High Gallery
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U.
S. Military Aircraft Curtiss F9C SPARROWHAWK Photo by Musee de 1' Air. |
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In 1930 the US Navy issued a requirement for a carrier borne fighter small enough to obviate the need for folding wings, and one of the three contenders was the XF9C-1, but none of the aircraft met the Navy needs. The Curtiss prototype was then given a second chance as a fighter to be carried by a giant airship USS Akron, which had a hanger large enough for four planes. The revised XF9C-2 prototype had simplified landing gear and was tested in the fall of 1931 using the USS Los Angeles. The F9C-2 Sparrowhawk was launched and recovered in the air by means of the arrangement on its upper wing, which hooked onto the retractable trapeze attached to the underside of the parent airship. |
TECHNICAL DATA
| Description | Specifications |
| Manufacturer: Curtiss | Length: 20 ft. 1.5 in. |
| First Flight: Fall of 1931 | Height: 10 ft. 7 in. with skyhook. |
| Model: | Wing Span: 25 ft. 6 in. |
| Crew: One | Wing Area: 172.8 sq. ft. |
| Nickname: Sparrowhawk | Empty Weight: 2,089 lb. |
| Basic Role: Airship-borne fighter. | Max. Weight: 2,779 lb. |
| Other Versions: F9C-2 (sole production model) | Armament: Two 0.3-in (7.62-mm) fixed machine guns. |
| Principal User: U. S. A. |
Propulsion |
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Performance |
Power Plant: Wright R-975-e Whirlwind radial piston engine. |
| Range: 297 miles. | Horsepower: 438-hp. (327-kW) |
| Max. Speed: 176 mph. | No. Of Engines: One |
| Ceiling: 19,200 ft. | |
| Climb Rate: 1,690 ft. per minute. |