Curtiss 18 is a two-seat triplane fighter designed and built by the American company Curtiss-Wright specifically for the US Navy .
| Curtiss 18 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type of | fighter |
| Developer | Curtiss-wright |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss-wright |
| Chief Designer | Charles B. Kirkham |
| First flight | May 7, 1918 |
| Start of operation | February 1919 |
| Status | decommissioned |
| Operators |  US Navy |
Construction
The aircraft was intended to cover the Allied bombers and had a very high maximum speed at that time. The body, made of laminated wood veneer, had a streamlined shape, thanks to which the aircraft showed good aerodynamic qualities. A 400-horsepower Curtiss-Kirkham K-12 engine was installed on the aircraft, which was subsequently changed to C-12, D-12, or Curtiss Conqueror . [1] . When designing to increase maneuverability, the triplane concept was chosen [2] . Its unofficial name, “Wasp” (“Wasp”), the plane received during the tests.
Operation
On August 18, 1915, the aircraft reached a record speed of 262 km / h with a load of 488 kg. [3] The record was set by the pilot Roland Rholfs. After the war, used as a racing 18T-2 became the winner of the 1922 competition.
Operators
- US Navy
Modifications
• 18T (18T-1)
Double triplane with Curtiss-Kirkham K-12 engine. It was proposed to equip the aircraft with two 7.62 mm Lewis machine guns. March 30, 1918 the US Navy ordered two prototypes [4] .
• 18T-2
Compared to its predecessor, the wings of the aircraft were elongated. When retrofitting, he could land on water.
• 18B
Double biplane - fighter . The aircraft was equipped with a Curtiss-Kirkham K-12 engine.
Notes
- ↑ Curtiss 18-B Hornet / 18-T Wasp - Their Flying Machines
- ↑ Curtiss 18-B Hornet / 18-T Wasp - Their Flying Machinesfl
- ↑ “Aviation History Facts: August 1.” Centennial of Flight, 2003. Retrieved: January 13, 2011.
- ↑ Curtiss 18-T - fighter - Aviastar.org
Sources
- Curtiss 18-T - fighter - Aviastar.org
- Curtiss 18-B Hornet / 18-T Wasp - Their Flying Machines
- Aviation History Facts: August 1. Centennial of Flight, 2003. Retrieved: January 13, 2011.