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N2C Fledgling
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Photo: Robert
Deering 4/18/2015 National Museum of Naval Aviation NAS Pensacola (NPA) Pensacola, Florida |
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In 1928 Curtiss' XN2C-1 Fledgling trainer
was evaluated by the Navy and won the
competition for a new primary trainer. The
original design was powered by the 165
horsepower Curtiss Challenger engine, but in
ordering 31 of the aircraft, the Navy
specified the 220 horsepower Wright
Whirlwind engine in 30 of the aircraft,
leaving one aircraft, the only one in naval
service, to be powered by the unique
Challenger engine that featured twin rows of
six cylinders each.
In total, 51 of the aircraft were purchased
by the Navy; 20 N2C-2s in addition to the
original 31 N2C-1s. The Fledglings spent
most of their service lives assigned to
Naval Reserve training bases throughout the
country. By the late 1930s, the surviving
aircraft were modified with tricycle landing
gear and equipped for radio control, serving
as anti-aircraft artillery targets. One
drone was used to execute an attack on a
target ship, a precursor of today's
anti-ship missiles.
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