Curtiss Carrier Pigeon
Curtiss · United States · first flew 1925 · transport aircraft
The Curtiss Carrier Pigeon was an American airmail biplane of 1925, among the first aircraft designed from the outset for US Post Office night mail operations rather than adapted from a WWI military type.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Welded steel tube fuselage; payload up to 1,250 lb of mail |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Liberty V-12 tractor biplane designed from scratch for US night airmail operations
- Equal-span wings with interchangeable upper and lower wing panels
- Welded steel tube fuselage; payload up to 1,250 lb of mail
A compact single-seat open-cockpit biplane with a Liberty V-12 inline engine and equal-span rectangular wings. Distinguished from converted military types by its purpose-built airmail fuselage and the mail compartment forward of the cockpit.
Specifications
- The Curtiss Carrier Pigeon has a length of 8.78 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.78 m (42 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 201 km/h (125 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Curtiss built the Carrier Pigeon around the surplus Liberty L-12 V-12 engine, with a welded steel tube fuselage for durability on overnight mail routes. The type flew the Chicago–New York night mail route, and its upper and lower wing panels were made interchangeable to simplify maintenance and spare parts logistics.
Variants
Carrier Pigeon II was a subsequent developed variant with a Wright Whirlwind radial engine in place of the Liberty inline.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the US Post Office Air Mail Service on Chicago–New York and other overnight routes from 1925 onwards.
Related aircraft
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