Curtiss A-12 Shrike
| A-12 Shrike | |
|---|---|
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| Role | Ground-attack aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss |
| Introduction | 1933 |
| Retired | 1942 |
| Primary users | United States Army Air Corps Nationalist Chinese Air Force |
| Number built | 46[1] |
| Developed from | XA-8 Shrike YA-10 Shrike |
The Curtiss A-12 Shrike was the United States Army Air Corps' second monoplane ground-attack aircraft, and its main attack aircraft through most of the 1930s. It was based on the A-8, but had a radial engine instead of the A-8's inline, water-cooled engine, as well as other changes.
Design and development
The Model 60 was developed from advancements of the A-8 and the experimental YA-10. However, it became obsolete after a short use period, mainly because of fast-improving aviation technology, as well as the USAAC's desire for multi-engined attack aircraft.[2]
The most obvious difference between the A-12 and the A-8 is the air-cooled, radial engine in the A-12, which replaced the A-8's inline, water-cooled engine. This was a response to the USAAC's move toward a preference for radial engines, especially in attack aircraft. The rationale behind this preference is that the radial engine has a lower profile, making it less vulnerable to ground fire, and a simpler cooling mechanism, which is also less prone to groundfire, as well as overall maintenance problems.[2]
These aircraft retained the open cockpit introduced in the A-8 production batch, and carried the same weapons load. In an attempt to improve pilot/observer co-operation, the rear cockpit was moved forward sufficiently for its glazed covering to form a continuation of the fuselage decking behind the pilot's cockpit.[3]
Nine USAAF A-12s were still in service at Hickam Field on 7 December 1941, but they saw no combat.[4]
Operational history
A-12s served with the 3rd Attack Group plus the 8th and 18th Pursuit Groups. Surviving Shrikes were grounded just after Pearl Harbor was bombed in December 1941.[5]
Operators
- Chinese Nationalist Air Force received 20 A-12 Shrikes in 1936, arming the 27th and the 28th Squadron of the 9th Group. When full-scale war broke out between Japan and China, they were used. The initial success including the downing of four Japanese Aichi D1A1 carrier-based dive bombers on 15 August 1937. However, after deploying in ground support missions in Shanxi, most did not survive and the few left were reassigned to training duties.[2]
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Specifications (A-12 Shrike)
Data from The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft[4]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
- Wingspan: 44 ft 0 in (13.41 m)
- Height: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
- Wing area: 284 ft² (26.38 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,898 lb (1,768 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 5,756 lb (2,611 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820 "Cyclone" 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 690 hp (515 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 177 mph (154 knots, 285 km/h)
- Range: 521 mi (453 nmi, 838 km)
- Service ceiling: 15,150 ft (4,620 m)
Armament
- Guns:
- 4 × forward-firing .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
- 1 × aft-firing .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun
- Bombs:
- 4 × 122 lb (55 kg) bombs on underwing racks or 10 × 30 lb (13.6 kg) fragmentation bombs in chutes on either side of the main fuel tank
See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Related lists
References
- Notes
- ↑ Fahey, James C. U.S. Army Aircraft 1908–1946. New York: Ships and Aircraft, 1946.
- 1 2 3 "Curtiss A-12." National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved: 7 July 2017.
- ↑ Swanborough, F. G. and Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. New York: Putnam, 1964. ISBN 0-85177-816-X.
- 1 2 Eden and Moeng 2002, p. 514.
- ↑ Fitzsimons 1969, p. 2324.
- Bibliography
- Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
- Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Vol. 21 London: Purnell & Sons Ltd., 1969, First edition 1967. ISBN 0-8393-6175-0.
External links
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