Curtiss O-52 Owl
Curtiss-Wright · United States · first flew 1940 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Curtiss O-52 Owl is an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during the Second World War.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.03 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat observation monoplane with a high wing
- Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine in the nose
- Flexible machine gun in the rear cockpit
A two-seat high-wing monoplane with a radial engine. It had one fixed forward-firing .30 in machine gun.
Specifications
- The Curtiss O-52 Owl has a length of 8.03 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.42 m (41 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 354 km/h (220 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in 1939, it was the last heavy observation aircraft developed for the Air Corps. Curtiss designated it the Model 85. In 1940 the Air Corps ordered 203 for observation duties.
Variants
There were no variants.
Where you'll see it
After the United States entered the war it was relegated to courier duties and short-range submarine patrol over the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic and Pacific. The USSR was sent 19 under Lend-Lease, of which ten were accepted, and used them for artillery spotting and photography in 1943. Brazil also operated it.
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- Bellanca YO-50
- Beriev KOR-2
- Blackburn B-20
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