The Curtiss-Wright CW.12 was a Training aircraft designed in the late 1920's by Herbert Rawdon and Ted Wells for Travel Air Mfg Co., whilst travel Air is not a partially well known name now in the aircraft world it was responsible for other companies being formed in Wichita including those of Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman. When Curtiss-Wright was formed in July 1929 by the merger of Travel Air Mfg Co and 11 different companies all in financial trouble as result of the Great Depression the aircraft was marketed from then on as the Curtiss-Wright CW-12 and CW-16. Although designed as a high-performance training aircraft it was not designed as a military trainer it was however purchased in it's CW-16 three seat variant in small numbers by the Air Forces of Bolivia and Ecuador. The aircraft pictured above is a pristine 1929 Curtiss-Wright CW.12 Radial engine powered Travel Air trainer now resident in the UK. Curtiss-Wright CW-12Q Specifications: - Crew: Two, pilot and instructor
- Length: 21 ft 5 in (6.53 m)
- Wingspan: 28 ft 10 in (8.79 m)
- Engine: Single Wright licence-built de Havilland Gipsy, 90 hp (67 kW)
- Maximum speed: 105 mph (169 km/h)
- Range: 600 miles (970 km)2
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