Curtiss Falcon

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O-1, O-11, O-39, A-3, F8C, OC, O2C
Curtiss A-3 Falcon (S/N 27-243)
Type	Observation, Attack
Manufacturer	Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Introduced	1925
Retired	October 1937
Primary user	U.S. Army Air Corps
Number built	338[1]
Developed from	Curtiss O-1B

A number of biplane aircraft built by the United States company Curtiss during the 1920s were named "Falcon", most under the United States Army Air Corps designation O-1. They first appeared in 1924. Curtiss Falcons fought in the Constitutional Revolution of 1932 in Brazil, used by the forces of São Paulo.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Operators 4.1 Military operators 4.2 Civil operators 5 Specifications Model 37H (A-3B) 6 References 7 External links 8 See also

[edit] Design and development

The Falcon XO-1 prototype was evaluated by the USAAC along with eleven other prototypes in 1924 and the Douglas XO-2 was declared the winner of that competition. So Curtiss re-engined the prototype with the Packard 1A-1500 for the 1925 trials, which it won. The engine failed to live up to expectations and the O-1 ordered by the Army was fitted with the 435 hp (324 kW) Curtiss V-1150 (D-12) engine^[1].

The aircraft was a conventional unequal-span biplane design with wooden wings, while the fuselage was built using aluminum tubing with steel tie-rod bracing^[2]. The landing gear was fixed and the tail included a balanced rudder with a rear skid originally, later changed to a tailwheel.

[edit] Operational history

Reasonably successful as an observation aircraft, Falcons flew primarily in the 1st, 5th and 99th Observation Squadrons of the 9th Observation Group, Mitchell Field, New York. The A-3 Attack Falcon variant saw considerable use, in front-line service with the 8th, 13th and 19th Attack Squadrons of the 3rd Attack Group, Barksdale Field, Louisiana, and the 26th Attack Squadron in Hawaii from 1928 to 1934 and with reserve units until 1937.

Curtiss Falcon aircraft fought during the Brazil Revolution of 1930, under the flag of São Paulo. In Bolivia the aircraft type also fought in the Chaco War (1932-1935), bombing Paraguayan troopers.^{[3] [4]}

The Colombian Air Force used Falcon F-8 and O-1 in the Colombia-Peru War in 1932-3.

[edit] Variants

_^[2]

• A-3 (Model 44): O-1B converted for use as an attack aircraft, 66 built for the U.S. 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 (Model 37H): O-1E converted for attack use, 78 built
• XA-4: One A-3 with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-1 Wasp radial piston engine. Scrapped in March 1932
• O-1 (Model 37A): Two-seat observation aircraft, the first production model. One aircraft was converted into the O-1 Special for VIP transport, ten built
• O-1A: Two-seat observation aircraft, powered by the Liberty piston engine, one built.
• O-1B (Model 37B): This was the first major production version for the U.S. Army, 45 built.
• O-1C: Four O-1Bs converted into VIP transports.
• O-1E (Model 37I): This version was powered by the 324 kW (435-hp) Curtiss V-1150E piston engine, 41 built.

• O-1F (Model 37J): One O-1E converted into VIP transport.
• O-1G (Model 38): 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, ten built.
• Civil Falcon: 20 civil versions were built.
  • Conqueror Mail plane
  • 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 (Model 37C): This version was developed from the U.S. Army's X0-12 aircraft. Two were built for the U.S. Navy.
• F8C-1 (Model 37C): Four were built for the U.S. 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 (Model 37C): 21 were built for the U.S. Navy. It was powered by the P313 kW (420-hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial piston engine. It was later redesignated OC-2.
• F8C-4: Dive-bomber built for the U.S. Navy.
• F8C-5: Dive-bomber built for the U.S. Navy. Later designated O2C-1.
• 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: ten 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 (Model 46): One O-1E aircraft was converted into a basic trainer for the U.S. Army.
• A-4 Helldiver: Civil version of XF8C-8 for use by Assistant Secretary of the Navy David Ingalls. Later became XO2C-2, then XF8C-7.
• A-5: a proposed version of the A-3 with a Curtiss Conqueror engine
• A-6: a proposed version of the A-3 with a Curtiss H-1640-1 Chieftain engine

[edit] Operators

[edit] Military operators

 Brazil

• Brazilian Air Force

 Chile

• Chilean Air Force

 Colombia

• Colombian Air Force

 Peru

• Peruvian Air Force

 Philippines

• Philippine Army Air Corps

 United States

• United States Army Air Corps
• United States Marines
• United States Navy

[edit] Civil operators

 United States

• National Air Transport operated 14 aircraft.

[edit] Specifications Model 37H (A-3B)

Data from "United States Military Aircraft Since 1909" ^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (Pilot, observer/rear gunner)
• Length: 27 ft 2 in (8.28 m)
• Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
• Height: 10 ft 6 in (3.2 m)
• Wing area: 353 ft² (32.8 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,875 lb (1,304 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 4,476 lb (2,030 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Curtiss D-12D (V-1150-5) V-12 liquid cooled engine, 435 hp (324 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 139 mph (223.7 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 110 mph (177 km/h)
• Range: 628 mi (1,010 km)
• Service ceiling 14,100 ft (4,298 m)
• Rate of climb: 948 ft/min (289 m/min)

Armament

• Guns: Four forward-firing .30-cal. Browning machine guns and two flexible .30-cal. Lewis machine guns on a Scarff ring.
• Bombs: 200 lb of bombs mounted on lower wing racks.

[edit] References

---

• Eden, Paul and Moeng, Soph, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
• Swanborough, F. Gordon and Bowers, Peter M. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. New York: Putnam, 1964. ISBN 0-85177-816-X.

[edit] External links

• Curtiss A-3 fact sheet on National Museum of the USAF website

[edit] See also

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States
  

v • d • e USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF attack aircraft designations 1924-1962 (A-1 not assigned)  • XA-2  • A-3  • A-4  • A-5  • A-6  • XA-7  • A-8  • XA-9  • YA-10  • XA-11  • A-12  • YA-13  • YA-14  • XA-15  • XA-16  • A-17  • A-18  • A-19  • A-20  • XA-21  • A-22  • A-23  • A-24  • A-25  • A-26  • A-27  • A-28  • A-29  • A-30  • A-31  • A-32  • A-33  • A-34  • A-35  • A-36  • XA-37  • XA-38  • XA-39  • A-40  • XA-41  • XA-42  • XA-43  • XA-44  • XA-45

v • d • e USN fighter designations pre-1962 General Aircraft/Brewster: XFA  • F2A  • F3A Boeing: FB  • F2B  • F3B  • F4B  • XF5B  • XF6B  • XF7B  • XF8B Curtiss: FC  • F2C  • F3C  • F4C  • F6C  • F7C  • F8C  • F9C  • F10C  • F11C  • XF12C  • F13C  • XF14C  • F15C Douglas: FD  • F2D  • F3D  • F4D  • F5D  • F6D Grumman: FF  • F2F  • F3F  • F4F  • XF5F  • F6F  • F7F  • F8F  • F9F Panther/F9F Cougar  • XF10F  • F11F  • XF12F Eberhart: FG  • F2G Goodyear FG  • F2G McDonnell: FH  • F2H  • F3H  • F4H Berliner-Joyce: XFJ  • F2J North American: FJ-1/FJ-2/3/4 Loening: FL Bell: XFL  • F2L  • XF3L General Motors: FM  • F2M  • F3M Seversky: FN Lockheed: FO Ryan: FR  • XF2R Northrop: XFT  • F2T Vought: FU  • XF2U  • F3U  • F4U  • XF5U  • F6U  • F7U  • F8U/XF8U-3 Lockheed: XFV Wright: WP  • F2W  • F3W Convair: XFY  • F2Y

v • d • e USAAC/USAAF observation aircraft Observation O-1  • O-2  • XO-3  • XO-4  • O-5  • O-6  • O-7  • O-8  • O-9  • XO-10  • O-11  • O-12  • O-14  • XO-14  • XO-15  • XO-16  • O-17  • XO-18  • O-19  • YO-20  • XO-21  • O-22  • YO-23  • O-24  • O-25  • Y1O-26  • Y1O-27  • O-28  • O-29  • O-30  • O-31  • O-32  • Y1O-33  • O-34  • O-35  • XO-36  • O-37  • O-38  • O-39  • O-40  • Y1O-41  • O-42  • O-43  • XO-44  • O-45  • O-46  • O-47  • XO-48  • O-49  • YO-50  • YO-51  • O-52  • O-53  • YO-54  • YO-55  • O-56  • O-57  • O-58  • O-59  • O-60  • YO-61  • O-62  • XO-63 Observation Amphibian OA-1  • OA-2  • OA-3  • OA-4  • OA-5  • OA-6  • OA-7  • OA-8  • OA-9  • OA-10  • OA-11  • OA-12  • OA-13  • OA-14  • OA-15  • SA-16

v • d • e USN observation aircraft designations, pre-1962 Observation Boeing: OB  • O2B Curtiss: OC  • O2C  • O3C Douglas: OD  • O2D Elias: EO Cessna: OE Grumman: OF Huff-Daland: HO Berliner-Joyce: OJ Keystone: OK Loening: OL  • O2L Martin: MO  • M2O Viking: OO Pitcairn: XOP Vought: UO  • O2U  • O3U  • O4U  • O5U Stinson: OY Wilford: XOZ Observation Scout Edo: OSE Naval Aircraft Factory: XOSN  • OS2N Vought: OSU  • OS2U

v • d • e USN scout aircraft designations Scout Curtiss: CS  • S2C  • XS3C  • S4C  • SC (designation reused) Dayton-Wright: SDW Bellanca: SE Grumman: SF Great Lakes: XSG Loening: SL  • S2L Sikorsky: SS Vought: SU Dayton-Wright: WS Scout Bomber Brewster: SBA  • SB2A Curtiss-Wright: SBC  • SB2C  • XSB3C Douglas: SBD  • SB2D Grumman: XSBF Fairchild: SBF Great Lakes: SBG Naval Aircraft Factory: SBN Northrop: SBT Vought: SBU  • SB2U  • XSB3U Canadian Car & Foundry: SBW Scout Observation Curtiss: SOC  • SO2C  • SO3C Bellanca: SOE Edo: SO2E Fairchild: SOK Naval Aircraft Factory: SON Ryan SOR Vought: (SOU not allocated)  • XSO2U Scout Trainer Beechcraft: SNB Curtiss-Wright: SNC North American: SNJ  • XSN2J Vultee: SNV

v • d • e USAAC/USAAF/USAF trainer aircraft Advanced Trainer AT-1  • AT-2 • AT-3 • AT-4 • AT-5 • AT-6 • AT-7 • AT-8 • AT-9 • AT-10 • AT-11 • AT-12  • XAT-13  • XAT-14  • XAT-15  • AT-16  • AT-17  • AT-18  • AT-19  • AT-20  • AT-21  • AT-22 • AT-23  • AT-24 Basic Combat BC-1 • BC-2 • BC-3 Basic Trainer BT-1 • BT-2 • YBT-3  • XBT-4  • YBT-5 • BT-6 • Y1BT-7  • BT-8  • BT-9  • Y1BT-10 • BT-11  • BT-12  • BT-13  • BT-14 • BT-15  • XBT-16 • XBT-17 Trainer (1948-1990) T-28  • T-29  • XT-30  • XT-31  • XT-32  • T-33  • T-34  • T-35  • XT-36  • T-37  • T-38  • T-39  • T-40  • T-41  • T-42  • T-43  • T-44  • T-45  • T-46  • T-47  • T-48  • T-50  • T-67

v • d • e Aircraft produced by Curtiss Manufacturer designations No. 1 • No. 2 Model: C • D • E • F • G • H • J • K • L • M • N • JN • R Model: 1 • 2 • 3 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 23 • 26 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59A/59B • 60 • 61 • 63 • 64 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 79 • 81 • 82 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 90 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 By role Experimental: No. 1 • Model C • Tanager Racing: No. 2 • CR • R2C • R3C General utility: Model D • Model E • Model F • Robin • Thrush Maritime patrol: Model H • HS-1L and -2L Training: Model L • Model JN • AT-4 Hawk • AT-5 Hawk Naval Training: NC • N2C Fighters: 18 • PW-8 Hawk • P-1 Hawk • P-2 Hawk • P-3 Hawk • P-4 Hawk • P-5 Hawk • P-6 Hawk • XP-31 • P-36 Hawk • P-40 • XP-46 • XP-53 • YP-60 Naval Fighters: FC • F2C • F3C • F4C • F6C • F7C • F8C • F9C • F10C • F11C • XF12C • F13C • XF14C • F15C Airliners: Eagle • Kingbird Naval Scouts/Dive Bombers: CS • S2C • XS3C • S4C • SC • SBC • SB2C • XSB3C • SOC • SO2C • SO3C Observation: O-1 Falcon • O-12 Falcon • O-13 Falcon • O-16 Falcon • O-18 Falcon • O-26 Falcon • O-39 Falcon • O-52 Owl Naval Observation: OC • O2C • O3C Bombers: B-2 Condor Naval Bombers: BFC • BF2C • BTC • BT2C Ground Attack: A-3 Falcon • A-4 Falcon • A-5 Falcon • A-6 Falcon • A-8 Shrike • YA-10 Shrike • A-12 Shrike • YA-14 Licensed production: NBS-1

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