- Curtiss A-12 Shrike
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A-12 Shrike Role Ground-attack aircraft Manufacturer Curtiss Introduction 1933 Retired 1942 Primary users United States Army Air Corps
Nationalist Chinese Air ForceNumber built 46[1] Developed from XA-8 Shrike
YA-10 ShrikeVariants YA-14 Shrike The Curtiss A-12 Shrike was the United States Army Air Corps' second monoplane ground-attack aircraft, and its main attack aircraft through most of the 1930s. It was based on the A-8, but had a radial engine instead of the A-8's inline, water-cooled engine, as well as other changes.
Contents
Design and development
The Model 60 was developed from advancements of the A-8 and the experimental YA-10. However, it became obsolete after a short use period, mainly because of fast-improving aviation technology, as well as the USAAC's desire for multi-engined attack aircraft.[2]
The most obvious difference between the A-12 and the A-8 is the air-cooled, radial engine in the A-12, which replaced the A-8's inline, water-cooled engine. This was a response to the USAAC's move toward a preference for radial engines, especially in attack aircraft. The rationale behind this preference is that the radial engine has a lower profile, making it less vulnerable to ground fire, and a simpler cooling mechanism, which is also less prone to groundfire, as well as overall maintenance problems.[2]
These aircraft retained the open cockpit introduced in the A-8 production batch, and carried the same weapons load. In an attempt to improve pilot/observer co-operation the rear cockpit was moved forward sufficiently for its glazed covering to form a continuation of the fuselage decking behind the pilot's cockpit.[3]
Nine USAAF A-12s were still in service at Hickam Field on 7 December 1941, but they saw no combat.[4]
Operational history
A-12s served with the 3rd Attack Group plus the 8th and 18th Pursuit Groups. Surviving Shrikes were grounded just after Pearl Harbor was bombed in December 1941.[5]
Operators
- Chinese Nationalist Air Force received 20 A-12 Shrikes in 1936, arming the 27th and the 28th Squadron of the 9th Group. When full-scale war broke out between Japan and China, they were used. The initial success including the downing of four Japanese Aichi D1A1 carrier-based dive bombers on 15 August 1937. However, after deploying in ground support missions in Shanxi, most did not survive and the extremely few left were reassigned to training duties.[2]
Specifications (A-12 Shrike)
Data from The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft[4]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
- Wingspan: 44 ft 0 in (13.41 m)
- Height: 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
- Wing area: 284 ft² (26.38 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,898 lb (1,768 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,756 lb (2,611 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820 "Cyclone" 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 690 hp (515 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 177 mph (154 knots, 285 km/h)
- Range: 521 mi (453 nmi, 838 km)
- Service ceiling: 15,150 ft (4,620 m)
Armament
- Guns:
- 4 × forward-firing .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
- 1 × aft-firing .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun
- Bombs:
- 4 × 122 lb (55 kg) bombs on underwing racks or 10 × 30 lb (13.6 kg) fragmentation bombs in chutes on either side of the main fuel tank
See also
- Related development
- Curtiss XA-8
- YA-10 Shrike
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Related lists
References
- Notes
- ^ Fahey, James C. U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946. New York: Ships and Aircraft, 1946.
- ^ a b c "Curtiss A-12." National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved: 27 August 2011.
- ^ Swanborough, F. G. and Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. New York: Putnam, 1964. ISBN 0-85177-816-X.
- ^ a b Eden and Moeng 2002, p. 514.
- ^ Fitzsimons 1969, p. 2324.
- Bibliography
- Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
- Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Vol. 21 London: Purnell & Sons Ltd., 1969, First edition 1967. ISBN 0-83936-175-0.
External links
USAAS/USAAC/USAAF/USAF attack aircraft designations 1924–1962 (A-1 not assigned) • XA-2 • A-3 • A-4 • A-5 • A-6 • XA-7 • A-8 • XA-9 • YA-10 • XA-11 • A-12 • YA-13 • YA-14 • XA-15 • XA-16 • A-17 • A-18 • A-19 • A-20 • XA-21 • A-22 • A-23 • A-24 • A-25 • A-26 • A-27 • A-28 • A-29 • A-30 • A-31 • XA-32 • A-33 • A-34 • A-35 • A-36 • XA-37 • XA-38 • XA-39 • A-40 • XA-41 • XA-42 • XA-43 • XA-44 • XA-45
Aircraft produced by Curtiss and Curtiss-Wright Manufacturer
designationsModel letters: C • D • E • F • G • GS • H • J • K • L • M • N • PN • JN • R • S
Model numbers: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 23 • 24 • 26 • 28 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59A/59B • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 79 • 81 • 82 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 90 • 91 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 •
"CW" models: CW-1 • CW-2 • CW-3 • CW-4 • CW-5 • CW-6 • CW-7 • CW-8 • CW-9 • CW-10 • CW-11 • CW-12 • CW-14 • CW-15 • CW-16 • CW-17 • CW-18 • CW-19 • CW-20 • CW-21 • CW-22 • CW-23 • CW-24 • CW-25 • CW-27 • CW-29 • CW-32
By role Experimental: No. 1 • Model C • Tanager
Racing: No. 2 • CR • R2C • R3C
General utility: Model D • Model E • Model F • Robin • Thrush
Maritime patrol: Model H • HS-1L and -2L
Training: Model L • Model JN • Fledgling • AT-4 Hawk • AT-5 Hawk
Fighters: 18 • PW-8 • P-1 • P-2 • P-3 • P-4 • P-5 • P-6 • XP-31 • P-36 • P-40 • XP-46 • XP-53 • YP-60 • XP-62 • XP-71 • XP-87
Naval Fighters: HA • FC • F2C • F3C • F4C • F6C • F7C • F8C • F9C • F10C • F11C • XF12C • F13C • XF14C • XF15C
Airliners: Eagle • Condor II • Kingbird
Naval Scouts/Dive Bombers: CS • GS • S2C • XS3C • S4C • SC • SBC • SB2C • XSB3C • SOC • SO2C • SO3C
Observation: O-1 • O-12 • O-13 • O-16 • O-18 • O-26 • O-39 • O-40 • O-52
Naval Observation: OC • O2C • O3C
Naval Bombers: 24 • BFC • BF2C • XBTC • XBT2C
Ground Attack: A-3 • A-4 • A-5 • A-6 • A-8 • YA-10 • A-12 • YA-14 • A-25 • A-40 • XA-43
Licensed production: NBS-1
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- World War II ground attack aircraft of the United States
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