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The Curtiss O-52 Owl was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II.

O-52
The O-52 at National Museum of the United States Air Force
Role	Reconnaissance Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Curtiss-Wright
First flight	1940
Introduction	1941
Primary users	United States Army Air Corps Soviet Air Forces
Number built	203

Design and development

Developed in 1939, the Curtiss O-52 was the last "heavy" observation aircraft developed for the US Army Air Corps. The concept of the two-seat observation aircraft, classed as the "O" series aircraft, dated to World War I, and in 1940, the Army Air Corps ordered 203 Curtiss O-52s for observation duties. By 1941, the O-52 was no match for modern combat conditions.

Operational history

Upon delivery, the aircraft was used in military maneuvers with the USAAC, but following America's entry into World War II, the USAAF determined that the aircraft did not possess sufficient performance for "modern" combat operations in overseas areas. As a result, the O-52 was relegated to courier duties within the U.S. and short-range submarine patrol over the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The O-52 was the last "O" type aircraft procured in quantity for the Air Corps. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the "O" designation was discontinued and the "L" series for liaison-type aircraft was adopted instead.

In November 1942, the USSR ordered 30 O-52 Owls through the Lend-Lease program. Twenty-six were shipped, with only 19 delivered as a number were lost on the North Arctic Route.[1] Of these only ten were accepted into service. They were used operationally for artillery fire spotting and general photographic and observation platforms in north and central areas on the Russian Front during spring–summer 1943. One O-52 was shot down by Luftwaffe fighters. In the report on military tests, the Soviet pilots recognized that the American machine was superior to the outdated Polikarpov R-5, and Polikarpov R-Z spotters used at the front. The aircraft was generally disliked in Soviet use although some were still flying into the 1950s.

Operators

 Brazil

• Brazilian Air Force

 United States

• United States Army Air Corps

 Soviet Union

• Soviet Air Force

Surviving aircraft

• 40-2746 – O-52 on static display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.[2]
• 40-2763 – O-52 on static display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.[3][4]
• 40-2769 – O-52 on display at the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.[5][6]
• 40-2804 – O-52 under restoration in Huntington, Indiana. It was previously part of the Walter Soplata collection.[7]

Specifications (O-52)

Data from Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947,[8] American Warplanes of World War II[9]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 26 ft 4.25 in (8.0328 m)
• Wingspan: 40 ft 9 in (12.42 m)
• Height: 9 ft 11.5 in (3.035 m)
• Wing area: 210 sq ft (20 m²)
• Empty weight: 4,231 lb (1,919 kg)
• Gross weight: 5,364 lb (2,433 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-51 Wasp 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 600 hp (450 kW)
• Propellers: 3-bladed metal propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 220 mph (350 km/h, 190 kn)
• Cruise speed: 192 mph (309 km/h, 167 kn) at 75% power
• Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,000 m)

Armament

• Guns: 1 × fixed forward-firing 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun and 1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine-gun on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Douglas O-38
• Fieseler Storch
• North American O-47
• Thomas-Morse O-19
• Westland Lysander

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Media related to Curtiss O-52 Owl at Wikimedia Commons

На других языках

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[de] Curtiss O-52

Die Curtiss O-52 Owl (Eule, Herstellerbezeichnung Model 85) war ein 1938 entwickeltes Aufklärungsflugzeug, das vom United States Army Air Corps vor und im Zweiten Weltkrieg eingesetzt wurde.

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- [en] Curtiss O-52 Owl

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[fr] Curtiss O-52 Owl

Le Curtiss O-52 Owl était un avion d'observation américain, utilisé par l'US Army Air Corps avant et pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

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[it] Curtiss O-52 Owl

Il Curtiss O-52 Owl (gufo in inglese), fu un aereo da osservazione monomotore, triposto e monoplano ad ala alta sviluppato dall'azienda aeronautica statunitense Curtiss-Wright Corporation nei tardi anni trenta.

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[ru] Curtiss O-52 Owl

Curtiss O-52 Owl — американский самолет, разведчик-наблюдатель.

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