High Gallery
 |
U.
S. Military Aircraft
Curtiss SOC SEAGULL photo by Musee de 1' Air |
|
In many ways the Seagull of the Navy paralleled the Fairey Swordfish of the Air Arm both were 1933 biplanes that were technically obsolete by 1939 but remained ineffective service up to 1945. The Model 71 was designed to meet an observation requirement, and first flew as the XO3C-1 amphibian prototype in April 1934. Successful testing led to the non amphibian SOC-1 in the scout/observation role. Deliveries of the SOC-1 began in November 1935. Production of the Seagull series ended in 1938, but so indifferent was its SO3C Seamew replacement that all serving SOCs were restored to operational status and served up to 2945. |
TECHNICAL DATA
| Description | Specifications |
| Manufacturer: Curtiss | Length: 26 ft. 6 in. |
| First Flight: April 1934 | Height: 14 ft. 9 in. |
| Model: SOC | Wing Span: 36 ft. 0 in. |
| Crew: Two | Wing Area: 342.0 sq. ft. |
| Nickname: Seagull | Empty Weight: 3,788 lb. |
| Basic Role: Scout and observation floatplane. | Max. Weight: 5,437 lb. |
| Other Versions: SOC-1 initial model. SOC-2 landplane model including the SOC-2A with arrester hook. SOC-3 interchangeable float. wheel landing gear including the SOC-3A with arrester hook. SOC-4 three SOC-3s for the US Coast Guard. SON-1 SOC-3s built by the Naval Aircraft Factory including the SON-1A with arrester hook. | Armament: One fixed and one trainable 0.3-in, 6.62-mm machine guns and up to 650 lb of bombs. |
|
Principal User: U. S. A. |
Propulsion |
|
Performance |
Power Plant: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-18 Wasp radial piston engine. |
| Range: 675 miles. | Horsepower: 600-hp. (447-kW) |
| Max. Speed: 165 mph. | No. Of Engines: One |
| Ceiling: 14,900 ft. | |
| Climb Rate: 880 ft. per minutes |