Curtiss XF11C-1 Goshawk

In the thirties of the lost company Curtiss-Wright a lot from his position in the navy. The last more successful a fighter type, which for the U.S. Navy stood up, was F7C-1 of 1928, which was but soon moved to the marine corps, and then a two-digit F8C-1/F8C-3 the Falcon and the F8C-4/F8C-5 Helldiver. You were almost immediately transferred to the observation and střemhlavému bombing, again mainly in the marine corps, and the fighter squadrons of the navy so in the meantime, fully ranked, competitive F4B the company Boeing. In 1932, in Buffalo decided to re-create the maritime variant of the proven a series of Hawk, at that time still manufactured for the army air force.

16. April 1932, the navy ordered the construction of a prototype of the new Hawk with the designation XF11C-1. Coming out of the last prototypes built for the army, and also from the type of Hawk II, at the same time exerted for export. Indeed, one of the demonstrators Hawk II was for the navy and adapted, and by him purchased under the designation XF11C-2. New Hawk used the wings, although of the same floor plan as the previous variants, was but a metal skeleton, as well as the army XP-22, and wings, as well as the tail surfaces were covered with sheet metal. Hull again largely corresponded to the P-6E, which were at that time freshly in production. Compared to the aforementioned machines was but the top wing shifted up, and the place of the ordinary engine took the čtrnáctiválec Wright Cyclone in the wide cover of the NACA. The chassis was similar as for the P-6E self-supporting, but with larger wheels (in the navy standard 30x5 in) and from the outside of the open covers. This chassis was selected because it was assumed to use even for střemhlavému bombing. Due to the three 2.6 m propeller could also be the chassis a little lower than was usual. The tail wheel was moved to under the rudder and it had hydraulic suspension.

After the start of flight tests in the autumn of 1932 revealed problems with the engine, which is constantly was. Therefore, they were tested different variants of the fairing, and temporarily the propeller was replaced with a larger two-blade. Because it had to be once again extended the chassis, and because it allowed a lower landing speed, remained in this form even after returning to the blades of the propeller. In march 1934, he was the XF11C-1 renamed fighter-bomber XBFC-1, and shortly thereafter loaned to NACA. Here continued the experiments with the fairing of the engine and the fans to improve cooling. It has already been long in the production series derived from the second prototype, which had more reliable engine, and XBFC-1 remained the only machine of its variants. Eliminated was only in march 1939, with 319 nalétanými hours ago..