Curtiss Kingbird

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Model 55 Kingbird
Type Airliner
Manufacturer Curtiss-Wright
Designed by Theodore Paul Wright, Al Wedburg
Maiden flight 1929
Primary users Eastern Air Transport
United States Marine Corps
Number built 19

The Curtiss Model 55 Kingbird was an airliner built in small numbers in the United States in the early 1930s. It was a twin-engine aircraft with a fuselage derived from the single-engine Curtiss Thrush. The Kingbird mounted two engine nacelles in the struts on either side of the fuselage that braced the wing and the outrigger undercarriage. A distinctive design feature was the aircraft's blunt nose, located behind the propeller arcs. This allowed the engines to be mounted closer to each other and to the aircraft's centerline, therefore minimising asymmetrical thrust in case of an engine failure. For the same reason, the Thrush's single tailfin was replaced by twin tails on the Kingbird, and the main production model, the D-2 fitted a second horizontal stabilizer and elevator between these fins.

Eastern Air Transport was to be the Kingbird's main operator, flying 14 of them for a few years. The United States Marine Corps also purchased an example, first designating it JC-1, then RC-1 and using it as an air ambulance.

[edit] Variants

  • Kingbird C - prototype converted from a Curtiss Thrush (1 converted)
  • Kingbird G-1 - prototype (1 converted from Kingbird C)
  • Kingbird G-2 - prototype (1 built)
  • Kingbird G-3 - prototype (1 built)
  • Kingbird J-1 - prototype (1 converted from G-1)
  • Kingbird J-2 - prototype (1 converted from G-3)
  • Kingbird J-3 - mailplane prototype (1 converted from G-2)
  • Kingbird D-1 - prototype (1 converted from J-2)
  • Kingbird D-2 - production version (15 built, 3 converted from prototypes)
  • Kingbird D-3 - one-off Curtiss executive transport (1 converted from Thrush)

[edit] Specifications (D-2)

General characteristics

  • Crew: One pilot
  • Capacity: 7 passengers
  • Length: 24 ft 10 in (10.62 m)
  • Wingspan: 54 ft 6 in (16.62 m)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Wright J-6-9, 300 hp (224 kW) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 142 mph (229 km/h)
  • Range: 455 miles (732 km)
  • Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,880 m)

[edit] References


[edit] See also

Related lists

v • d • e
USN/USMC transport designations 1931-1962

Atlantic Aircraft: RA

Buhl: RB

Curtiss: RC  • R4C  • R5C

Douglas: RD  • R2D  • R3D  • R4D  • R5D  • R6D

Bellanca: RE

Kinner: RK  • R2K

Martin: RM

Lockheed: RO  • R2O  • R3O  • R4O  • R5O  • R6O  • R7O

Stinson: RQ  • R3Q

Fairchild: RQ  • R2Q  • R4Q

Ford: RR

Sikorsky: RS

Northrop: RT

Lockheed: R6V  • R7V  • R8V

Convair: RY  • R2Y  • R3Y  • R4Y
v • d • e
USN/USMC utility aircraft designations 1935-1955
Utility

Fokker: JA

Noorduyn: JA

Beechcraft: JB

Curtiss-Wright: JC

Douglas: JD

Bellanca: JE

Grumman: JF  • J2F  • J3F  • J4F

Stearmon-Hammond: JH

Fairchild: JK  • J2K

Columbia: JL

Martin: JM

Lockheed: JO

Fairchild: JQ  • J2Q

Ford: JR

Waco: JW  • J2W
Utility Transport
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Aircraft produced by Curtiss
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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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