Curtiss F6C Hawk

In March 1925, the US Navy ordered nine P-1s with provision for float operation as F6Cs (the F5C designation was not assigned, to avoid confusion with the F-5 flying boat), five of these being delivered as F6C-1s and four (with arrester hooks) as F6C-2s. These had similar power plant and armament to the USAAC's P-1. Two of the F6C-1s were later converted to -2 standard. In 1927, 35 additional aircraft were ordered, these using the P-1A airframe and being designated F6C-3. Two F6C-1s were converted to -3 standard and one F6C-3 was fitted with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial as the XF6C-3.

The US Navy had decided, by 1927, to standardise on air-cooled radial engines, which were more easily maintained at sea than liquid-cooled inline engines. Accordingly, after trials with a Pratt & Whitney R-1340- engined F6C-3, a production contract was placed for 31 fighters powered by this 410hp radial as F6C-4s. The first of these aircraft, which was retained for test purposes, was assigned the designation XF6C-4 and deliveries commenced in February 1927. Possessing the same twin-gun armament as its predecessors, the F6C-4 proved more manoeuvrable than the V-1150- powered models, but was becoming obsolescent by the time that it was delivered. It remained first-line equipment only until the beginning of 1930. Experimental F6C models were the XF6C-5 (first F6C-1 fitted with a 525hp Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet), XF6C-6 (an F6C-3 converted to parasol monoplane configuration for the 1930 Thompson Trophy race), F6C-6 (an F6C-3 modified for 1929 air races and returned to -3 standard), and the XF6C-7 (an F6C-4 with an inverted air-cooled Ranger SGV-770 engine).

3-View

A three-view drawing of F6C-4 (1280 x 894)