Curtiss 18T Wasp
Curtiss · United States · first flew 1918 · fighter
The Curtiss 18T, unofficially known as the Wasp and by the United States Navy as the Kirkham, was an early American two-seat triplane fighter designed by Curtiss for the US Navy.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.11 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Triplane wing arrangement
- Single tractor engine with a fixed-pitch two-bladed propeller
- Two-seat fighter layout
A two-seat triplane with a single V-12 tractor engine. It had a wingspan of 9.75 metres and a top speed of 163 mph.
Specifications
- The Curtiss 18T Wasp has a length of 7.11 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.75 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 262 km/h (163 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed by Charles B. Kirkham and first flew on 7 May 1918. It was powered by a 400 hp Curtiss K-12 V-12 water-cooled engine.
Variants
It was redesignated Curtiss Model 15 in the later rationalisation of Curtiss model numbering.
Where you'll see it
It entered service with the United States Navy in February 1919.
Related aircraft
- Curtiss MF Boat
- Curtiss HS
- Curtiss HS-2L
- Curtiss Oriole
- Adamoli-Cattani Fighter
- AEG DJ.I
- AEG J.II
- Albatros C.XIV
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