Curtiss-Wright CW-22 explained

The Curtiss-Wright CW-22 was a 1940s American general-purpose advanced training monoplane aircraft built by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. It was operated by the United States Navy as a scout trainer with the designation SNC-1 Falcon.

Design and development

Developed at the Curtiss-Wright St. Louis factory, the CW-22 was developed from the CW-19 via the single-seat CW-21 light fighter-interceptor. The prototype first flew in 1940. With less power and performance than the CW-21, the two-seat, low-wing, all-metal CW-A22 had retractable tailwheel landing gear, with the main gear retracting rearward into underwing fairings.

The CW-22 was seen as either a civilian sport or training monoplane or suitable as a combat trainer, reconnaissance and general-purpose aircraft for military use. The prototype CW-A22 Falcon (U.S. civilian registration NC18067) was used as a company demonstrator and is one of four of the type still in existence.

Operational history

The main customer for the aircraft equipped with the Wright R-975 Whirlwind air-cooled radial engine was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force and 36 were exported. The aircraft had to be delivered to the Dutch in Australia due to the advancing Japanese forces. A developed version, the CW-22B, was sold to Turkey (50), the Netherlands East Indies (25) and in small numbers in South America. Some of the Dutch aircraft were captured and operated by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. The CW-22 and CW-22B were armed with two machine guns, one fixed.[1]

An unarmed advanced training version (CW-22N) was demonstrated to the United States Navy. To help to meet the expanding need for training, the Navy ordered 150 aircraft in November 1940. Further orders brought the total to 305 aircraft which were designated SNC-1 Falcon.[2]

Curtiss converted a CW-19 into a CW-22 demonstrator. They hoped to use this to sell the CW-22 to China. The aircraft was obtained by the Burma Volunteer Air Force, and later used by the Royal Air Force in India. It was scrapped in 1946.[3]

Variants

CW-A22
  • Prototype
    CW-22
  • Production armed variant for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force, 36 built.
    CW-22B
  • Improved armed variant, approx 100 built.
    SNC-1 Falcon (CW-22N)
  • United States Navy designation for the CW-22N, 305 built (BuNo 6290-6439, 05085-05234, 32987-32991).

    Operators

    Dutch East Indies
    Japan

    Surviving aircraft

    Turkey
    United States
    Uruguay

    References

    Bibliography

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Andrade 1979, p. 171.
    2. Bowers 1990, p. 484.
    3. Aeromilitaria No.1/1991 (Air Britain)
    4. Web site: Bolivian Air Force.
    5. Web site: Burma Volunteer Air Force Aircraft.
    6. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Curtiss-Wright CW-22B, s/n 2615 THK, c/n 2615, c/r TC-TK15 . Aerial Visuals . 19 October 2020.
    7. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Curtiss-Wright SNC-1 Falcon, c/n 3707, c/r N888U . Aerial Visuals . 19 October 2020.
    8. Web site: SNC Falcon . National Naval Aviation Museum . 19 October 2020.
    9. Hernandez . Angel H. . A 'Pioneering Spirit': Uruguay's Aeronautical Museum . Museum International . July 1997 . XLIX . 3 . 22–25 . 10.1111/1468-0033.00101 . 11 May 2020.

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