Curtiss XF14C-2

Curtiss · United States · first flew 1944 · fighter

The Curtiss XF14C-2 was a prototype high-altitude carrier fighter developed for the US Navy in World War II, intended to counter high-flying Japanese bombers but ultimately abandoned in favour of the Grumman F8F Bearcat.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	11.43 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Late-war US Navy high-altitude fighter prototype
Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclone with four-blade propeller
Low-wing monoplane with large bubble canopy

A large radial-engine fighter with a broad chord cowling over the R-3350, bubble canopy, and wide-track undercarriage; resembles a scaled-up contemporary US Navy fighter but with a distinctly heavy engine installation.

Specifications

The Curtiss XF14C-2 has a length of 11.43 m (37 ft).
It has a wingspan of 14.63 m (48 ft).
Its maximum speed is 697 km/h (433 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

The XF14C began as an inline-engine design (XF14C-1) before switching to the Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclone radial as the XF14C-2. First flown in 1944, it demonstrated competitive performance but Curtiss was unable to match the reliability and handling of the rival Grumman design. The Navy cancelled the programme after only one prototype flew as the F8F was selected instead.

Variants

The XF14C-1 used an inline engine; the XF14C-2 used the R-3350 radial. No further variants or production resulted.

Where you'll see it

Navy evaluation only; not adopted for fleet service.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.