Curtiss XF14C Carrier-Borne Fighter (1944)
The Curtiss XF14C carrier-based fighter existed in only one prototype form before seeing cancellation in 1945.
As development began on the new mount - formally designated as the "XF14C-1" - it was shown that the Lycoming engine of choice would not be able to meet the demands of the USN requirement. The focus now shifted to the developmental Wright XR-3350 "Duplex-Cyclone" air-cooled radial piston engine and the USN suggested this type for the first incomplete Curtiss XF14C-1 airframe. Curtiss engineers then allied the powerplant with 2 x three-bladed contra-rotating propellers to produce the new "XF14C-2" prototype which achieved first flight in July of 1944.
The new fighter aircraft fitted the Wright XR-3350-16 18-cylinder, twin-row air-cooled radial piston engine developing 2,300 horsepower. This supplied the aircraft with a top speed of 424 miles per hour (296 mph cruise) at altitude with a range of 1,350 miles and a service ceiling of nearly 40,000 feet. Rate-of-climb was 2,700 feet per minute. Outwardly, the Curtiss design was conventional with a forward-set engine mounting and a traditional empennage. The cockpit was centered along the length of the fuselage length with a heavily glazed canopy offering up limited vision. The air-cooled engine forced a very deep forward fuselage which made the aircraft take on a rather portly appearance. The engine drove a pair of three-bladed propellers in a "contra-rotating" fashion for maximum output from the single engine fitting. The wings were straight appendages and low-mounted along the fuselage sides while all wing surfaces were rounded at their tips for a very clean and elegant look. The undercarriage was retractable with two main landing gear legs held under each wing. Standard armament was to be 6 x 0.50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns or 4 x 20mm cannons, all mounted in the wings.
The XF14C-1 was formally cancelled in December of 1943 which allowed focus on the XF14C-2 design. Despite the different engine fitting and the use of contra-rotating propellers, performance of the type was still lacking when compared to her contemporaries and exceptional vibrations of the aircraft in flight were noted during testing. Additionally, the XR-3350 series engine consistently showcased teething issues that proved it unsuitable for the short term. Its availability in the long term was, also, questioned as these were slated for large-scale use in the new four-engined Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers required of the Pacific Theater. By this point in the war, the US Navy was already fielding the excellent Grumman F6F "Hellcat" and Vought F4U "Corsair" carrier-based fighters with tremendous success against Japanese airmen, further damning the XF14C program as the USN's new carrier-borne interceptor/fighter. As such, in the early part of 1945 the Curtiss XF14C program was officially cancelled by the USN, leaving just one completed prototype to show for the effort. Initial work on a version of the XF14C with a pressurized cockpit for high-altitude work was born as the "XF14C-3" but this design was never furthered. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Curtiss XF14C
Carrier-Borne Fighter
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1944
Production: 1
Focus Model: Curtiss XF14C-2
Crew: 1
Length: 37.73ft (11.5m)
Width: 46.00ft (14.02m)
Height: 16.99ft (5.18m)
Weight (Empty): 10,531lbs (4,777kg)
Weight (MTOW): 14,950lbs (6,781kg)
Powerplant: 1 x Wright XR-3350-16 18-cylinder, twin row, air-cooled radial piston engine developing 2,300 horsepower.
Maximum Speed: 418mph (673kmh; 363kts)
Maximum Range: 1,530miles (2,462km)
Service Ceiling: 39,698ft (12,100m; 7.5miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 2,700 feet per minute (823m/min)
Hardpoints: 0
Armament Suite:
PROPOSED:
6 x 0.50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns OR 4 x 20mm cannons in wings.
Variants:
XF14C - Base Project Model Designation
XF14C-1 - Initial Prototype; fitted with Lycoming XH-2470-4 liquid-cooled inline piston engine.
XF14C-2 - Revised Prototype; fitted with Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial piston engine with 2 x three-bladed contra-rotating propellers.
XF14C-3 - Proposed high-altitude variant with pressurized cockpit.
Operators: United States
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