Consolidated Courier on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The Consolidated O-17 Courier (company designation Model 2) was an observation and training aircraft used by the United States National Guard.
Development
A parallel development to the Consolidated PT-3 series, the XO-17 was a converted PT-3 with such refinements as improved fuselage streamlining, oleo shock absorbers, wheel brakes, balanced elevators and increased fuel capacity. It was used almost exclusively as a cross-country flying, gunnery, photographic and radio trainer. The O-17 had a removable fairing (carrying aScarff ring
The Scarff ring was a type of machine gun mounting developed during the First World War by Warrant Officer (Gunner) F. W. Scarff of the Admiralty Air Department for use on two-seater aircraft. The mount incorporated bungee cord suspension in eleva ...
mounting for one .30 cal (7.62 mm) trainable Browning machine gun}.
The Royal Canadian Air Force purchased three generally similar aircraft, two Model 7 landplanes and one Model 8 floatplane, the latter with the same float gear as the NY series.
The sole XO-17A was converted from the PT-3 as a demonstrator that failed to secure any orders. It was later fitted with the experimental Packard DR-980 Diesel engine of 225 hp (168 kW).
The Model 15 was also an O-17 type airframe fitted with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine. It too failed to win any contracts.
Variants
;XO-17 (prototype) : Consolidated PT-3 Conversion with a 225 hp (168 kW) Wright R-790-1 engine, streamlined fuselage, modified undercarriage, increased fuel capacity, provision for dual controls and a dorsal 0.3 in (7.62 mm) gun, one conversion. ;O-17 Model 2 Courier :Production version for United States National Guard use, 29 built. ;XO-17A (prototype) :One Consolidated PT-3 converted with a Wright R-790-3 engine intended for export. ;Model 7 (RCAF landplane) :Royal Canadian Air Force, two built. ;Model 8 (RCAF floatplane) :Royal Canadian Air Force, one built. ;XPT-8 (demonstrator) :The airframe of the XO-17A prototype fitted with a Packard DR-980 Diesel engine of 225 hp (168 kw), scrapped in 1932. ;XPT-8A :A single PT-3A (''29-115'') similarly converted with a Packard DR-980 Diesel engine with Project Number 'P-564', but returned to PT-3A configuration. The airframe was subsequently lost in a fatal midair with a P-12C of the17th Pursuit Squadron
17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 and preceding 18. It is a prime number.
Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers.
In mathematics
17 is the seventh prime number, which makes seventeen the fourth super-prime, as s ...
2 miles W of New Baltimore, Michigan
New Baltimore is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,117 at the 2020 census. New Baltimore is a northern suburb of Metro Detroit and is located along the northern shores of Lake St. Clair.
History
Ne ...
on 17 December 1931.
;Model 15 (demonstrator)
:Conversion with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine.
Operators
; * Royal Canadian Air Force ; * United States National Guard * Eskisehir Air School
See also
* Consolidated PT-1 Trusty * Consolidated PT-3 *Consolidated PT-11
The Consolidated Model 21 was an American two-seat training aircraft built by the Consolidated Aircraft Company. It was used by the United States Army Air Corps with the designation PT-11 and the United States Coast Guard under the designation N4 ...
References
{{USAF trainer aircraftConsolidated O-17
The Consolidated O-17 Courier (company designation Model 2) was an observation and training aircraft used by the United States National Guard.
Development
A parallel development to the Consolidated PT-3 series, the XO-17 was a converted PT-3 wit ...
O-17
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Biplanes
Aircraft first flown in 1927