SO3C Seamew

distinguish2|the 1928 Supermarine Seamew or 1953 Short Seamew

Infobox Aircraft
name = SO3C Seamew
type = Observation floatplane
manufacturer = Curtiss



caption =
designer =
first flight = 6 October 1939
introduction = 1942
retired = 1945
status =
primary user = United States Navy
more users = Fleet Air Arm
produced =
number built = 795
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Curtiss SO3C Seamew was intended as a replacement for the SOC Seagull as the U.S. Navy's standard floatplane scout. Entering service in 1942, the type suffered a variety of problems, primarily with the Ranger XV-770 engine which was a dismal failure, and was withdrawn by 1944. Among its many flaws, part of the vertical tail was attached to the sliding aft canopy, compromising the aircraft's stability when the aft canopy was in the open position, which it often needed to be for spotting.

Royal Navy service

A number of the SO3C-1s, not a floatplane but a fixed undercarriage version, were ordered by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm under the terms of Lend-Lease. In RN service the SO3C was given the designation "Seamew" a name used again in the 1950s for the Short Seamew. Crews gave it the more appropriate name "Sea Cow".

The first batch for the RN had a centreline bomb rack and arrestor gear. Later versions , known as the Seamew 1 were the SO3-2C variant. Two hundred and fifty Seamews were delivered, the last batch was refused in favour of additional Vought Kingfishers. Deliveries to the RN started in January 1944. It was declared obsolete in September the same year and completey removed from service in 1945.

The SO3-1K was to have been taken into service as the "Queen Seamew" but an order of 30 was cancelled.

Seamews served with No. 744 NAS, No. 745 NAS at RCAF Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Canada, and No. 755 NAS based in Hampshire, UK.

Operators

* United States
** United States Navy
* United Kingdom
** Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm

pecifications (SO3-2C)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=American Warplanes of World War II cite book |last= Donald|first= David (Editor)|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= American Warplanes of World War II|year= 1995|publisher= Aerospace Publishing|location=London |isbn=1 874023 72 7]

crew=Two

length main= 36 ft 10 in
length alt= 11.23 m
length more= (seaplane) 34 ft 2 in (10.42 m) (landplane)
span main= 38 ft 0 in
span alt= 11.58 m
height main= 15 ft 0 in
height alt=4.57 m
area main= 290 ft²
area alt= 26.9 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 4,284 lb
empty weight alt= 1,943 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 5,729 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 2,599 kg
more general=

engine (prop)=Ranger XV-770-8
type of prop=inverted V-12
number of props=1
power main= 600 hp
power alt=447 kW
power original=

max speed main= 150 knots
max speed alt= 172 mph, 277 km/h
cruise speed main= 107 knots
cruise speed alt= 125 mph, 210 km/h
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1,000 nm
range alt=1,150 mi, 1,851 km
ceiling main= 15,800 ft
ceiling alt= 4,815 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=19.8 lb/ft²
loading alt=9.66 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=0.10 hp/lb
power/mass alt=0.17 kW/kg
more performance=*Endurance: 8 hours Cite book |author=Thetford, Owen|title=British Naval Aircraft since 1912 |Edition =Fourth Edition |publisher=Putnam |location= London|year=1994 |id= ISBN 0 85177 861 5

armament=
* One 0.30 in (7.62 mm) forward firing Machine gun and one 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Machine gun in rear cockpit

* Two 100 lb (45 kg) bombs or 325 lb depth charges underwing |avionics=

References

External links

ee also

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