The Curtiss-Wright CW-1 Junior, originally named the Curtiss-Robertson CR-1 Skeeter is a light sports aircraft produced in the United States in the 1930s. It had been intended to sell it for the price of a mid-range automobile.
CR-1 Skeeter, CW-1 Junior
1931-built CW-1 Junior at Carson City airport Nevada in 1989
The Junior had two problems which brought production to a halt: its three-cylinder Szekely SR-3 radial engine tended to throw its cylinders, made more serious by the pusher configuration; and the unexpected location of the propeller caused accidents to people walking up to the plane on the ground. Some Juniors were still being flown in 2012.
Designed as a minimalist, affordable aircraft, the Junior was marketed as "built to sell for the price of an automobile in the medium price class".[1] Curtiss-Robertson's plans to produce such an aircraft were driven by the imminent arrival of the Aeronca C-2 and American Eagle Eaglet on the market. Hoping to compete in the same class, the company purchased the rights to the Snyder Buzzard but soon discovered that it simply could not be made to perform well enough. To replace it, the Skeeter was produced as an all-new design that retained the Buzzard's basic configuration. The aircraft featured a fuselage of square cross-section made from steel tube covered in fabric. The top of the fuselage was left open to create an open cockpit for the pilot and a passenger sitting in tandem. The tiny pusher engine was mounted to the upper surface of a parasol wing. The undercarriage was of the fixed, tailwheel type.
By the time the aircraft was ready to market in 1931, Curtiss-Robertson's parent company, Curtiss, had merged into Curtiss-Wright, and the Skeeter was awarded the new designation and name CW-1 Junior. Sales were brisk through 1931, with some 270 aircraft sold at $1,490 each, but the success did not last long. The pusher propeller arrangement was the source of two serious problems. First, the chosen powerplant, the three-cylinder Szekely SR-3radial engine had a noted tendency to throw cylinders. In the pusher design, this resulted in the cylinder passing through the propeller. While Junior owners solved this problem by wrapping a steel cable around the engine so that any thrown cylinder would stay in place until the aircraft was safely on the ground (some sources imply that the steel cable was also added to dampen engine vibrations, and thus reduce the failure rate), the second problem was not so easily solved. The Junior's low stance on the ground and the presence of a propeller in a position where people were not used to finding one led to a number of accidents where people on the ground (particularly passengers disembarking the aircraft) simply walked into the spinning propeller. These issues, combined with a highly publicised fatal crash, spelled the end of the Junior's marketability. By early 1932, sales had virtually stopped, and Curtiss-Wright's head office decided to end production.
Operational historyedit
Curtiss-Wright Junior at the Udvar Hazy Center
Several Juniors were still flown by private pilot owners in 2012. A number of Juniors are preserved as museum aircraft, some in flying condition. Collections containing an examples include the National Air and Space Museum, Fantasy of Flight, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome,[2]Yesterday's Flyers and the Pioneer Flight Museum. The Pioneer flight museum's example is one of a few experimentally fitted with the French 40 hp (30 kW) Salmson AD-9 radial engine.[3] The fuel tank on this example is cone shaped.
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
Bibliographyedit
Bowers, Peter M (1979). Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947. London: Putnam. ISBN0-370100298.
Hagedorn, Dan (March–May 1992). "Curtiss Types in Latin America". Air Enthusiast. No. 45. pp. 61–77. ISSN 0143-5450.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 282.
World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 891 Sheet 54.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Curtiss-Wright Junior.
"Cockpit Enclosure Converts Plane To Year Round Use" Popular Mechanics, April 1936 bottom pg 557
January 01, 1970
curtiss, wright, junior, curtiss, wright, junior, originally, named, curtiss, robertson, skeeter, light, sports, aircraft, produced, united, states, 1930s, been, intended, sell, price, range, automobile, skeeter, junior, 1931, built, junior, carson, city, airp. The Curtiss Wright CW 1 Junior originally named the Curtiss Robertson CR 1 Skeeter is a light sports aircraft produced in the United States in the 1930s It had been intended to sell it for the price of a mid range automobile CR 1 Skeeter CW 1 Junior 1931 built CW 1 Junior at Carson City airport Nevada in 1989 Role Sports plane Manufacturer Curtiss Robertson Curtiss Wright Designer Karl White Walter Beech H Lloyd Child First flight 5 October 1930 Status Several still flying 2012 Number built approx 270 The Junior had two problems which brought production to a halt its three cylinder Szekely SR 3 radial engine tended to throw its cylinders made more serious by the pusher configuration and the unexpected location of the propeller caused accidents to people walking up to the plane on the ground Some Juniors were still being flown in 2012 Contents 1 Design and production 2 Operational history 3 Specifications 4 See also 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksDesign and production editDesigned as a minimalist affordable aircraft the Junior was marketed as built to sell for the price of an automobile in the medium price class 1 Curtiss Robertson s plans to produce such an aircraft were driven by the imminent arrival of the Aeronca C 2 and American Eagle Eaglet on the market Hoping to compete in the same class the company purchased the rights to the Snyder Buzzard but soon discovered that it simply could not be made to perform well enough To replace it the Skeeter was produced as an all new design that retained the Buzzard s basic configuration The aircraft featured a fuselage of square cross section made from steel tube covered in fabric The top of the fuselage was left open to create an open cockpit for the pilot and a passenger sitting in tandem The tiny pusher engine was mounted to the upper surface of a parasol wing The undercarriage was of the fixed tailwheel type By the time the aircraft was ready to market in 1931 Curtiss Robertson s parent company Curtiss had merged into Curtiss Wright and the Skeeter was awarded the new designation and name CW 1 Junior Sales were brisk through 1931 with some 270 aircraft sold at 1 490 each but the success did not last long The pusher propeller arrangement was the source of two serious problems First the chosen powerplant the three cylinder Szekely SR 3 radial engine had a noted tendency to throw cylinders In the pusher design this resulted in the cylinder passing through the propeller While Junior owners solved this problem by wrapping a steel cable around the engine so that any thrown cylinder would stay in place until the aircraft was safely on the ground some sources imply that the steel cable was also added to dampen engine vibrations and thus reduce the failure rate the second problem was not so easily solved The Junior s low stance on the ground and the presence of a propeller in a position where people were not used to finding one led to a number of accidents where people on the ground particularly passengers disembarking the aircraft simply walked into the spinning propeller These issues combined with a highly publicised fatal crash spelled the end of the Junior s marketability By early 1932 sales had virtually stopped and Curtiss Wright s head office decided to end production Operational history edit nbsp Curtiss Wright Junior at the Udvar Hazy Center Several Juniors were still flown by private pilot owners in 2012 A number of Juniors are preserved as museum aircraft some in flying condition Collections containing an examples include the National Air and Space Museum Fantasy of Flight Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome 2 Yesterday s Flyers and the Pioneer Flight Museum The Pioneer flight museum s example is one of a few experimentally fitted with the French 40 hp 30 kW Salmson AD 9 radial engine 3 The fuel tank on this example is cone shaped Specifications editData from Curtiss Aircraft 1907 1947 4 General characteristicsCrew 1 Capacity 1 passenger Length 21 ft 3 in 6 48 m Wingspan 39 ft 6 in 12 04 m Height 7 ft 4 in 2 24 m Wing area 176 sq ft 16 4 m2 Airfoil Curtiss CR 1 5 Empty weight 570 lb 259 kg Gross weight 975 lb 442 kg Powerplant 1 Szekely SR 3 3 cylinder air cooled radial piston engine 45 hp 34 kW Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch pusher propeller Performance Maximum speed 80 mph 130 km h 70 kn Range 200 mi 320 km 170 nmi Service ceiling 1 200 ft 370 m Rate of climb 600 ft min 3 0 m s See also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Aeronca C 2 American Eagle Eaglet Rearwin Junior Spartan C2References editNotes edit Curtiss Wright CW 1 Junior Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Archived from the original on 2 April 2011 Retrieved 17 April 2011 ORA s Curtiss Wright Junior page Archived from the original on 2016 12 20 Retrieved 2016 12 18 EAA Fly In Flying Magazine November 1960 p 36 Bowers 1979 pp 400 401 Lednicer David The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage m selig ae illinois edu Retrieved 16 April 2019 Bibliography edit Bowers Peter M 1979 Curtiss Aircraft 1907 1947 London Putnam ISBN 0 370100298 Hagedorn Dan March May 1992 Curtiss Types in Latin America Air Enthusiast No 45 pp 61 77 ISSN 0143 5450 Taylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions p 282 World Aircraft Information Files London Bright Star Publishing pp File 891 Sheet 54 NASM website Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome websiteExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Curtiss Wright Junior Cockpit Enclosure Converts Plane To Year Round Use Popular Mechanics April 1936 bottom pg 557 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Curtiss Wright Junior amp oldid 1192917247, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
