CURTISS AEROPLANE AND MOTOR COMPANY

USA

Created January 1916 from former (though separate) Curtiss Aeroplane Company (Hammondsport, NY) and Curtiss Motor Company, opening new aircraft factory at Buffalo, NY. A third factory (Garden City, Long Island, NY) became boat hull department for flying-boat production. Burgess Company of Marblehead, Massachusetts, became a subsidiary in February 1916. Aircraft built during First World War included A and AH biplanes for USN, Models D and E for U.S. Army, Model F flying-boats for USN, H-4 Small Americas, H-12 Large Americas and H-16 Large Americas (plus 150 by Naval Aircraft Factory). Best-known were JN-4/JN-6 "Jenny" trainers (5,000 built, plus 1,200 by Canadian Curtiss), Curtiss JN-4 HS flying-boats, MF flying-boats, N-9 floatplanes, British S.E.5a fighters, Orenco D fighters, and 5L flying-boats. Total wartime was 4,014 aircraft and 750 aero engines. Postwar production, mostly in 1920s, included NC- 1/2/3/4 transatlantic flying-boats (four only); Oriole, Eagle, and Seagull civil types (little success achieved with the few built). Followed by a series of Army (R-6/R-8 etc.) and Navy (CR/R2C/R3C etc.) racers. Twelve B-2 Condor biplane bombers were followed by PW-8 biplane fighters, P-1/P- 6 U.S. Army Hawks, F6C U.S. Navy Hawks, and O-1/11/39 and A-3 Falcons for U.S. Army. The few Carrier Pigeons and Larks were followed by one Tanager biplane, which won 1929 Guggenheim Safe Airplane Competition. Subsequently produced N2C Fledgling, F8C/OC Falcon, and F8C/02C Helldivers for USN. Foundation of Curtiss-Robertson division in 1928 was followed by a merger with Wright Aeronautical Corporation on August 9,1929 to create Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Back to the letter C

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