Formation of Curtiss A-12 Shrikes during exercises near Wheeler Field, Oahu, Hawaii circa 1940.
TheModel 60 was developed from advancements of theA-8 and the experimentalYA-10. However, it became obsolete after a short use period, mainly because of fast-improving aviationtechnology, as well as the USAAC's desire for multi-engined attack aircraft.[2]
The most obvious difference between the A-12 and the A-8 is the air-cooled, radial engine in the A-12, which replaced the A-8'sinline, water-cooled engine. This was a response to the USAAC's move toward a preference for radial engines, especially in attack aircraft. The rationale behind this preference is that the radial engine has a lower profile, making it less vulnerable to ground fire, and a simpler cooling mechanism, which is also less prone to groundfire, as well as overall maintenance problems.[2]
These aircraft retained the opencockpit introduced in theA-8 production batch, and carried the same weapons load. In an attempt to improve pilot/observer co-operation, the rear cockpit was moved forward sufficiently for its glazed covering to form a continuation of the fuselage decking behind the pilot's cockpit.[3]
Chinese Nationalist Air Force received 20 A-12 Shrikes in 1936, arming the 27th and the 28th Squadron of the 9th Group. When full-scale war broke out between Japan and China, they were used. They had initial success, including the downing of four JapaneseAichi D1A1carrier-baseddive bombers on 15 August 1937. However, after deploying in ground support missions inShanxi, most did not survive and the few left were reassigned to training duties.[2]
1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun mounted in the observer's cockpit for rear defense
Bombs: Up to 4 × 122 lb (55 kg) bombs carried under the wings[3] or up to 10 × 30 lb (14 kg) fragmentation bombs in fuselage chutes either side of the main fuel tank[6]
^abSwanborough, Gordon; Bowers, Peter M. (1964).United States military aircraft since 1909 (New ed.). New York: Putnam.ISBN0-85177-816-X.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Bowers, Peter M. (1979).Curtiss aircraft, 1907–1947. London: Putnam. pp. 327–331.ISBN0370100298.
Bibliography
Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds.The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002,ISBN0-7607-3432-1.
Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed.The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Vol. 21. London: Purnell & Sons Ltd., 1969, First edition 1967.ISBN0-8393-6175-0.
Andrade, John M. .U.S Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leicester: Midland Counties Publications, 1979.ISBN0-904597-22-9.
Swanborough, F. G. and Peter M. Bowers.United States Military aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam, 1963, 1971, 1989.ISBN0-85177-816-X.
Bowers, Peter M. .Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947. London: Putnam, 1979, 1987.ISBN0-8517-7811-9.
Cheung, Raymond.OSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES 126: Aces of the Republic of China Air Force. Oxford: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2015.ISBN978 14728 05614.
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