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Model 23, CR, R-6
Curtiss CR-1 with B Acosta 1921
The CR-1 with Bert Acosta, 1921
Role Racing aircraft
Manufacturer Curtiss
First flight 1 August 1921
Primary user United States Navy
Number built 4

The Curtiss CR was a racing aircraft designed for the United States Navy in 1921. It was a conventional single-seater biplane with a monocoque fuselage and staggered single-bay wings of equal span braced with N-struts. Two essentially similar landplane versions were built as the CR-1 and CR-2, which were both eventually converted to seaplanes as the CR-3 in 1923 and CR-4 in 1924. A refined version was developed for the US Army Air Service under the designation R-6. These latter two aircraft featured refined aerodynamics included surface-mounted radiators.

Operational history[]

Curtiss Racer

An Army Curtiss R-6, which won the 1922 Pulitzer Trophy with an average speed of 330 km/h.

The Curtiss CRs enjoyed successful racing careers. Their first major win was at the 1921 Pulitzer Trophy race, where piloted by Bert Acosta the CR-1 took first place with an average speed of 176.75 mph (283.49 km/h), nearly two minutes ahead of its closest rival. The following year, this aircraft was modified and redesignated CR-2 and joined in the Pulitzer race by a second aircraft built to the same new standard, plus two R-6s flown by Army pilots. These Curtiss aircraft took first through fourth place, the two R-6s followed by the two CR-2s. The race was won by Lt. Russell Maughan with an average speed of 205.856 mph (330,172 km/h) with Lt. Lester Maitland in second place (198.850 mph/318.936 km/h). Maughan's effort incidentally broke every closed-circuit airspeed record up to 124 mi (200 km). The CR-2s took third and fourth places piloted by Lt Harold Brow (average speed 193.695 mph/310.667 km/h) and Lt Jg Al Williams (average speed 187.996 mph/301.527 km/h).

The Army built upon this success with the R-6s by using the aircraft to break the world airspeed record before 1922 was over, Gen William Mitchelldisambiguation needed flying one to 224.28 mph (359.72 km/h) on 18 October. In March the following year, an R-6 flown by Lt. Maughan lifted the record to 236.587 mph (380.74 km/h). The R-6 design was developed in 1923 into the longer-winged XPW-8, the prototype of the PW-8 fighter. In 1923, the CR-2s were fitted with floats for the Schneider Trophy race and redesignated CR-3. The aircraft took first and second place, piloted by David Rittenhouse (average speed 177.977 mph, 285.457 km/h) and Rutledge Irvine (173.932 mph, 278.970 km/h). Following this victory, one of the aircraft was further modified as the CR-4 for an attempt on the world airspeed record for seaplanes. It achieved this in 1924 with a speed of 188 mph.[citation needed]

Operators[]

United States

Specifications (CR.3 Seaplane)[]

Data from Curtiss Aircraft, 1907-1947[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one (pilot)
  • Length: 24 ft 8 in (7.52 m)
  • Wingspan: 22 ft 8 in (6.90 m)
  • Height: 10 ft 9 in (3.27 m)
  • Wing area: 168 ft2 (15.6 m2)
  • Empty weight: 2,119 lb (961 kg)
  • Gross weight: 2,597 lb (1,178 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Curtiss D-12 5PL, 450 hp (336 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 194 mph (312 km/h)
  • Range: 281 miles (452 km)
  • Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,706 m)

See also[]

References[]

Notes
  1. Bowers 1979, p. 230.
Bibliography
  • Bowers, Peter M. (1979). Curtiss Aircraft, 1907–1947. London: Putnam & Company Ltd.. ISBN 0-370-10029-8. 
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 796. 
  • World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 891, Sheet 45. 

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Curtiss CR and the edit history here.
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