The Curtiss Robin, introduced in 1928, was 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.
Curtiss Robin | |
---|---|
A Curtiss Robin in the Seattle museum of flight, 2011 | |
Role | Touring |
Manufacturer | Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company |
First flight | 7 August 1928[1] |
Introduction | 1928 |
Status | A number still flying[1] |
Primary user | U. S. Private Owner Market[1] |
Number built | 769[1] |
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.[1] 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.[2] Variants of the Robin were fitted with engines which developed 90–185 hp (67–138 kW).[2]
A single modified Robin (with a 110 hp (82 kW) 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.[2]
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 380 miles (610 km) daily, dropping bundles of newspapers from a height of 500 feet (150 m) to local carriers.[3]
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).
Data from:Curtiss aircraft : 1907-1947[2]
Data from Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947,[2] Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928[39]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Related lists