POWER PLANT: Franklin O-300-11 air-cooled engine, rated at 150 hp
PERFORMANCE: 180 mph
COMMENT: The Culver TDC-2 and TD2C-1 radio-controlled drones were Navy duplicates of the USAAF Culver PQ-8A and PQ-14A targets. The PQ-8 was a larger and more powerful derivative of the commercial Culver LCA sports plane. A single PQ-8 was converted to the new configuration and tested by the USAAF as the Culver XPQ-14. In 1942 the US Navy ordered 200 TDC-2, designated ‘Turkey’. In 1943 Culver introduced a new target drone powered by a 150 hp Flanklin O-300-11 engine and with a retractable undercarriage. Like the PQ-8, it was flown manned for ferry or check-out flights, or by radio-control from the ground as a target drone. Of a total of 1,348 PQ-14As built for the USAAF, 1,201 were transferred to the US Navy as TD2C-1 (Ref.: 24).
POWER PLANT: One Pratt & Whitney R-1340-18 radial engine, rated at 550 hp
PERFORMANCE: 165 mph at 5,000 ft
COMMENT: The Curtiss SOC “Seagull” was an American single-engine scout observation biplane aircraft, designed by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation for the US Navy. The aircraft served on battleships and cruisers in a seaplane configuration, being launched by catapult and recovered from a sea landing. The wings folded back against the fuselage for storage aboard ship. When delivered from factory or based ashore or on carriers the single float was replaced by fixed wheeled landing gear.
The SOC was ordered for production by the US Navy in 1933 and first entered service in 1935. The first order was for 135 SOC-1 models, which was followed by 40 SOC-2 models for landing operations and 83 SOC-3s. A variant of the SOC-3 was built by the Naval Aircraft Factory and was known as the SON-1
The SOC was not called the “Seagull” until 1941, when the U.S. Navy began the wholesale adoption of popular names for aircraft in addition to their alpha-numeric designations (Ref.:24).
POWER PLANT: One Pratt & Whitney R-1340-18 radial engine, rated at 550 hp
PERFORMANCE: 165 mph at 5,000 ft
COMMENT: The Curtiss SOC “Seagull” was an American single-engine scout observation biplane aircraft, designed by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation for the US Navy. The aircraft served on battleships and cruisers in a seaplane configuration, being launched by catapult and recovered from a sea landing. The wings folded back against the fuselage for storage aboard ship. When based ashore or on carriers the single float was replaced by fixed wheeled landing gear.
The SOC was ordered for production by the US Navy in 1933 and first entered service in 1935. The first order was for 135 SOC-1 models, which was followed by 40 SOC-2 models for landing operations and 83 SOC-3s. A variant of the SOC-3 was built by the Naval Aircraft Factory and was known as the SON-1
By 1941, most battleships had transitioned to the Vought OS2U “Kingfisher” and cruisers were expected to replace their aging SOCs with the third generation Curtiss SO3C “Seamew”. The SO3C, however, suffered from a weak engine and plans to adopt it as a replacement were scrapped. The SOC, despite belonging to an earlier generation, went on to execute its missions of gunfire observation and limited range scouting missions.
The SOC was not called the “Seagull” until 1941, when the U.S. Navy began the wholesale adoption of popular names for aircraft in addition to their alpha-numeric designations.
When operating as a seaplane, returning SOCs would land on the relatively smooth ocean surface created on the sheltered side of the vessel as it made a wide turn, after which the aircraft would be winched back onto the deck.
When the SOC was replaced by the OS2U “Kingfisher”, most remaining airframes were converted into trainers; they remained in use until 1945. With the failure of the Curtiss SO3C “Seamew”, many SOCs in second line service were returned to frontline units starting in late 1943. They saw service aboard warships in the combat zone for the rest of World War II. This is one of the few instances in aviation history in which an older aircraft type, that was retired or sent to second line service, replaced the new aircraft type that was intended to replace it (Ref.: 24).
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Curtiss SOC-3 “Seagull”
Scale 1:72 aircraft models of World War II
Mit der weiteren Nutzung unserer Webseite erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass wir Cookies verwenden um Ihnen die Nutzerfreundlichkeit dieser Webseite zu verbessern. Weitere Informationen zum Datenschutz finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
