Curtiss-Wright CW- designations and P- projects

Jos Heyman

ACCESS: Top Secret
Joined
15 February 2007
Messages
597
Reaction score
53
Here is what I got for Curtiss Wright designs:

Curtiss CW-1: Introduced in 1931 this light aircraft came with a wide range of engine options. 270 were built.
Curtiss CW-2: Sport trainer. One was built.
Curtiss CW-3 Duckling: Flying boat based on the CW-1. Introduced in 1931 three were built. The project was shelved because of lack of funds.
Curtiss CW-4 Condor: Transport. Also built for USAF and C-30 and US Navy as R4C.
Curtiss CW-5 Junior Transport: One was built.
Curtiss CW-6 Sedan: Introduced in 1930. Four were built.
Curtiss CW-12: Single engined. At least 41 were built.
Curtiss CW-14: 1931 design.
Curtiss CW-15 Club Sedan: Light aircraft introduced in 1931. 19 were built.
Curtiss CW-16: Sport aircraft introduced in 1932. A total of 23 were built.
Curtiss CW-19: Development began in 1935 as a sports aircraft that was considered too hot for the civil market. One was built and it served as a prototype for the CW-21, CW-22, CW-23 and CW-33.
As CW-19R about 25 were built as military version for export to China, Cuba, and South American countries, as well as 3 civil models as -A-19R. Of the latter, the second was rebuilt as a civil CW-22.
Curtiss CW-20 Commando: Twin engined transport. USAAF's C-46 and US Navy's R5C.
Curtiss CW-21 Demon: Developed from the CW-19 design it was built for China (4) and the Netherlands East Indies (22 as CW-21B). 32 were to be built from components by Chinese Aircraft Mfg Co at Loiwing, but were cancelled before any production was begun.
Curtiss CW-22 Falcon: Based on CW-19 but with retracting gear. Delivered to China (35), Netherlands East Indies (20), Turkey (50) as well as USN as SNC-1.
Curtiss CW-23: Development from CW-19 as a trainer for USAAF. One was built in 1938.
Curtiss CW-24: XP-55 fighter.
Curtiss CW-25 Fledgling: AT-9 twin engined trainer
Curtiss Wright CW-28: CW-20 Commando with nose gear. Not built.
Curtiss CW-29 Nighthawk: Originally ordered as XA-43, then became XP-87 and later XF-87. One built.
Curtiss Wright CW-32: High winged transport. The 1946 design was not built.
Curtiss CW-33: Development of CW-19 which was not built.

Jos heyman
 
Was the original B-2 bomber, also named Condor, also under the CW-4 designation or did it have another?
 
A totally different design so, whilst not confirmed, not a CW-4 in my books.

Jos Heyman
 
Hi,

CW-7 was Travel Air 7000 single seat biplane.
CW-8 ,, ,, ,, 8000 two seat biplane.
CW-9 ,, ,, ,, 9000 also two seat biplane.
CW-10 was Travel Air 10 high wing cabin monoplane.
CW-11 ,, ,, ,, 11 biplane.
CW-17 Light Sport a three seat version of CW-12.
CW-18 a project of two seat trainer aircraft for USAAC.
CW-26 ----? may be a jet night fighter project to 1945 competition.
CW-27 (C-76 Caravan) twin engined medium military transport.

Do you know Curtiss-Wright X-300 ?
 
CW-24 was used 3 times:

CW-24 : XP-54
CW-24B : light weight prototype of XP-54 fighter
CW-24 : proposed attack bomber with burried engines and pusher contra prop.1939.C.W St Louis.
CW-24 : four engined variant of CW-20 (C-46) CW-24 had twin tail fins-like protitype CW-20

source : Skyways No.37 Jan.1996.
 
hesham said:
Do you know Curtiss-Wright X-300 ?.
Between 1957 and 1965 Curtiss Wright VTOL Systems Division was established to develop a series of VTOL projects, most of them never built. The facility was located adjacent to Caldwell Wright Airport.
The first was the X100 which flew for the first time (free hover) on 13 September 1959. This was followed by the 200 which flew for the first time, as the USAF's X-19, on 20 November 1963.
By now Curtiss had projected a whole range of this type of aircraft with known type designations 201, 203, 205, 207, 300, 325, 410, 425 and 500, but with probably a lot more designs.
The development fell apart when the X-19 crashed on 25 August 1965 and Curtiss Wright went out of the aircraft designing and building business forever.
Source: Francis H. Dean, The Curtiss X Planes
 
Thank you Jos,

but do you have informations about Curtiss-Wright P project series ?.
 
CURTISS-ROBERTSON

CR-1 SKEETER
CR-2 COUPE


CURTISS-WRIGHT

CW-1 JUNIOR. Development of Curtiss-Robertson CR-1
CW-1A JUNIOR. Modification with an Augustine rotary engine
CW-1S JUNIOR. Modification with a nine-cylinder radial engine
CW-2 (not built)
CW-3 DUCKLING. CW-1 modified with plywood V-shaped underside and strut-mounted pontoons
CW-3L DUCKLING / TEAL. Version with 90 hp Lambert radial engine
CW-3W DUCKLING / TEAL. Same as CW-3L with Warner radial engine instead
CW-4 COMMERCIAL (also known as TRAVEL AIR 4000)
CW-4 (reallocated for record purposes) T-32 CONDOR II series
- T-32C CONDOR II
- AT-32A CONDOR II
- AT-32B CONDOR II
- AT-32C CONDOR II
- AT-32D CONDOR II
- AT-32E CONDOR II
- BT-32 CONDOR II
- CT-32 CONDOR II
CW-5 JUNIOR TRANSPORT
CW-A6A SEDAN? (TRAVEL AIR 6000-A)
CW-6B SEDAN (TRAVEL AIR S6000-B)
CW-7 (as TRAVEL AIR 7000)
CW-8 (TRAVEL AIR 8000)
CW-9 (TRAVEL AIR 9000)
CW-10 (TRAVEL AIR 10)
CW-11 (TRAVEL AIR 11)
CW-12K SPORT TRAINER. 125hp Kinner B-5 (also known as Travel Air Model 12)
CW-12Q SPORT TRAINER. Version with 90hp Wright-Gypsy
CW-12W SPORT TRAINER. Version with 110hp Warner Scarab
CW-13 probably not allocated
CW-14C SPORTSMAN
CW-A14D DELUXE SPORTSMAN
CW-B14 SPEEDWING
CW-B14B SPEEDWING DELUXE
CW-B14R SPECIAL SPEEDWING DELUXE. CWB-14B repowered as a racer for Casey Lambert
CW-C14B OSPREY. Military conversion of CW-B14 with 300hp Wright J-6
CW-C14R OSPREY. Military conversion of CW-B14 with 420hp Wright J-6
CW-15C CLUB SEDAN. High-wing monoplane based on Travel Air 10
CW-15D SEDAN
CW-15N SEDAN
CW-16K LIGHT SPORT
CW-16W LIGHT SPORT
CW-A16 LIGHT SPORT
CW-A16C LIGHT SPORT
CW-16E LIGHT SPORT. Alternate designation of CW-A16. As'KELITO' in Argentine Navy
CW-17R PURSUIT OSPREY. Improved export version of C-14B Osprey
CW-18 trainer project for US Army competition; not built
CW-19L SPARROW / COUPE. All-metal lightweight airplane with tandem cockpits
CW-19W SPARROW / COUPE. Former CW-19L repowered with 145hp Warner Scarab
CW-19R COUPE. Military version for export to China, Cuba, and South American countries
CW-A19R COUPE. Civil version of CW-19R, the second rebuilt as a civil CW-22
CW-B19R COUPE. Projected version, not built
CW-20T prototype transport
CW-20A modification of CW-20T with single fin and rudder for US Army as the C-55
CW-20B COMMANDO. designated C-46 by the Army, and R5C by the Navy
CW-20B-1 COMMANDO
CW-20B-2 COMMANDO
CW-20B-3 COMMANDO
CW-20B-4 COMMANDO
CW-20B-5 COMMANDO
CW-20C COMMANDO. commercial version of the military C-46 design
CW-20E-2 COMMANDO
CW-20G COMMANDO
CW-20H COMMANDO
CW-21 DEMON. prototype fighters; all went to China
CW-21A DEMON. Allison V-1710-powered project; cancelled
CW-21B DEMON
CW-A22 FALCON. Low-wing trainer monoplane
CW-22 FALCON. two-place trainer and light attack; similar to CW-19, with retracting gear
CW-22B FALCON. Exports to China, to Netherlands East Indies, and to Turkey
CW-22N FALCON. Procured by USN as XSNC-1 and SNC-1
CW-23 COUPE. CW-19R modified as triplace with 600hp P&W R-1340, also evaluated by USAAC
CW-24B low-powered, sub-scale demonstrator for XP-55
CW-24 ASCENDER (USAAC XP-55 canard pusher fighter prototype)
CW-25 FLEDGLING (USAAC AT-9 trainer prototype)
CW-25 JEEP (USAAC AT-9 trainer)
CW-25 JEEP (USAAC AT-9A trainer)
CW-26 USAAF XP-71 high-altitude interceptor; cancelled, mock-up only
CW-27 CARAVAN (USAAF YC-76-CK) high-wing monoplane wooden transport (P-269)
CW-27 CARAVAN (USAAF YC-76A-1-CK); test version built at Louisville, with revised details
CW-27 CARAVAN (USAAF C-76-CS); production examples, quickly reclassified as ZC-76
CW-28 COMMANDO. CW-20 variant with nose gear, not built
CW-29 BLACKHAWK (USAAF XA-43 attack) mission redefined as a fghter
CW-29A BLACKHAWK (USAAF XP-87/XF-87A all-weather fighter); also found as NIGHTHAWK
CW-30 unknown
CW-31 unknown
CW-32 'SKY TRUCK' 4-engine civil/military project
CW-33 carrier-based heavy attack bomber project, lost to A3D Skywarrior
CW-34 unknown
CW-35 unknown
CW-36 unknown
CW-37 unknown
CW-38 unknown
CW-39 unknown
CW-40 helicopter design; became the Doman LZ-4


X-100 VTOL prototype
X-200 USAF X-19 VTOL prototype
X-300 Model LT-1 LIGHT TRANSPORT

AC2000? AERCAB
AC2500 AERCAB

? AERIAL JEEP (Army VZ-7-AP) (Aero-Physics Division)

? DART


NOTES:
- this post does not include the P-designs list
- last Beech-related design was CW-16 (hence the Model 17 being the first Beechcraft)
- an aircraft called the Curtis-Wright CW-21 created some confusion (note the spelling of Curtis)
- the so-called Curtiss-Wright CW-2 FLYMOBILE doesn't appear to be a Curtiss design
 
Then we're talking about this project, right? Makes a lot of sense... "CW-33" is way too late to be a variant of CW-19, anyway... (that was the CW-23, which probably accounts for the old typo). OK, then, I will revise my list accordingly. Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • Curtiss Proposal against A3D.jpg
    Curtiss Proposal against A3D.jpg
    147 KB · Views: 372
The Curtiss Archives Finding Aid mentions some very interesting stuff...

- C-250 Curtiss Fast Mail Plane Design Proposal (Photos) 8/24/31 (no idea about this one)
- Curtiss Transport XT-22 [blueprint drawing], 3/4/32 (a typo for T-32?)
- Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Airplane Division, Buffalo Plant, Attack Bomber, Report No. 9428, 10/10/44 (XA-43?)
- Proposed Curtiss-Wright Helicopter Airliner Development Report V-151-S-3, 10/00/44
- KD-V Navy Target Aircraft (All Versions) January 1949 (KD3C-1)
- MX-948 Medium Bomber, 1949 ("general research on bomber aircraft")
- MX-955 Trainer (same specification as the XT-28 Trojan)
- Turbo-Cyclone Powered Tanker Proposal: Curtiss-Wright (a tanker proposal??)
- Model 33, Navy V.A. Proposal, Contract No. 10430, 1949 (a competitor of the A3D Skywarrior)
- Curtiss-Wright Corporation, "Sky-Clearer" Interceptor Pursuit (abandoned), 8/10/44 (ain't got the faintest notion... XF15C-1?)
- Curtiss-Wright Corp. Proposal for the Model P-283 Military Cargo Transport, ENG-57-416-172, 12/13/43 (the CW-27 Caravan?)
- Curtiss-Wright Zephyr TJ-38 Turbojet Engine, Brochures & Photos, 8/27/57 (Zephyr??)

There is also some interesting and oft little-known subcontracting work such as these:

- XLR-25-CW-1 Curtiss-Wright Rocket Engine Power Plant for the Bell X-2
- MX-772 Air Bearing, W-33-038-AC-14161, January to December 1949
- P-80 Wing Tip W-33-038-AC-14316, 1949
- R4D Overhaul, January to December 1949
- Riveted Magnesium Alloy Wing Panels for BC-1 Airplanes, ENG-M-51/STR214 (Add. 17), 8/18/43
- Curtiss-Wright Thrust Reverser, May 1957
- Fire Extinguisher Systems for XF-71 & XP-55 Airplanes, ENG-54-658-77, 5/15/43
- Tricycle Landing Gear OA-4A, OA-51-63, 12/12/36

Also, the following P-designs are said to be featured in the Sarah Clark Archives:

- P-222
- P-224
- P-269
- P-283
 
My dear Stargazer,

I think the Sky-Clearer interceptor pursuit was from Curtiss-Wright
design,so it was XP-55 and not XF15C-1.
 
Your remark makes sense... except it's not THAT simple. You see, Curtiss and Wright merged on June 26, 1929, allowing them to pace through the economic depression with relative ease compared to the string of companies that went bankrupt or got swallowed by the competition. In the newly-formed company, both the Curtiss and Wright names were kept and each continued to be active, with Curtiss keeping all the aircraft stuff and Wright doing all the engines (including those that were formerly Curtiss). That was the theory, because the truth is that the Wright part of the company's decision-makers were more influential and had a way of controlling things in such a way that Wright became the leading entity.

After 1930, the name Curtiss-Wright is associated with airplanes, engines, a Flying School, a Flying Service, a Technical Institute, flight simulators... and of course the plants, located in Buffalo, Garden City, Paterson, St. Louis, Columbus and so forth. The aircraft conceived and built in St. Louis used the CW- numbering system, but that's about the only difference. More often than not, the press refered to the aircraft as Curtiss or Curtiss-Wright without any distinction. Even official documents called the aircraft Curtiss-Wright.

So I wouldn't be so categoric as you are when you say that "Curtiss-Wright" necessarily refers to a St. Louis-built "CW-" aircraft... Perhaps so, but we can't be so sure from one line in a repository's index...
 
Interesting design history note on the XP-71, since it comes directly from the company records and not some "historian's" assumption or analysis).
The XP-71 was an 'outgrowth of P-259 & P-264." it was scheduled to be built at St. Louis, before Sales Order D-27 for two XP-71s was cancelled.
 
I only discovered those P-259 & P-264 mentions this morning, and am interested in finding more, myself. Will keep looking-now that I know what I am looking for ;) I'm quite pleased at the success of finding out the meaning of "S.O." in the production charts, so quickly today, after seeing it and wondering what it meant, for past couple of years. You never know what will drop out of some of these old files. But quite a bit of fun during the "treasure hunts." Always pieces of puzzles and mysteries, explained and revealed. :)
 
"CW" list (from this thread) clarification:

CW-2; Coupe; 1931; St. Louis; Kinner 100hp; 2 PCLM

(*my understanding of these standard codes...2 passenger-(including pilot), closed-cockpit, Land, monoplane)
Not built.
 
CW-16 clarifications

CW-16; Trainer; Travel Air; 16E; 1930-33; St. Louis; Wright R-540; 3POLB, 175hp

CW-16; (Com); Travel Air; 16K; 1931; St. Louis; Kinner 125hp; 3POLB

CW-16; Travel Air 16W; 1931; S. Louis; Warner Scarab 110hp; 3POLB

MY note would be, while Aerofiles and other sources MAY have listed as "CW"-16E, "CW"-16K, and "CW"-16W "Models". I do not think this is correct as a Curtiss designation. No problem with listing them as "Travel Air Model 16-E" etc etc. But 'IF" they were listed in usual official company designations they were more likely to be listed as "Design numbers" with the usual A-Z dash letter. "CW-16, CW-16A. CW-16B" etc etc
The company policy as to designations is quoted in their book as. "Subsequent variations or developments of the design are given a dash letter." As can be plainly seen in their many pages of charts and designation listings, these dash letters FOR THE DESIGN NUMBER are A-Z in alphabetical order, and not letters of engine codes. The additon of a dash letter as engine code is used in the "Alternate Model Designation."

The Company "Prime Model Designation" would be "Travel Air." The company "Alternative Model Designation" would be listed as "16-E, 16-K" etc etc

Also, having a strong interest in the pre-WWII engines, it might be noted that the Wright R-540 is also commonly known as the Wright J-6-5 Whirlwind.
 
Doing some more digging throgh the Curtiss archives, this morning. Came across a mention of the Curtiss Wright Model 410 in the back of the X-19 files. Huge VTOL with Ten times the payload @ 12,740-15,000 lbs. It is/was also a four engine tilt rotor with 23' props. Will do some more digging..
 
Hi all
if you google Travel Air 4000, wikipedia gives a page of information about this aircraft. however it does not refer to the Travel Air 4000 as Curtiss Wright CW-4 but as CW-14. however lists appearing on this tread indicate it as being CW-4, and CW-14 being a different aircraft. i am confused. can someone clarify please?
 
answer removed and replaced by this more accurate one:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,21234.msg209683.html#msg209683
 
Thanks Stargazer

i want to add that the Travel Air 4000 (as well as the 5000 and 6000) were later being called Travel Air 4 (5, 6 etc). it seems Travel Air, upon being absorbed by Curtiss Wright removed the three zeroes from their designations.
 
I'm not sure if the following so-called "mystery" has ever been debunked in this thread, but I should think not, so here goes.

Author Peter Bowers and others mentioned five mysterious/unverified entries that appear in the U.S. civilian register as pertaining to unidentified Curtiss-Wright types. These are as follows:
  • 3435 Curtis Wright Coupe (Anzani) (c/n CW1A)
  • 3436 Curtis Wright Aircoach (Hispano-Suiza) (c/n CW1H)
  • X9741 Curtis Wright CW-2 Sport Trainer (Anzani) (c/n 1-C)
  • X9742 Curtis Wright CW-4 Commercial (Siemens) (c/n 2-C)
  • X9743 Curtis Wright CW-5 Junior Transport (3 Anzanis) (c/n 3-C)
As the Aerofiles website rightly points out, these are NOT related in any way to the Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Co. or any of its subsidiaries, but to Mr. Curtis (first name) Wright (surname) from Halfway, Michigan. Several clues can easily confirm that:
  • The spelling "Curtis" and the absence of a hyphen in between Curtis and Wright.
  • The dates of these registrations (1927 for the first two, and January 9, 1929 for the other three) predate the existence of the name "Curtiss-Wright Airplane Co." (the merger officially took place on July 5, 1929).
  • The form of the c/n numbers which does not resemble anything Curtiss-Wright or its subsidiaries ever did.
  • The mere fact that five distinct prototypes could not simply have been omitted in all Curtiss-Wright records.
It would seem, however, that Aerofiles got confused over the Coupe and Aircoach, as CW1A and CW1H are apparently listed as c/n, not model numbers (although it is safe to assume that the model number may also have been CW-1). A sixth registration is [179M] allocated to a "Coats CW-2P" (c/n 2P-101). This may or may not be related to the CW-2 listed above, but the fact that the engine is the same is certainly worthy of notice. There remains a mystery here, though, Mr Wright's missing "CW-3"...

Anyway, to make the story complete, the same Curtis Wright settled in Los Angeles in 1945 under the company name "Curtis Wright Industries' Aircraft & Trailers". He built the diminutive CW-2 Flymobile helicopter that same year, and the CW-21 twin-boom pusher [NX37601] in 1947, two prototypes that found no market. No doubt that keeping both his names in the company's identity was seen as a clever marketing ploy by Wright as it could give the impression that the designs emanated from a respected aviation giant instead of a small caravan and trailer manufacturer!
 
I have now split the Curtiss designations topic into smaller separate ones. This here topic is for the CW- designations and P- projects. Other topics are as follows:
  • The main topic, which deals mainly with the so-called 1935 system, can be found here:
    http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1643.0
 
Allow me to answer a few untackled questions from earlier in this thread:


"SKY-CLEARER" Interceptor Pursuit, 1944

hesham said:
I think the Sky-Clearer interceptor pursuit was from Curtiss-Wright design,so it was XP-55 and not XF15C-1.

The P-55 was not an "interceptor" and the F15C was not a "pursuit" (that word was only used by the Army for their fighters, and stuck until 1948 when the P- for pursuit became the F- for fighter). The only candidate that fits the description "Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 'Sky-Clearer' Interceptor Pursuit (abandoned), 8/10/44" and was scheduled to be built at St. Louis is the XP-71.



Curtiss-Wright CW-2

memaerobilia said:
CW-2; Coupe; 1931; St. Louis; Kinner 100hp; 2 PCLM

Three things I want to point out here. First, as the list shared by aim9xray suggests, "Coupe" was not the name given to the CW-2 but only the type of aircraft. Secondly, since the Curtiss-Robertson CR-1 Skeeter prototype was produced as the CW-1 Junior, it is possible that the CW-2 might likewise have been a planned production version of the CR-2 Coupe prototypes. Finally, I have read somewhere that the Coupe sort of laid the foundations for what became the CW-19 Sparrow/Coupe. Unless the CW-2 was to have been a major redesign of the CR-2 there is really two little commonality between the 1929 Coupe and the 1935 one to establish such a lineage!



Curtiss-Wright CW-5 "PEGASUS"

memaerobilia said:
CW-5; Freighter; Pegasus; (proposed)

Stargazer2006 said:
It is likely that the CW-5 JUNIOR TRANSPORT (also found as the FREIGHTER) also started life as the Travel Air 5000.

I made a terrible mistake here as I was mixing up the Curtiss-Wright CW-5 Pegasus, an unbuilt freighter proposal, with the "Curtis Wright" CW-5 Junior Transport, an evasive 1929 prototype that had nothing to do with the Curtiss-Wright Airplane Co. (see two posts above).

In fact I made TWO terrible mistakes in this thread, for which I deeply apologize. The Travel Air 5000 was NEVER allocated the CW-5 slot for record purposes. Just like the 1000, 2000, 3000, the 5000 was no longer produced. Only the types that were still in production or still considered for production got a number in the new CW- list. That left the company with four unused slots, which they allocated to the Junior (CW-1), the unbuilt coupe (CW-2), the Duck (formerly known as Teal and Duckling) (CW-3) and the Pegasus freighter project (CW-5).



B-2 "CONDOR"?

elmayerle said:
Was the original B-2 bomber, also named Condor, also under the CW-4 designation or did it have another?

Jos Heyman already partly answered this one, but let me add to it. The CW- list was for Saint-Louis related designs ONLY. The Condor bomber and Condor CO (Condor 18) transport were not only earlier (being drafted in 1929), but they were Garden City and Buffalo products. When the 1935 system was introduced, the NBS-4, B-2 Condor and Condor 18 received the Models 36, 52 and 53 designations in retrospect. The T-32 Condor (the Condor "II") was purely a Saint-Louis product, bestowed upon that branch as a bone to chew when production of other types subsided.

Why call it CW-4 afterwards when the type was no longer produced? The reason for this is strange, as in all logic it should have occupied a much later slot, and the CW-4 slot had previously been reserved for the Travel Air 4 (previously Travel Air 4000). Perhaps a case of superstition to avoid CW-13? We will never know...



Curtiss-Wright Model 410

Jos Heyman said:
Curtiss had projected a whole range of this type of aircraft with known type designations 201, 203, 205, 207, 300, 325, 410, 425 and 500, but with probably a lot more designs.

memaerobilia said:
Doing some more digging throgh the Curtiss archives, this morning. Came across a mention of the Curtiss Wright Model 410 in the back of the X-19 files. Huge VTOL with Ten times the payload @ 12,740-15,000 lbs. It is/was also a four engine tilt rotor with 23' props. Will do some more digging..

The Model 410 (also found as X-410) is probably pretty close to the Model 425 (X-425) / LT-1 "Light Transport" passenger or troop transport project. Perhaps a cargo variant of the same?



Curtiss-Wright CW-33

hesham said:

It appears through comparing the various bits of data at our disposal that this designation was assigned to a carrier-based heavy attack bomber project designated inhouse as the P-558 and submitted to the OS-111 tender. It was given Contract No. 10430 but lost to the A3D.



Curtiss-Wright CW-40

nugo said:
CW-40----Helicopter,formerly Doman LZ-4.

"The LZ-4 is the engineer-produced and hand-built prototype of the LZ-5. Built specifically for research purposes, it was taken over by Curtiss Wright, where it was given the designation of CW-40. The LZ-4's maiden flight took place in November 1950."
P.Lambermont "Helicopters and Autogyros of the World", 1958

"Doman moved on to the improved LZ-5 and transferred the LZ-4A (N74147) to Curtiss Wright as a test vehicle."
R.Simpson "Airlife's Helicopter and Rotorcraft", 1998

You can notice in these two references a disagreement on the designation: LZ-4? LZ-4A? Why did Curtiss-Wright take over that prototype specifically, anyway? The only reference we have to a Curtiss-Wright helicopter project is this "Curtiss-Wright Helicopter Airliner Development Report V-151-S-3, 10/00/44" but it's earlier, and apart from this, no helicopter work was associated to the company in that period of time... Perhaps some engine- or blade-related work?



"Design Numbers", "model Numbers", or "Alternate Model Designations"?

memaerobilia said:
while Aerofiles and other sources MAY have listed as "CW"-16E, "CW"-16K, and "CW"-16W "Models". I do not think this is correct as a Curtiss designation. No problem with listing them as "Travel Air Model 16-E" etc etc. But 'IF" they were listed in usual official company designations they were more likely to be listed as "Design numbers" with the usual A-Z dash letter. "CW-16, CW-16A. CW-16B" etc etc
The company policy as to designations is quoted in their book as. "Subsequent variations or developments of the design are given a dash letter." As can be plainly seen in their many pages of charts and designation listings, these dash letters FOR THE DESIGN NUMBER are A-Z in alphabetical order, and not letters of engine codes. The additon of a dash letter as engine code is used in the "Alternate Model Designation."
The Company "Prime Model Designation" would be "Travel Air." The company "Alternative Model Designation" would be listed as "16-E, 16-K" etc etc

Point well taken. I, of all people, do use the terms "model", "type" and "design" very often indistinctly whereas they can represent very different notions depending on the manufacturer. In the case of Curtiss we can see clearly that there were "Primary Model Designations" (often a bird's name) and an "Alternate Model Designations" (most often the military designation). However, in both cases they are still refered to as "Model Designations". In the case of the CW-16 series, "CW-16" is considered the "Design Number" and is put in parentheses (an indication that it was never used as such), "Travel Air" the "Primary Model Designation", and 16-E, 16-K and 16-W are clearly marked as "Alternate Model Designations". Still, looking at the whole list, there are many incoherences and therefore whatever we find there must always be taken with a pinch of salt and cross-referenced with other company documents!
 
kenneth said:
if you google Travel Air 4000, wikipedia gives a page of information about this aircraft. however it does not refer to the Travel Air 4000 as Curtiss Wright CW-4 but as CW-14. however lists appearing on this tread indicate it as being CW-4, and CW-14 being a different aircraft. i am confused. can someone clarify please?

Stargazer2006 said:
"CW-14" for the Travel Air 4000 is definitely a typo. It should read CW-4. The CW-14 was a biplane variously called the Sportsman, the Speedwing or the Osprey depending on the versions.
Please note also that the "CW-4" designation was allocated for record purposes but was seldom used, as people continued to refer to the aircraft as a "Travel Air." Also, "CW-4" is said to have been given at some point (still for record purposes) to the T-32 Condor.

Something I didn't sufficiently insist on is that the Travel Air 12, 14 and 16 aircraft (designs CW-12, CW-14, CW-16 in the company records) were developed from the Travel Air 4 (or 4000). Upon checking the Wikipedia page, I realize that the way they put is not quite what kenneth said. They do NOT refer to the Travel Air 4000 "as Curtiss CW-14"... What they actually say is that the Travel Air 4000 "continued in production into the early 1930s as the CW-14"! That's a different thing altogether!
 
If you have a designation to add or discuss, this is the right place.


However, to share pictures of a type that's already listed and/or documented on the forum, some other topics are more appropriate.


I have moved the posts on the P-558 project to the dedicated OS-111 topic which already contains more images of the same:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,570.msg211086.html#msg211086
 
Aviation article from 1938 on the Model 20. Looks like a mockup. Hope this is the correct place to post this.
 

Attachments

  • CW20 a.png
    CW20 a.png
    916 KB · Views: 195
  • CW20 b.png
    CW20 b.png
    534.4 KB · Views: 164
  • CW20 c.png
    CW20 c.png
    553.1 KB · Views: 122
  • CW20 d.png
    CW20 d.png
    498.6 KB · Views: 106
  • CW20 e.png
    CW20 e.png
    453 KB · Views: 97
Thanks a lot :)

The "p" was a mistake during the writing. Sorry for that.

I meant, that the CW-16 version for the Argentinean Naval Aviation was designated CW-16E.3 (E for export).

So, I suppose, the was also the export versions CW-16E.1 and .2 for other countries.
 
... I meant, that the CW-16 version for the Argentinean Naval Aviation was designated CW-16E.3 (E for export).

So, I suppose, the was also the export versions CW-16E.1 and .2 for other countries.

That CW-16E.3 designation is a puzzle. However, I rather doubt that the 'E' in CW-16E stood for 'export'. As its name suggests, the raison d'être of the Curtiss-Wright Export Corporation was exporting aircraft ... so why wouldn't the rest of their export products have been assigned 'E' for 'export' designation suffixes?

Since the CW-16K had a Kinner engine and the CW-16W had a Warner, I'm going to suggest that CW-15E also referred to its powerplant. Purely guesswork but that 'E' may refer to the fifth sub-type of Whirlwind - ie, the Wright J-6-5 aka R-540E.
 
Hello,
I’ve been collecting aeronautica for a number of years. I have a couple of Curtiss Wright blueprints. One of them I think might help clear some confusion and add some clarification in this thread.

My Blueprint from 1932 is a large single engined freighter named the Pegasus. It’s designation is XF-32. I don’t think they even started a prototype of it.
I’m not really interested in joining a public forum and really don’t want to give its design away before I build a scale model. (That will be some time from now)

Regards, Stephen.
From a guest visitor.
 
Was it a "weird designation" or just some form of proposal number?

The previous year, Curtiss-Wright proposed its XT-22, a twin-engined, 11-passenger transport biplane. Referred to as 'Design C-251', details are few but the 'designation' style is similar to that of the XF-32. Safe to say that neither the XT-22 or 'XF-32' numberings has anything to do with the Curtiss-Wright designation sequence leading to the 1947 CW-32.

BTW: The 1932 XF-32 Pegasus is listed in the link below as a single-engined high-winged transport. Does anyone know what its planned 600 hp engine was to be?

 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom