Curtiss O-52 Owl

History of the Curtis O-52 Owl

In 1940, the US Army Air Force ordered 203 Curtis O-52s for observation missions - identified by the "O" designation - and They are used for military exercises within the continental United States. However, after the United States entered World War II, the U.S. Army Air Force realized that the aircraft lacked the performance needed to perform overseas combat missions.

As a result, the Army relegated the O-52 to courier service and short-range anti-submarine patrols off the coast of the United States.

The O-52 was the Army's last bulk purchase of the "O" aircraft. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army Air Force dropped the "O" designation and adopted the "L" as the liaison plane they replaced.

Specification

Basics

Year of Service

1941

Origins

United States

Status

retirement

does not work.

Crew

2

Production

203

Manufacturer

Curtiss-Wright - USA

Carrier

Brazil; former Soviet Union; United States

Roles

Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scouts

Monitor ground targets/target areas to assess surrounding threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

26. 2 feet

(8.00m)

Width/span

40.8 feet

(12.45m)

Height

9.8 feet

(3.00m)

Cured weight

4,409 lbs

(2,000 kg)

MTOW

5,368 lbs

(2,435 kg)

Wgt Difference

+959 lbs

(+435kg)

Performance

Installed:

1 x Pratt & Whitney R-1340-51 Wasp 600 hp 9 cylinder radial piston air cooled engine driving a three blade nose mounted propeller unit.

Maximum speed

221 km/h

(355 km/h | 192 knots)

Maximum

18,045 feet

(5,500 m | 3 km)

Area

249 km

(400 km | 741 nautical miles)

rate of climb

1,700 ft/min

(518 m/min)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Weapons

1 x Browning .30 caliber machine gun mounted on a fixed forward mount. 1 x .30 caliber Browning machine gun mounted on a trainable bracket as rear cockpit.