Curtiss A-12 Shrike
Curtiss · United States · first flew 1933 · bomber
The Curtiss A-12 Shrike was a single-engine two-seat biplane attack aircraft that served with the United States Army Air Corps in the early 1930s. It was designed for ground-attack missions and light bombing.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.83 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-engine biplane attack aircraft with fixed undercarriage
- Open tandem cockpits for pilot and gunner
- Bomb racks under the lower wing
Recognisable as an interwar biplane with a large fixed spatted undercarriage, open cockpits, and a Wright Cyclone radial engine; the lower wing is notably smaller than the upper.
Specifications
- The Curtiss A-12 Shrike has a length of 9.83 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.41 m (44 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 285 km/h (177 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Entering service in 1933, the A-12 Shrike was the last biplane to serve as a standard US Army attack aircraft. It saw limited export to China, where a small number were used during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The type was obsolete by the late 1930s.
Variants
The A-12 was the primary production version; earlier A-8 Shrikes were closely related but used different engines.
Where you'll see it
The A-12 served with USAAC attack groups in the continental United States through the late 1930s, and a small export batch went to Nationalist China.
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- Curtiss BF2C-1 Goshawk
- Curtiss F11C Goshawk
- Curtiss F11C-2 Goshawk
- Aero A.100
- Bloch MB.200
- Boulton Paul P.75 Overstrand
- Dornier Do 13
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