F7C-1 Seahawk

The Curtiss F7C-1 Seahawk was a carrier‑based fighter‑bomber developed in the late 1920s for the United States Navy. Derived from the earlier F7C Hawks that served with the Marine Corps, the Seahawk incorporated a more powerful Wright R-1820 radial engine delivering 735 horsepower, a strengthened airframe, and folding wings to accommodate the cramped deck spaces of early carriers such as USS Lexington and USS Saratoga. First flown in February 1929, the type entered operational service in 1930, replacing the aging Boeing FB-4 and providing the Navy with its first all‑metal, single‑engine fighter capable of both air‑to‑air combat and limited ground attack. The aircraft featured a forward‑firing .30‑caliber machine gun synchronized to fire through the propeller arc, a rear flexible .30‑caliber gun for defense, and could carry up to 200 pounds of bombs on under‑wing racks. Its biplane configuration, combined with a relatively low wing loading, gave pilots excellent maneuverability at low speeds, crucial for carrier take‑offs and landings. Although quickly outclassed by modern monoplanes in the mid‑1930s, the F7C‑1 Seahawk demonstrated the viability of carrier‑compatible fighters and helped shape subsequent Navy designs such as the Grumman F3F and the legendary F4F Wildcat.