Curtiss XSOC-1 Seagull

Curtiss · USA · first flew 1934 · light aircraft

The XSOC-1 Seagull was the prototype of the Curtiss SOC Seagull, a single-engine biplane scout-observation aircraft that became the standard US Navy shipboard catapult aircraft of the mid-1930s.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	7.87 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Prototype of Curtiss SOC Seagull scout-observation biplane
Single-float biplane floatplane, catapult-launched
Open tandem cockpit scout observation biplane

Single-engine biplane with a large central float and wing-tip stabilising floats, open tandem cockpits, and a radial engine — the classic interwar catapult floatplane silhouette.

Specifications

The Curtiss XSOC-1 Seagull has a length of 7.87 m (26 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.97 m (36 ft).
Its maximum speed is 282 km/h (175 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

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

History

Curtiss designed the SOC Seagull to replace the Vought O2U Corsair in the shipboard observation role; the XSOC-1 prototype first flew in 1934 and demonstrated the performance and handling needed for catapult operations from battleships and cruisers.

Variants

The XSOC-1 prototype led to the production SOC-1 through SOC-4 series and the Naval Aircraft Factory-built SON-1; the production aircraft were amphibians capable of operating on floats or wheels.

Where you'll see it

Entered US Navy service in 1935 and remained the standard shipboard observation aircraft through the early years of World War II; the Seagull served from battleships and cruisers until replaced by floatplane monoplanes.

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