Following the setback with the installation of the Liberty 12 engine on the British Bristol F.2B fighter, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motors Company decided to proactively continue work on the project. As a result, a fighter-reconnaissance aircraft was built in early 1918, receiving the designation CB (Curtiss Battleplane).
Technical Specifications of the Curtiss Battleplane
This aircraft was a two-seat, two-bay biplane, equipped with a 425 hp twelve-cylinder Liberty 12 engine. To improve its aerodynamics, the radiators were attached directly to the wing, a distinctive feature of its design.
Evaluation and Fate
Flight tests of the aircraft, nicknamed “Liberty Battler,” revealed mediocre flight characteristics. Furthermore, the pilot’s visibility left much to be desired, necessitating the installation of additional windows in the fuselage to improve it. After several flights, the aircraft crashed, and the decision was made not to rebuild it.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | CB |
| Wingspan, m | 11.98 |
| Length, m | 8.25 |
| Empty weight | 1622 |
| Engine type | 1 Piston engine Liberty 12 |
| Power, hp | 1 x 425 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Armament | one synchronized 7.7 mm machine gun and one or two 7.7 mm machine guns on a flexible Scarff mounting in the rear cockpit |
Image gallery of the Curtiss Battleplane (CB)
