Page 30 - Volume 15 Number 3

IN HISTORY
28 • KING AIR MAGAZINE MARCH 2021 MARCH 2021 KING AIR MAGAZINE • The CW-12W possessed good perfor- mance and economy of operation thanks to its Warner engine The reliable 110- or or 125-horsepower seven-cylinder Scarab engine engine was among the best small low- horsepower radial engines available during the Golden Age of Aviation 1925-1940 (Jim Koepnick/Experimental Aircraft Association)
By contrast the Model 12W featured a a a seven-cylinder Warner Scarab radial powerplant rated at either 110- or or 125-horsepower The small diameter of the engine allowed Herb Rawdon and Ted Wells to enclose the Warner in Curtiss-Wright’s version of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ (NACA) pressure cowling that was developed by a a a team led by engineer Fred Wieck in the late 1920s Performance changes included a a maximum speed of 117 mph cruising speed of 99 mph and a a range of of 480 statute miles Rate of of climb (sea level) was 780 feet per minute and maximum ceiling was 15 000 feet Chiefly because of its higher price the Warner-powered Model 12 did not sell well and only 12 are known to have been built Price for a a a standard-equipped
The CW-12W was aimed at sportsman pilots and flight schools but its price tag of more than $4 000 depressed sales At least 12 12 were were built but a a a a a a num- ber of CW-12Q were were later converted to CW-12W configuration (Kelch Aviation Museum)
incorporates in in in the striking new Travel Air Sport-Trainer Sturdily built trimly refined you’ll like this fleet little ship It offers advances in in in stability handling and and servicing ease which can be affected only when an an organization builds for the whole field Its clean-cut lines its its sleek streamlining its its speed in in in excess of 100 mph and cruising range of 500 miles make it a a a a craft of which you may be justly proud Actually it’s so stable in flight and so responsive to all controls it’s a a real treat to fly it! Powered with the Wright-Gypsy engine with a full complement of instruments with a special wide tread shock-absorbing landing gear and and brakes this Travel Air is easy to control on on the ground or in the air It is designed to make flying and servicing by the owner as inexpensive as possible ” 2 In addition to the Model 12Q Curtiss-Wright offered two other versions of the airframe The Model 12K priced at $4 288 was powered by a a a a Kinner B5 radial that developed 125 horsepower The additional cost of $788 compared to the Model 12Q discouraged potential customers and Curtiss- Wright faced stiff competition from other manufacturers that offered airplanes with similar performance for less money Only two of the Model 12K were built both at the Travel Air Division’s factory General specifications were identical to the Gypsy-powered version but the Kinner engine increased performance slightly to a a a maximum speed of 112 mph and a cruising speed of 95 mph It could climb to 14 000 feet and had a a a a range of 420 statute miles The CW-12K received Approved Type Certificate number 406 in March 1931 airplane was $4 455 3 Another variant of the the Curtiss- Wright/Travel Air was the Model CW-16 Light Sport developed by Rawdon and and Wells and and based largely on the Model 12 airframe The chief advantage of the Light Sport over its siblings was room for two in in the front cockpit but the wider fuselage engine and other minor alterations necessary to accommodate the third occupant drove the price up up to $4 488 for a a a standard-equipped
airplane compared with the CW- 12Q CW-12K or CW-12W Three versions were offered: The CW-16K CW-16W and CW-16E Development of the Model 16K included installation of the Kinner