SO3C Seamew
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| SO3C Seamew | |
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| Type | Observation floatplane |
| Manufacturer | Curtiss |
| Maiden flight | 1940 |
| Introduction | 1942 |
| Retired | 1945 |
| Primary users | United States Navy Fleet Air Arm |
| Number built | 795 |
The Curtiss SO3C Seamew was intended as a replacement for the SOC Seagull as the U.S. Navy's standard floatplane scout. Entering service in 1942, the type suffered a variety of problems, primarily with the Ranger XV-770 engine which was a dismal failure, and was withdrawn by 1944. Among its many flaws, part of the vertical tail was attached to the sliding aft canopy, compromising the aircraft's stability when the aft canopy was in the open position, which it often needed to be for spotting.
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[edit] Royal Navy service
A number of the SO3C-1s, not a floatplane but a fixed undercarriage version, were ordered by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm under the terms of Lend-Lease. In RN service the SO3C was given the designation "Seamew" a name used again in the 1950s for the Short Seamew. Crews gave it the more appropriate name "Sea Cow".
The first batch for the RN had a centreline bomb rack and arrestor gear. Later versions , known as the Seamew 1 were the SO3-2C variant. Two hundred and fifty Seamews were delivered, the last batch was refused in favour of additional Vought Kingfishers. Deliveries to the RN started in January 1944. It was declared obsolete in September the same year and completey removed from service in 1945.
The SO3-1K was to have been taken into service as the Queen Seamew but an order of 30 was cancelled.
Seamews served with No. 744 NAS, No. 745 NAS at RCAF Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Canada, and No. 755 NAS based in Hampshire, UK.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (SO3-2C)
Data from American Warplanes of World War II[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
- Height: 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m)
- Wing area: 290 ft² (26.9 m²)
- Empty weight: 4,284 lb (1,943 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,729 lb (2,599 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Ranger XV-770-8 inverted V-12, 600 hp (447 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 150 knots (172 mph, 277 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 107 knots (125 mph, 210 km/h)
- Range: 1,000 nm (1,150 mi, 1,851 km)
- Service ceiling 15,800 ft (4,815 m)
- Wing loading: 19.8 lb/ft² (9.66 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.10 hp/lb (0.17 kW/kg)
- Endurance: 8 hours [2]
Armament
- One 0.30 in (7.62 mm) forward firing Machine gun and one 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Machine gun in rear cockpit
- Two 100 lb (45 kg) bombs or 325 lb depth charges underwing
[edit] References
- ^ Donald, David (Editor) (1995). American Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1 874023 72 7.
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
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