| Curtiss 18-T Wasp | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | twoseat fighter triplane |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss Engineering Corporation |
| Designer | |
| Primary user | United States Navy |
| History | |
| Introduction date | February 1919 |
| First flight | 7 May 1918 |
The Curtiss 18T, unofficially known as the Wasp and by the United States Navy as the Kirkham, [1] was an early American triplane fighter aircraft designed by Curtiss for the US Navy.
The Curtiss 18T was intended to protect bombing aircraft over France, and a primary requisite for this job was speed. Speed was not the triplane's only salient feature: an 18T-2 set a new altitude record in 1919 of 34,910 ft (10,640 m). [2] The streamlined and very "clean" fuselage contributed to the aircraft's performance. The basic construction was based on cross-laminated strips of wood veneer formed on a mold and attached to the inner structure. The technique was a refinement of that used on the big Curtiss flying boats. [3]
Flown by Roland Rholfs, the 18T achieved a world speed record of 163 mph (262 km/h) in August 1918 carrying a full military load of 1,076 lb (488 kg). [4]
The Model 18T-2 was an improved version of its predecessor, with 50 additional horsepower. The wings of the new model were swept back. It was also 5 ft (150 cm) longer with a 9 ft (270 cm) larger two-bay wing, though its operational ceiling was 2,000 ft (610 m) lower.
After World War I, it was employed as a racing plane: an 18T-2 nearly won the Curtiss Marine Trophy Race in 1922 (limited to U.S. Navy pilots), but the pilot, Lt. Sanderson ran out of fuel just before the finish line. [5]
Curtiss Engineering followed the Model 18T with the Model 18B, unofficially known as the "Hornet", built to otherwise similar specifications.
United States Data from Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947 [7]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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