Curtiss-Wright CW-19
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The Curtiss-Wright CW-19 was a civil utility aircraft designed in the United States in the mid-1930s and built in small quantities in a number of variants including the CW-23 military trainer prototype.


Design and development

Originally conceived as the Curtiss-Robertson CR-2 Coupe shortly before the Curtiss-Wright merger and the dropping of the Curtiss-Robertson brand, it was an all-metal, low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional configuration with fixed tailwheel undercarriage and side-by-side seating for two. A prominent feature on all versions other than the original CR-2 prototypes was the large "trouser"-style wheel spats. While the design was never perfected for the civil market it was originally intended for, a militarized version was soon developed that replaced the side-by-side cabin with tandem seating and added provision for guns and bombs.


Production

Twenty-six CW-19s of all types were produced. The first was a single CW-19L built in 1935, known as either "Coupe" or "Sparrow" in documents. It would be purchased by the US Government and assigned the registration number NS-69. The second aircraft built was a CW-19W, which featured a much more powerful 145 hp
Warner Super 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. Varia ...
in place of the Lambert engine. It was decided that this aircraft was not well-suited for private civil aviation, and was also discontinued after one prototype. The military-grade CW-19R saw a significant revision to the cockpit and canopy, removing the old "Coupe" design and replacing it with a tandem-seat sliding glass canopy. Powerplant options varied between the Wright R-760E2 and Wright R-975E3. A variety of armament options were also available, including a synchronized fuselage-mounted machine gun firing through the propeller arc, two gun pods mounted outboard of the landing gear, a flexible mount for the second aviator to use as a defensive turret, bombs, and an auxiliary fuel tank. Twenty two examples would be produced and would be the only version to be sold, with the majority going to South and Central American countries. The CW-A19R was an unarmed version of the CW-19R intended for the
USAAC The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
but without any success. It would also be offered on the civil market as the ATC A-629. A total of two CW-A19R would be completed—one company demonstrator for Curtiss-Wright and one sold to a private owner. A third was not completed and rebuilt as a CW-22. A CW-B19R was planned and advertised, based upon the CW-A19R but with a four or five-seat civilian cabin, but it was not built.


Operational history

Curtiss-Wright hoped that in its militarized form the CW-19 could be sold on the export market as a ground-attack machine. But orders were disappointing, with two sold to the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, ten to
Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
, six to
Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
, and three to
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. Additionally, one example was delivered to
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
where it was likely purchased. An unarmed trainer version was also developed and offered to the
USAAC The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
but no orders were placed. In a final attempt to find a market for the design, engine power was increased from to , and a retractable undercarriage was fitted. In this form, designated CW-23, the aircraft was offered once again to the USAAC, this time as an advanced trainer, but once again the service was not interested. The CW-19 did, however, form the basis of the far more successful CW-21 and CW-22 designs.


Variants

*CR-2 - Curtiss-Robertson prototype with strut-braced wing and unfaired undercarriage (two built) *Model 19L - prototype with cantilever wing, spatted undercarriage and
Lambert R-266 Lambert may refer to People *Lambert (name), a given name and surname * Lambert, Bishop of Ostia (c. 1036–1130), became Pope Honorius II *Lambert, Margrave of Tuscany ( fl. 929–931), also count and duke of Lucca *Lambert (pianist), stage-name ...
engine (one built) *Model 19W - prototype with
Warner Super 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. Varia ...
engine (one built) *Model 19Q - Lycoming R-680-B2 Seaplane design (none built) *Model 19R Fighter - militarized version with tandem seating, weapons mountings, and
Wright J-6-7 The Wright R-760 Whirlwind was a series of seven-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by the Wright Aeronautical division of Curtiss-Wright. These engines had a displacement of 756 in³ (12.4 L) and power ratings of 225-35 ...
engine (23 built) *Model 19R Long Range Trainer - Extra center mounted 35 gallon aux tank pod. One fixed forward gun, one rear manned gun. *Model 19R Light Bomber - Two .30 cal guns with two A-3 bomb racks. (563 lb) *Model 19R Photo Reconnaissance - Two bottom mounted camera ports. *Model 19R Attack (special) - single seat with wing mounted guns (none built) *Model 19R Advanced Trainer - Pratt & Whitney R-760-E2 or R-975-E3 engine choices. *Model 19R Seaplane - proposed 1936 variant of the 19Q (none built) **Model A19R - military trainer offered to USAAC (three built, one later converted to CW-22) **Model B19R - projected civil version of Model A19R (none built) **Model C19R - Amphibian standard trainer R-975-E3 (none built) **Model C19R - Amphibian advanced trainer (none built) **Model C19R - Amphibian fighter - One forward gun, one manned gun (none built) **Model C19R - Amphibian photographic aircraft - Fairchild KB-3 camera mount **Model C19Z - Standard Amphibian or Seaplane trainer - Pratt & Whitney Wasp SC-G *CW-23 - advanced military trainer with
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 The Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp is an aircraft engine of the reciprocating type that was widely used in American aircraft from the 1920s onward. It was the Pratt & Whitney aircraft company's first engine, and the first of the famed Wasp series ...
engine and retractable undercarriage (one built)


Operators

* received 10 CW-19Rs in 1938, with four remaining in service in 1949. * received one CW-19R.Lennart 2008, p. 129. * received three CW-19Rs in 1937, one remaining in service until 1948.Hagedorn 1992, p.76.Bowers 1979, p. 411. * purchased two CW-19Rs in 1937. * received six in 1936, remaining in service until 1943.


Surviving aircraft

Another CW-19R survives intact, in the Airforce Museum in Dominican Republic. It flew as “Colon” in the 1937 Pan-American flight to raise funds for the
Columbus Lighthouse Columbus Lighthouse ( es, Faro a Colón, links=no, meaning "Lighthouse to Columbus") is a Mausoleum, mausoleum monument located in Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic, in tribute to Christopher Columbus. Construction began in 1986, using plans ...
in the Dominican Republic. The sole surviving example was at
Fantasy of Flight Fantasy of Flight is an aviation museum in Polk City, Florida. It opened in November 1995, to house Kermit Weeks' collection of aircraft that, until Hurricane Andrew damaged many in 1992, were housed at the Weeks Air Museum in Tamiami, Florida ...
on March 22, 2013, having been transported from Bolivia in 1995 for restoration. The airplane carries its original Bolivian markings, per the export agreement with the Bolivian government. On February 10, 2014, it flew its first test flight since restoration began.


Specifications (CW-19R)


See also


References


Notes


Bibliography

* Bowers, Peter M. ''Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947''. London: Putnam, 1979. . * Hagedorn, Dan. "Curtiss Types in Latin America". ''Air Enthusiast,'' Issue Forty-Five, March–May 1992, pp. 61–77. . * * * * * Lennart, Andersson ''A History of Chinese Aviation. Encyclopedia of Aircraft and Aviation in China until 1949''. AHS of ROC, 2008. * Taylor, Michael J. H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation''. London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 288. * ''World Aircraft Information Files''. London: Bright Star Publishing, File 891 Sheet 55.


External links

{{Curtiss-Wright aircraft 1930s United States civil utility aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1935