F9C Sparrowhawk

The Curtiss‑Wright F9C Sparrowhawk was a single‑seat, carrier‑based biplane fighter that first entered service in 1925. Developed from the earlier F8C Falcon, the Sparrowhawk was specifically designed to be launched from the U.S. Navy’s rigid airships, the USS Los Alamos and the USS Macon, serving as a defensive interceptor and a reconnaissance platform. Powered by a 300 hp Wright R‑1820 Cyclone radial engine, the aircraft could reach speeds of 165 mph and climb to 12,000 feet in just over ten minutes. Its compact dimensions—28 ft 10 in wingspan and 12 ft 3 in length—allowed it to be stowed in a cradle beneath the airship’s hull, where it could be released by a simple trap‑door mechanism and recovered by a sky‑hook after landing on the ship’s “flying‑deck.” The open‑cockpit, fabric‑covered airframe featured a wooden wing structure, a rotary‑type tail, and a single .30‑caliber machine gun. Although only a few dozen were built, the F9C demonstrated the feasibility of airborne carrier operations and influenced later experiments with ship‑borne aircraft. Its role as the first successful fighter launched from a lighter‑than‑air platform marks a unique chapter in aviation history. The program ended in 1933, when the airships were retired, but the Sparrowhawk’s legacy endures among aviation enthusiasts and museum displays worldwide.

Curtiss-Wright

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Design & Classification