Curtiss Robin

Curtiss Robin

A Curtis Robin in the Seattle museum of flight, 2011
Role	Touring
Manufacturer	Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company
First flight	August 7, 1928^[1]
Introduction	1928
Status	A number still flying^[1]
Primary user	U. S. Private Owner Market^[1]
Number built	769^[1]
Unit cost	$7,500 U.S. Dollars (1938)

The Curtiss Robin, introduced in 1928, was a high-wing monoplane with a 90 hp (67 kW) OX-5 eight-cylinder engine built by the Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company. It was later fitted with the more powerful Challenger engine, which developed between 170 and 185 hp (127 and 138 kW). NOTE: Model B (90 hp/67 kW Curtiss OX-5 engine), Model C-1 (185 hp/138 kW Curtiss Challenger engine), and Model J-1 (165 hp/123 kW Wright J-6 Whirlwind 5 engine)

The J-1 version was flown by Douglas Corrigan (nicknamed "Wrongway") as well as the Flying Keys.

Design

The Robin, a workmanlike cabin monoplane, had a wooden wing and steel tubing fuselage. The cabin accommodated three persons; two passengers were seated side-by-side behind the pilot. Early Robins were distinguished by large flat fairings over the parallel diagonal wing bracing struts; the fairings were abandoned on later versions, having been found to be ineffective in creating lift.^[1] The original landing gear had bungee rubber cord shock absorbers, later replaced by an oleo-pneumatic system; a number of Robins had twin floats added.

The plane's payload with 50 gallons (189 l) of fuel was 452 lb (205 kg); it had a cruising speed of 102 mph (164 km/h), a landing speed of 48 mph (77 km/h), a gas capacity of 50 gal/189 l (25 gal/95 l in each wing tank), and an oil capacity of 5 US gal (19 l; 4 imp gal). The aircraft's price at the factory field was $7,500.

Operational history

The aircraft Curtiss Robin "St. Louis" (right) during the record flight July 13–30, 1929, St. Louis, Missouri. Its operators were Dale Jackson and Forest O'Brine. A Flight endurance record of 17 days, 12 hours, 17 minutes was set

A single modified Robin (with a 110 hp (82 kW) Warner R-420-1) was used by the United States Army Air Corps, and designated the XC-10. This aircraft was used in a test program for radio-controlled (and unmanned) flight.^[2]

Cuba's national airline, Compañía Nacional Cubana de Aviación Curtiss, was founded in 1929 with Curtiss Aircraft serving as its co-founder and major investor. The airline's first aircraft was a Curtiss Robin; it flew domestic routes as a mail and passenger transport.

From September 1929 to May 1930, a Robin C-1 was used to deliver the McCook, Nebraska Daily Gazette to communities in rural Nebraska and Kansas. The airplane flew a nonstop route of 380 miles (610 km) daily, dropping bundles of newspapers from a height of 500 feet (150 m) to local carriers.^[3]^[4]

A Curtiss Robin C was purchased by the Paraguayan government in 1932 for the transport squadron of its air arm. It was intensively used as a VIP transport plane and air ambulance during the Chaco War (1923–1935).

Variants

Challenger Robin: An early version of the Robin, powered by a 165 hp (123 kW) Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine.
Comet Robin: One Robin was converted by its owner in 1937, it was fitted with a 150 hp (112 kW) Comet radial piston engine.
Robin B: A three-seat cabin monoplane, fitted with wheel breaks and a steerable tailwheel; about 325 were built.
Robin B-2: Athree-seat cabin monoplane, powered by a number of Wright piston engines.
Robin C: A three-seat cabin monoplane, powered by a 185 hp (138 kW) Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; about 50 built.

1929 Curtis Robin C-1 used for the movie Pearl (modified with an R-680)

Robin C-1: An improved version of the Robin C, powered by a Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; over 200 built.
Robin C-2: A long-range version fitted with an extra fuel tank, it was powered by a 170-hp (127 kW) Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; six built.
Robin 4C: A four-seat version, powered by a Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; one built.
Robin 4C-1: A three-seat version with an enlarged forward fuselage section; three built.
Robin 4C-1A: Another four-seat version with an enlarged forward fuselage section; 11 built.
Robin CR: A one-off experimental version, fitted with a 120 hp (90 kW) Curtiss Crusader engine.
Robin J-1: Powered by a 165 hp (123 kW) Wright Whirlwind J-6-5 radial piston engine; about 40 built.
Robin J-2: A long-range version, fitted with an extra fuel tank; two built.
Robin M: A Robin B aircraft, fitted with the 115 hp (86 kW) V-502 engine.
Robin W: Powered by a 110 hp (32 kW) Warner Scarab radial piston engine. Only a small number were built in 1930.

The XC-10 in 1930

XC-10: One Robin W was sold to the United States Army Air Corps, it was converted into an unmanned pilotless radio-controlled test aircraft.

Operators

Military operators

Paraguay
United States

United States Army Air Corps

Survivors

Curtis Robin B-2 display

Kermit Weeks has restored a Curtiss Robin to flying status and it is on display at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.^[5]
An apparently airworthy Robin J-1, registered VH-JUV, is at Gawler, South Australia.^[6]
Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum has an OX-5 powered Robin.^[7]
Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum has a Continental R670 powered Robin.^[8]
EAA AirVenture Museum has a V-502 powered B-2 ^[9]
Western North Carolina Air Museum has a Continental R-670 powered Robin on display.
Museu TAM has a Jacobs R-755-A1 L-4MB powered Curtiss-Robin C-2 ^[10] on display
Yanks Air Museum in Chino, CA has a fully restored R-600 Challenger powered Curtiss Robin C-1 N3865B on display.^[11]^[12]

A Curtiss Robin is based at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome and flies during weekend airshows.

Air Zoo A Curtiss Robin with OX5 is on display at the Air Zoo museum in Portage, MI

A Curtiss Robin is exhibited on floats at the cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, N.Y.

Specifications (Robin OX-5)

Data from Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947 ^[13]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Capacity: two passengers
Length: 25 ft 8½ in (7.83 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 0 in (12.49 m)
Height: 7 ft 9½ in (2.37 m)
Wing area: 223 ft² (20.71 m²)
Empty weight: 1,472 lb (668 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,440 lb (1,107 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss OX-5 liquid-cooled V-8, 90 hp (67 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 100.5 mph (87 knots, 135 km/h)
Cruise speed: 84 mph (73 knots, 135 km/h)
Range: 480 mi (432 nmi, 772 km)
Service ceiling: 10,200 ft (3,109 m)
Rate of climb: 400 ft/min (2.0 m/s)

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft (cover). London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
↑ Bowers 1979, pp. 385–386.
↑ "Curtiss-Robertson Robin C-1". Museum of Flight. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
↑ Discoe, Connie Jo. "'News Boy' pilot was aviation pioneer". McCook Daily Gazette. 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
↑
↑ Bezmylov, Andrei. "Robin J-1." airliners.net, 2006. Retrieved: July 16, 2010.
↑ "1929 Curtiss Robin." Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum.
↑ "Curtiss Robin B." Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.
↑ "Curtiss-Wright Model B-2 Robin - N50H." EAA AirVenture Museum.
↑ "Curtiss-Robin C2" EAA AirVenture Museum.
↑ "Yanks Search Results". yanksair.com. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
↑ "FAA Registry - Aircraft - N-Number Inquiry". registry.faa.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
↑ Bowers 1979, p. 385.

Bibliography

Bowers, Peter M. Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947. London: Putnam, 1979. ISBN 0-370-10029-8.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Curtiss Robin.

United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41/A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47/T C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70/A/B/C/D C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77/B-D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97/KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-118 C-119 C-120 C-121/F C-122 C-123/A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130/J C-131 C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135/KC-135 C-136 C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7/B C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20A-D/F-H C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27/J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36 C-37A/B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005-present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880
¹ Not assigned See also: AC-47 • AC-119 • AC-130 • DC-130 • EC-130 • HC-130 • KC-130 • LC-130 • MC-130 • WC-130 • CT-39 • CT-43

Aircraft produced by Curtiss and Curtiss-Wright

Manufacturer
designations

Early types	Golden Flier Reims Racer Hudson Flyer Gordon Bennett Monoplane Beachey Special
Model letters	C D E F FL G GS H HA J K L M MF N NC O JN R S T
Model numbers	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27¹ 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45¹ 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59A/59B 60 61 62 63 64 65¹ 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74¹ 75 76 77 78¹ 79 80¹ 81 82 83¹ 84 85 86 87 88 89¹ 90 91 92¹ 93¹ 94 95 96 97 98 99
"CA" series	CA-1
"CW" series	CW-1 CW-2 CW-3 CW-4 CW-5 CW-6 CW-7 CW-8 CW-9 CW-10 CW-11 CW-12 CW-14 CW-15 CW-16 CW-17 CW-18 CW-19 CW-20 CW-21 CW-22 CW-23 CW-24 CW-25 CW-27 CW-29 CW-32
"X" series	X-100 X-200

Operator & role

Civil

Experimental	No. 1 Model C Tanager
Racers & record	No. 2 Cox Racer
Airliners	Eagle Condor 18 Condor II Kingbird Thrush Commando
Utility	Model D Model E Model F Carrier Pigeon Falcon Robin Lark 6B CW-10 CW-12 CW-15 Sedan CW-16 CW-19W

Army

Ground attack	A-3 A-4 A-5 A-6 A-8 YA-10 A-12 YA-14 A-18 A-25 A-40 XA-43
Bombers	NBS-1 B-2 XNBS-4
Transports	XC-10 C-30 Condor C-46 Commando C-55 Commando C-76 C-113 Commando
Fighters	S 18 PN-1 PW-8 P-1 to P-6 XP-10 P-11 P-14² P-17 XP-18² XP-19² YP-20 XP-21 XP-22 XP-23 XP-31 P-36 P-37 P-40 XP-42 XP-46 XP-53 XP-55 YP-60 XP-62 XP-71 XP-87
Observation	O-1 O-11 O-12 O-13 O-16 O-18 XO-24² O-26 XO-30² O-39 O-40 O-52
Racers	R-6 R-8
Trainers	J L JN Fledgling AT-4 Hawk AT-5 Hawk BT-4 AT-9 Jeep
Experimental	X-19
Licensed	USAO-1 NBS-1/model 30

Navy

Bombers	CT BFC BF2C SBC SB2C XSB3C² XBTC XBT2C
Fighters	HA GS TS-1 FC F2C F3C F4C F5C¹ F6C F7C F8C F9C F10C F11C XF12C F13C XF14C XF15C
Observation/scout	CS/SC S2C XS3C S4C SC OC O2C O3C SOC SO2C SO3C
Trainers	N-9 N2C CW-16 SNC
Transports	RC R4C R5C
Maritime patrol	H-16 F5L HS-1L & HS-2L
Racers & record	NC CR R2C R3C

Export

Bombers	Canada CW-14 Osprey
Martime patrol	H-2, H-4, H-8 & H-16 F5L HS-2L
Fighters	CW-17² CW-21 Demon
Trainers	Canuck CW-14 Osprey CW-16 CW-22

¹ Designation skipped ² Not built

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