- Hagedorn, Dan. "Curtiss-Wright Model 21". Skyways, The Journal of the Airplane 1920-1940, Number 77, January 2006.
- Miranda, Justo and Mercado, P. "Curtiss-Wright P-248-01"; Unknown! Number 4; Madrid, Spain, 2006.
- Munson, Kenneth. "Fighters Between the Wars 1919-1939"; The Pocket Encyclopedia of World Aircraft in Colour. Blandford Colour Series, Blandford Press Ltd., 1970.
- Taylor, John W.R. "Curtiss-Wright CW-21." Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2.
[edit] External links
- Curtiss-Wright CW-21 interceptor by Richard Dunn
[edit] See also
Related development
- Curtiss Model 19 Coupe
- Curtiss Model 22 Falcon
- Curtiss Model 23 Coupe
- Curtiss Model 33 Coupe
Comparable aircraft
- Mitsubishi Zero
- Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar"
Related lists
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