The Curtiss O-52 Owl was a two-seat observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces before and during the Second World War. Curtiss developed it in 1939 as the Model 85, powered by a Pratt and Whitney Wasp radial engine, and it was the last heavy observation aircraft designed for the Air Corps; 203 were ordered in 1940. Once the United States entered the war the Army judged its performance too low for combat overseas, so it flew courier duties and short-range submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic and Pacific, including from Puerto Rico and Trinidad. The Soviet Union received lend-lease Owls in 1942 and 1943 and used a few for artillery spotting and photography on the Eastern Front, while Brazil also operated the type. Several survive in museums in the United States.
Facts
Engine Class Top Speed (km/h) Maximum Mass (kg) EnginePratt & Whitney R-1340-51 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine 1 Comparison
Body StyleAircraft (no road body style) 1 Connections
Exemplifies
Source Curtiss O-52 Owl (Wikipedia)
Of Make
Source Curtiss O-52 Owl (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Curtiss O-52 Owl (Wikipedia)Design and development, makerQuote, Design and development, maker
Curtis designated it the Curtiss Model 85
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Curtiss O-52 Owl (Wikipedia)Lead, originQuote, Lead, origin
The Curtiss O-52 Owl is an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II.
Sources
1. Curtiss O-52 Owl (Wikipedia)
Lead, origin
The Curtiss O-52 Owl is an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II.
Design and development, production order
in 1940, the Army Air Corps ordered 203 Curtiss O-52s for observation duties
Specifications (O-52), powerplant
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-51 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 600 hp (450 kW)
Specifications (O-52), engine type
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-51 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 600 hp (450 kW)
Specifications (O-52), power
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-51 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 600 hp (450 kW)
Specifications (O-52), empty weight
Empty weight: 4,231 lb (1,919 kg)
Specifications (O-52), gross weight
Gross weight: 5,364 lb (2,433 kg)
Specifications (O-52), maximum speed
Maximum speed: 220 mph (350 km/h, 190 kn)
Design and development, maker
Curtis designated it the Curtiss Model 85
In Group: Observation and Liaison Aircraft, Lead, role
The Curtiss O-52 Owl is an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II.
Exemplifies: Aviation, Lead, aircraft
The Curtiss O-52 Owl is an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II.
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