Curtiss B-2 Condor

Curtiss · United States · first flew 1927 · bomber

The Curtiss B-2 Condor was a large twin-engine biplane heavy bomber developed for the United States Army Air Corps in the late 1920s. It represented the peak of American biplane bomber design before the transition to monoplanes.

Recognition (WEFT)

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Spot it by:

• Interwar US Army biplane heavy bomber
• Twin-engine biplane with open gun positions
• Large Curtiss Conqueror-powered bomber of the late 1920s

A large equal-span biplane bomber with two engines mounted in nacelles between the wings; the B-2's size and sesquiplane-like proportions distinguish it from smaller biplane designs.

Specifications

• The Curtiss B-2 Condor has a length of 14.43 m (47 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 27.43 m (90 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 212 km/h (132 mph).
• Typical crew: 5.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The B-2 Condor was derived from the earlier Curtiss XB-2 and entered USAAC service in 1929. Twelve examples were built, serving until the mid-1930s when monoplane bombers rendered them obsolete. The designation 'Condor' was later reused for a different Curtiss transport biplane.

Variants

The B-2 was produced in a single main variant for the USAAC; a civil transport development, the Curtiss Condor II, was a separate and distinct design.

Where you'll see it

Served with the USAAC's 11th Bombardment Squadron and related units from 1929 until the early 1930s, when it was replaced by more modern designs.

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