Curtiss Robin
Template:Short description Template:Infobox aircraft
The Curtiss Robin, introduced in 1928, is an American high-wing monoplane built by the Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company. The J-1 version was flown by Wrongway Corrigan who crossed the Atlantic after being refused permission to do so.
DesignEdit
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.<ref name="world"/> 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.<ref name="Bowers"/> Variants of the Robin were fitted with engines which developed Template:Cvt.<ref name="Bowers"/>
Operational historyEdit
A single modified Robin (with a Template:Convert 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.<ref name="Bowers"/>
Cuba's national airline, Compañía Nacional Cubana de Aviación Curtiss, was founded in 1929 with the Curtiss-Wright company serving as its co-founder and major investor. The airline's first aircraft was a Curtiss Robin and it was flown on 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 Template:Convert daily, dropping bundles of newspapers from a height of Template:Convert to local carriers.<ref name="MoF">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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 (1932–1935).
Variants (Model 50)Edit
Data from:Curtiss aircraft : 1907-1947<ref name="Bowers"/>
- Challenger Robin
- (Model 50A) An early version of the Robin, powered by a Template:Cvt Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine.
- Comet Robin
- One Robin was converted by its owner in 1937, fitted with a Template:Cvt Comet 7-D radial piston engine.
- Robin
- (Model 50A) Prototypes and initial production aircraft powered by Template:Cvt Curtiss OX-5 engines.
- Robin B
- A three-seat cabin monoplane, fitted with wheel brakes and a steerable tailwheel, powered by a Template:Cvt Curtiss OX-5 V-8 engine; about 325 were built.
- Robin B-2
- A three-seat cabin monoplane, powered by a Template:Cvt Wright-Hisso "A","E" and "I" V-8 water-cooled piston engine.
- Robin C
- A three-seat cabin monoplane, powered by a Template:Cvt or Template:Cvt Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; about 50 built.
- Robin C-1
- (Model 50C) An improved version of the Robin C, powered by a Template:Cvt Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; over 200 built.
- Robin C-2
- (Model 50D) A long-range version fitted with an extra fuel tank, powered by a Template:Cvt Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; six built.
- Robin 4C
- (Model 50E) 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
- (Model 50G) Another four-seat version with an enlarged forward fuselage section; 11 built.
- Robin 4C-2
- A single un-certified version powered by a Template:Cvt Wright J-6-7 Whirlwind engine.
- Robin CR
- A one-off experimental version, fitted with a Template:Cvt Curtiss Crusader engine.
- Robin J-1
- (Model 50H) Powered by a Template:Cvt Wright J-6-5 Whirlwind radial piston engine; about 40 built.
- Robin J-2
- (Model 50I) A long-range version, with Template:Cvt fuel. Two were built
- Robin J-3
- A J-1 temporarily designated J-3, which reverted to the J-1 designation after being de-modified.
- Robin M
- A Robin B aircraft, fitted with the Template:Cvt Milwaukee Tank V-502 V-8 engine (air-cooled OX-5 conversions).
- Robin W
- (Model 50J) Powered by a Template:Cvt Warner Scarab radial piston engine. Only a small number were built in 1930.
- XC-10
- One Robin W was sold to the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) and converted into an unmanned pilot-less radio-controlled test aircraft, powered by a Template:Cvt Warner R-420-1.
OperatorsEdit
Military operatorsEdit
Surviving aircraftEdit
AustraliaEdit
- 477 – J-1 airworthy with John Graeme Vevers of Patterson Lakes, Victoria.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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BrazilEdit
- 248 – C-2 in storage at the TAM Museum in São Carlos, São Paulo.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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CanadaEdit
- 405 – C-1 on display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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Costa RicaEdit
- C-1 on display at the Juan Santamaría International Airport domestic terminal in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
GermanyEdit
- 130 – J-1 airworthy with Antique Aeroflyers in Mengen, Baden-Württemberg.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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United StatesEdit
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- 193 – B airworthy at the Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 213 – B airworthy at the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 329 – B-1 on static display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in San Diego, California.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 337 – C-1 on static display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 403 – B-2 on display at the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 469 – C-1 on display at the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 628 – C-1 on static display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 712 – 4C-1A on display at the Western North Carolina Air Museum in Hendersonville, North Carolina.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 733 – J-1D on display at the Shannon Air Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was previously on display at the Virginia Aviation Museum.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- 737 – J-1 airworthy with Brian T. Coughlin of Cazenovia, New York.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is based at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.Template:Citation needed
- J-1 Ole Miss (US registration NR526N) on static display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. that set the aviation endurance record in 1935 (continuously airborne June 4-July 1), which it held for 4 years.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- On static display at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York. It has floats in place of wheeled landing gear.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- On display at the Air Zoo in Portage, Michigan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- On display at the Eagles Mere Air Museum in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- On static display at the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New York.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- On display at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum in Maryland Heights, Missouri.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Under restoration at the Candler Field Museum in Williamson, Georgia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Now owned and operated by Capt. Buerk’s Living History Museum in New Hampshire.
- Under restoration at the Port Townsend Aero Museum in Port Townsend, Washington.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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