The Curtiss-Wright CW-12 Sport Trainer and CW-16 Light Sport (also marketed under the

Travel Air The Travel Air Manufacturing Company was an aircraft manufacturer established in Wichita, Kansas, United States in January 1925 by Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, and Lloyd Stearman. History The company initially built a series of sporting and tr ...

brand that Curtiss-Wright had recently acquired) were high-performance training aircraft designed by Herbert Rawdon and Ted Wells and built in the United States in the early 1930s.

Development

The CW-12 and CW-16 shared the same basic design as conventional single-bay biplanes with staggered wings braced with N-struts. The pilot and instructor sat in tandem, open cockpits, the forward cockpit of the CW-12 having a single seat, while the CW-16's forward cockpit could seat two passengers side-by-side. Both versions of the aircraft were available in a variety of engine choices, and some CW-16s were exported as trainers to the air forces of Bolivia and Ecuador.

Variants

;CW-12 *CW-12K - version powered by

Kinner K-5 The Kinner K-5 was a popular engine for light general and sport aircraft developed by Winfield B. 'Bert' Kinner. With the boom in civilian aviation after Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight the K-5 sold well. The K-5 was a rough running but ...

engine. Two built.Bowers 1979, p.402. *CW-12Q - version powered by Wright-built

de Havilland Gipsy The de Havilland Gipsy is a British air-cooled four-cylinder in-line aircraft engine designed by Frank Halford in 1927 to replace the ADC Cirrus in the de Havilland DH.60 Moth light biplane. Initially developed as an upright 5 litre (3 ...

. 26 built. *CW-12W - version powered by

Warner Scarab The Warner Scarab is an American seven-cylinder radial aircraft engine, that was manufactured by the Warner Aircraft Corporation of Detroit, Michigan in 1928 through to the early 1940s. In military service the engine was designated R-420. Vari ...

. 12 built + 1 replica ;CW-16 * CW-16E - version powered by Wright J-6 Whirlwind 5 engine. (10 built).Bowers 1979, p. 408. * CW-16K - version powered by

Kinner B-5 The Kinner B-5 was a popular five cylinder American radial engine for light general and sport aircraft of the 1930s. Design and development The B-5 was a development of the earlier K-5 with slightly greater power and dimensions. The main change ...

engine (11 built). * CW-16W - version powered by Warner Scarab engine (1 built).

Operators

Civil owners in USA and United Kingdom ; * Argentine Navy purchased 15 CW-16Es in 1935, with 13 more possibly being built from 1938. The type remained in use until 1949.Hagedorn ''Air Enthusiast'' March to May 1992, p. 76. ; *

Bolivian Air Force The Bolivian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Boliviana or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces. History By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft (Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Co ...

purchased three CW-16s in 1934, with the type in use until 1943. ; * Brazilian Air Force received 15 CW-16Ws, with Warner Scarab engines in 1935, the type remaining in service until 1940. ; *

Colombian Air Force , "We are the Force" , colours = , colours_label = , march = Colombian Air Force Hymn , mascot = Capitan Paz , anniversaries = 8 November , ...

received six CW-16s in 1933.Hagedorn ''Air Enthusiast'' March to May 1992, p. 75. ; *

Ecuadorian Air Force The Ecuadorian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana, FAE) is the Air arm of the Military of Ecuador and responsible for the protection of the Ecuadorian airspace. Mission To develop the military air wing, in order to execute institutional ...

purchased six CW-16Es in 1935, with three more CW-16s following in 1936. Three remained in use until 1944.Hagedorn ''Air Enthusiast'' March to May 1992, pp. 75–76.

Specifications (CW-12Q)

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * {{Curtiss-Wright aircraft 1930s United States civil trainer aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1931