Curtiss-Wright CW-22

CW-22/SNC
A U.S. Navy SNC-1 in September 1943
Role Scout and advanced trainer
Manufacturer Curtiss-Wright Corporation
First flight 1940
Introduction 1942
Primary users United States Navy
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force
Number built 442 approx.


The Curtiss-Wright CW-22 was a 1940s American general-purpose advanced training monoplane aircraft built by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. It was operated by the United States Navy as a scout trainer with the designation SNC-1 Falcon.

Design and development

Developed at the Curtiss-Wright St. Louis factory, the CW-22 was developed from the CW-19 via the single-seat CW-21 light fighter-interceptor. The prototype first flew in 1940. With less power and performance than the CW-21, the two-seat, low-wing, all-metal CW-A22 had retractable tailwheel landing gear, with the main gear retracting rearward into underwing fairings.

The CW-22 was seen as either a civilian sport or training monoplane or suitable as a combat trainer, reconnaissance and general-purpose aircraft for military use. The prototype CW-A22 Falcon (U.S. civilian registration NC18067) was used as a company demonstrator and is one of four of the type still in existence. An SNC-1 is on display at the U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation, at Pensacola, Florida.

Operational history

The main customer for the aircraft equipped with the Wright R-975 Whirlwind air-cooled radial engine was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force and 36 were exported. The aircraft had to be delivered to the Dutch in Australia due to the advancing Japanese forces. A developed version, the CW-22B, was sold to Turkey (50), the Netherlands East Indies (25) and in small numbers in South America. Some of the Dutch aircraft were captured and operated by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. The CW-22 and CW-22B were armed with two machine guns, one fixed.[1]

An unarmed advanced training version (CW-22N) was demonstrated to the United States Navy. To help to meet the expanding need for training, the Navy ordered 150 aircraft in November 1940. Further orders brought the total to 305 aircraft which were designated SNC-1 Falcon.[2]

Variants

A U.S. Navy SNC-1 in April 1942
Refueling of an SNC-1 at NAS Corpus Christi, 1942
SNC-1 on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation
CW-A22
Prototype
CW-22
Production armed variant for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force, 36 built.
CW-22B
Improved armed variant, approx 100 built.
SNC-1 Falcon (CW-22N)
United States Navy designation for the CW-22N, 305 built (BuNo 6290-6439, 05085-05234, 32987-32991).

Operators

 Bolivia
Netherlands Dutch East Indies
 Japan
 Peru
 Turkey
 United States
 Uruguay

Survivors

Specifications (SNC-1)

Data from [4]

General characteristics

Performance

See also


Related lists

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Andrade 1979, p. 171.
  2. ↑ Bowers 1990, p. 484.
  3. ↑ Fantasy of Flight Facebook Page, March 18, 2013.
  4. ↑ Donald 1997, p. 296.
  5. ↑ Bowers 1979, p. 65.

Bibliography

  • Andrade, John. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Hinckley, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
  • Bowers, Peter M. Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947. London: Putnam, 1979. ISBN 0-370-10029-8.
  • Bowers, Peter M. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1990. ISBN 0-87021-792-5.
  • Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero Books, 1997 ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.

External links

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