Curtiss Robin

The Army Air Corps bought one Curtiss Robin W and extensively modified it for use in a radio controlled aircraft test program.

The XC-10 could be flown normally with a pilot on board or by remote control with the operator (pilot) on the ground flying the plane via a radio link.

The basic Robin W airframe had several major changes.

First and most obviously, the engine, cowling and associated mountings were moved slightly forward and higher so the engine was at the same level as the wing.

Second, the wing had an increased dihedral of 4.5 degrees.

Third, the control surfaces were all modified.

The Vertical stabilizer area was increased by about 50 percent, the rudder size was increased and a balance tab was added to the lower aft section.

Larger elevators were installed.

The inboard aft wing had flaps installed to both increase lift and allow the aircraft to fly slower.

Finally, the XC-10 was fitted with radio receivers and automatic control actuators to allow the plane to fly without a pilot on board.

The XC-10 was acquired in 1929 and initial modifications and testing were done at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio.

The aircraft was modified several times during its five year test life; however, it was only flown for a total of about 100 hours.

The lessons learned were used as the basis for follow-on radio controlled drone programs in the late 1930s and into the World War II era.

• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]
  

• Crew: 1
  
• Capacity: 2 passengers
  
• Length: 25 ft 8½ in (7.83 m)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 41 ft 0 in (12.49 m)
  
• Height: 7 ft 9½ in (2.37 m)
  
• Wing area: 223 ft² (20.71 m²)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 1,472 lb (668 kg)
  
• Loaded weight: 2,440 lb (1,107 kg)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 1 × [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] liquid-cooled V-8, 90 hp (67 kW)
  

• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 100.5 mph (87 knots, 135 km/h)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 84 mph (73 knots, 135 km/h)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 480 mi (432 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], 772 km)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 10,200 ft (3,109 m)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 400 ft/min (2.0 m/s)