The Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk was a light biplane fighter aircraft that was carried by the United States Navy airships USS Akron and USS Macon.
The Sparrowhawk was ideal for use in an airship because of its small size, 20 feet (6 m) long and 25 foot ( 7 m) wingspan. The Sparrowhawks had a hook attached to the top wing which was used to attach to what the crews called "the flying trapeze". The plane was then pulled into the airship. The planes were stored inside the airship untill it was needed to be flown. It was attached to the trapeze, which dropped out of the airship. To begin flight, the pilots simply released the hook and fell free. Only one Sparrowhawk survives today. It resides in a museum.
Specifications (F9C-2)
General characteristics
- Crew: one, pilot
- Length: 21 ft 1 in (6.27 m)
- Wingspan: 25 ft 6 in (7.75 m)
- Height: 10 ft 11 in (3.34 m)
- Wing area: 185 ft² (16.1 m²)
- Empty: 2,114 lb (961 kg)
- Loaded: 2,776 lb (1,262 kg)
- Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
- Powerplant: 1x Wright R-975 -22 radial, 415 hp (310 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 176 mph (283 km/h)
- Range: 297 miles (475 km)
- Service ceiling: 19,200 ft (5,853 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,690 ft/min (515 m/min)
- Wing loading: 15 lb/ft² (78 kg/m²)
- Power/Mass: 0.15 hp/lb (0.24 kW/kg)
Armament
2x .30 machine guns
Related content
Related development:
Comparable aircraft:
Designation sequence:
F6C -
F7C -
F8C -
F9C -
F10C -
F11C -
F12C
