Editing Curtiss Falcon (section)

==Design and development==
The '''Falcon XO-1''' [[prototype]] was evaluated by the USAAC along with eleven other prototypes in 1924 and the [[Douglas O-2|Douglas XO-2]] was declared the winner of that competition. So Curtiss re-engined the prototype with the [[Packard 1A-1500]] for the 1925 trials, which it won. The engine failed to live up to expectations and the '''O-1''' ordered by the Army was fitted with the 435&nbsp;hp (324&nbsp;kW) [[Curtiss V-1150]] (D-12) engine.<ref name="ohnine"/>

The aircraft was a conventional unequal-span biplane design with wooden wings, while the [[fuselage]] was built using [[aluminum]] tubing with steel tie rod bracing.<ref name="world">{{cite book |editor1-last=Eden |editor1-first=Paul |editor2-last=Moeng |editor2-first=Soph |title=The complete encyclopedia of world aircraft |date=2002 |publisher=Barnes & Noble Books |location=London, NI 9PF |isbn=0-7607-3432-1 |page=cover}}</ref> The [[landing gear]] was fixed and the [[Empennage|tail]] included a [[balanced rudder]] with a rear skid originally, later changed to a tailwheel.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

The initial A-3 Falcon order was placed in the winter of 1927 and delivery of the first plane was in October 1927. A total of 76 A-3s were received. Later, six aircraft were modified as pilot trainers with dual controls and redesignated A-3A. A second batch of 78 improved A-3Bs, based on the Curtiss O-1E, was purchased beginning in 1929.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}