Curtiss Robin Explained

The Curtiss Robin, introduced in 1928, is an American high-wing monoplane built by the Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Manufacturing Company.The J-1 version was flown by Wrongway Corrigan who crossed the Atlantic after being refused permission to do so.

Design

The Robin, a workmanlike cabin monoplane, had a wooden wing and steel tubing fuselage. The cabin accommodated three persons; two passengers were seated side-by-side behind the pilot. Early Robins were distinguished by large flat fairings over the parallel diagonal wing bracing struts; the fairings were abandoned on later versions, having been found to be ineffective in creating lift.^[1] The original landing gear had bungee rubber cord shock absorbers, later replaced by an oleo-pneumatic system; a number of Robins had twin floats added. Variants of the Robin were fitted with engines which developed .

Operational history

A single modified Robin (with a 110hp Warner R-420-1) was used by the United States Army Air Corps, and designated the XC-10. This aircraft was used in a test program for radio-controlled (and unmanned) flight.

Cuba's national airline, Compañía Nacional Cubana de Aviación Curtiss, was founded in 1929 with the Curtiss-Wright company serving as its co-founder and major investor. The airline's first aircraft was a Curtiss Robin and it was flown on domestic routes as a mail and passenger transport.

From September 1929 to May 1930 a Robin C-1 was used to deliver the McCook, Nebraska Daily Gazette to communities in rural Nebraska and Kansas. The airplane flew a nonstop route of daily, dropping bundles of newspapers from a height of to local carriers.^[2]

A Curtiss Robin C was purchased by the Paraguayan government in 1932 for the transport squadron of its air arm. It was intensively used as a VIP transport plane and air ambulance during the Chaco War (1932–1935).

Variants (Model 50)

Data from:Curtiss aircraft : 1907-1947

Challenger Robin: (Model 50A) An early version of the Robin, powered by a Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine.

Comet Robin: One Robin was converted by its owner in 1937, fitted with a Comet 7-D radial piston engine.

Robin: (Model 50A) Prototypes and initial production aircraft powered by Curtiss OX-5 engines.

Robin B: A three-seat cabin monoplane, fitted with wheel brakes and a steerable tailwheel, powered by a Curtiss OX-5 V-8 engine; about 325 were built.

Robin B-2: A three-seat cabin monoplane, powered by a Wright-Hisso "A","E" and "I" V-8 water-cooled piston engine.

Robin C: A three-seat cabin monoplane, powered by a or Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; about 50 built.

Robin C-1: (Model 50C) An improved version of the Robin C, powered by a Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; over 200 built.

Robin C-2: (Model 50D) A long-range version fitted with an extra fuel tank, powered by a Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; six built.

Robin 4C: (Model 50E) A four-seat version, powered by a Curtiss Challenger radial piston engine; one built.

Robin 4C-1: A three-seat version with an enlarged forward fuselage section; three built.

Robin 4C-1A: (Model 50G) Another four-seat version with an enlarged forward fuselage section; 11 built.

Robin 4C-2: A single un-certified version powered by a Wright J-6-7 Whirlwind engine.

Robin CR: A one-off experimental version, fitted with a Curtiss Crusader engine.

Robin J-1: (Model 50H) Powered by a Wright J-6-5 Whirlwind radial piston engine; about 40 built.

Robin J-2: (Model 50I) A long-range version, with fuel. Two were built

Robin J-3: A J-1 temporarily designated J-3, which reverted to the J-1 designation after being de-modified.

Robin M: A Robin B aircraft, fitted with the Milwaukee Tank V-502 V-8 engine (air-cooled OX-5 conversions).

Robin W: (Model 50J) Powered by a Warner Scarab radial piston engine. Only a small number were built in 1930.

XC-10: One Robin W was sold to the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) and converted into an unmanned pilot-less radio-controlled test aircraft, powered by a Warner R-420-1.

Operators

Military operators

Paraguay

• Paraguayan Air Force

• United States Army Air Corps

Surviving aircraft

Australia

• 477 – J-1 airworthy with John Graeme Vevers of Patterson Lakes, Victoria.^[3]

Brazil

• 248 – C-2 in storage at the TAM Museum in São Carlos, São Paulo.^[4]

Canada

• 405 – C-1 on display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.^[5]

Costa Rica

• C-1 on display at the Juan Santamaría International Airport domestic terminal in Alajuela, Costa Rica.

Germany

• 130 – J-1 airworthy with Antique Aeroflyers in Mengen, Baden-Württemberg.^{[6] [7]}

United States

• 193 – B airworthy at the Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.^{[8] [9] [10]}
• 213 – B airworthy at the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon.^{[11] [12]}
• 329 – B-1 on static display at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in San Diego, California.^[13]
• 337 – C-1 on static display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.^{[14] [15] [16]}
• 403 – B-2 on display at the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.^{[17] [18]}
• 469 – C-1 on display at the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.^{[19] [20]}
• 628 – C-1 on static display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.^[21]
• 712 – 4C-1A on display at the Western North Carolina Air Museum in Hendersonville, North Carolina.^{[22] [23]}
• 733 – J-1D on display at the Shannon Air Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia.^{[24] [25]} It was previously on display at the Virginia Aviation Museum.^[26]
• 737 – J-1 airworthy with Brian T. Coughlin of Cazenovia, New York.^[27] It is based at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.
• J-1 Ole Miss (US registration NR526N) on static display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. that set the aviation endurance record in 1935 (continuously airborne June 4-July 1), which it held for 4 years.^[28]
• On static display at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York. It has floats in place of wheeled landing gear.^[29]
• On display at the Air Zoo in Portage, Michigan.^{[30] [31] [32]}
• On display at the Eagles Mere Air Museum in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania.^[33]
• On static display at the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New York.^[34]
• On display at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum in Maryland Heights, Missouri.^[35]
• Under restoration at the Candler Field Museum in Williamson, Georgia.^[36] Now owned and operated by Capt. Buerk’s Living History Museum in New Hampshire.
• Under restoration at the Port Townsend Aero Museum in Port Townsend, Washington.^[37]

Bibliography

• Hagedorn. Dan. Curtiss Types in Latin America. Air Enthusiast. March–May 1992. 45 . 61–77 . 0143-5450.

External links

• Virginia Aircraft Museum
• Airminded.net
• Curtiss Robin J-1 Deluxe "Ole Miss"
• https://airandspace.si.edu/collections/search/robin
• A Curtiss Robin is rebuilt from an empty frame
• A brief story of "Wrongway" Corrigan's adventure

Notes and References

1. Book: Eden. Paul. Moeng. Soph. The complete encyclopedia of world aircraft. 2002. Barnes & Noble Books. New York, NY . 0-7607-3432-1.
2. Web site: Curtiss-Robertson Robin C-1. www.museumofflight.org. Museum of flight. 16 February 2018. en.
3. Web site: Aircraft Register Search [VH-JUV] ]. Australian Government Civil Aviation Safety Authority . 30 July 2018.
4. Web site: Airframe Dossier - CurtissB Robin, s/n R-204 FAA, c/n 248, c/r LV-FAV . Aerial Visuals . AerialVisuals.ca . 30 July 2018.
5. Web site: Aviation . Reynolds Museum . 14 June 2020.
6. Web site: Curtiss Robin J-1 . Antique Aeroflyers . 30 July 2018 . de . 28 February 2013.
7. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N292E] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031723/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N292E . dead .
8. Web site: 1929 Curtiss Robin . Fantasy of Flight . 17 September 2013 . 30 July 2018.
9. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Curtiss B Robin, c/n 193, c/r N8313 . Aerial Visuals . AerialVisuals.ca . 30 July 2018.
10. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N8313] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 30 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180730234741/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N8313 . dead .
11. Web site: Curtiss Robertson Robin B . Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum . WAAAM . 30 July 2018.
12. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N8332] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 30 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180730235104/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N8332 . dead .
13. Web site: Curtiss B-1 Robin . San Diego Air & Space Museum . 31 July 2018.
14. Web site: General Aviation . Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum . Evergreen Museum . 30 July 2018 . 3 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161003044600/http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/general-aviation . dead .
15. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Curtiss C-1 Robin, c/r NC9283 . Aerial Visuals . AerialVisuals.ca . 30 July 2018.
16. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N9283] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031839/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N9283 . dead .
17. Web site: 1929 Curtiss-Wright Model B-2 Robin - N50H . EAA . 30 July 2018.
18. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N50H] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031404/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N50H . dead .
19. Web site: Curtiss C-1 Robin . Yanks Air Museum . 30 July 2018 . 21 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220121143103/https://yanksair.org/collection/curtiss-c-1-robin/ . dead .
20. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N3865B] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 30 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180730234932/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=3865B . dead .
21. Web site: Curtiss-Robertson Robin C-1 . The Museum of Flight . 31 July 2018.
22. Web site: 1930 CURTISS ROBIN 4C-1A . Western North Carolina Air Museum . 30 July 2018.
23. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N563N] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031846/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N563N . dead .
24. News: Sullivan . Paul . Antique planes and other items coming home to Shannon Airport . 31 July 2018 . Fredericksburg.com . BH Media Group, Inc. . 15 November 2016.
25. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N532N] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 31 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062154/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N532N . dead .
26. Web site: Virginia Aviation Museum Historic Aircraft . Virginia Aviation Museum . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160512210401/http://www.vam.smv.org/pdfs/VAMHistoricAircraft.pdf . 12 May 2016.
27. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N534N] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 30 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180730235109/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N534N . dead .
28. Web site: Curtiss Robin J-1 Deluxe "Ole Miss" . Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum . Smithsonian Institution . 30 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731093131/https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/curtiss-robin-j-1-deluxe . dead .
29. Book: Stoff . Joshua . The Historic Aircraft and Spacecraft in the Cradle of Aviation Museum . 2001 . Dover Publications . Mineola, New York . 23 .
30. Web site: East Campus Aircraft . Air Zoo . 30 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031750/https://www.airzoo.org/page.php?page_id=109 . 31 July 2018 . dead .
31. Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N7912] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 30 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031448/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N7912 . dead .
32. News: Zerilli . Ursula . Air Zoo acquires 1928 Curtiss Robin high-wing monoplane . 30 July 2018 . MLive . Advance Local Media LLC . 4 October 2012.
33. Web site: 1928 Curtiss Robin . Eagles Mere Air Museum . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171012145144/http://eaglesmereairmuseum.org/robin.shtml . 12 October 2017.
34. Web site: Aircraft . Glenn H. Curtiss Museum . 31 July 2018.
35. Web site: Museum Hangar 2 . Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum . 31 July 2018.
36. Web site: Candler Field Museum . Peach State Aerodrome . 31 July 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062515/http://www.peachstateaero.com/museum . dead .
37. Web site: 1929 Curtiss "Robin" . Port Townsend Aero Museum . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150718051438/http://www.ptaeromuseum.com/aircraft_projects/curtiss_robin/curtissrobinc1.html . 18 July 2015 . dead .