Curtiss T-32 Condor II

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_T-32_Condor_II

The Curtiss T-32 Condor II was a 1930s American biplane airliner and bomber
aircraft built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. It was used by the
United States Army Air Corps as an executive transport.

The Condor II was a 1933 two-bay biplane of mixed construction with a single
vertical stabilizer and rudder, and retractable landing gear. It was powered by
two Wright Cyclone radial engines. The first aircraft was flown on 30 January
1933 and a production batch of 21 aircraft was then built. The production
aircraft were fitted out as 12-passenger luxury night sleeper transports. They
entered service with Eastern Air Transport and American Airways, forerunners of
Eastern Air Lines and American Airlines on regular night services for the next
three years. The June 15, 1934 American Airlines system timetable marketed its
Condors as being "The World's First Complete Sleeper-Planes" with these
12-passenger aircraft being equipped with sleeper berths and also being capable
of cruising at 190 miles per hour. An example of the Condor services operated by
American were daily overnight flights between Dallas and Los Angeles during the
mid 1930s with a routing of Dallas – Ft. Worth – Abilene – Big Spring, TX – El
Paso – Douglas, AZ – Tucson – Phoenix – Los Angeles.

The Colombian Air Force operated three BT-32 equipped with floats in the
Colombia-Peru War in 1933.


Role
Biplane transport and bomber

Manufacturer
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company

First flight
30 January 1933

Number built
45

Developed from
B-2 Condor

Two modified T-32s were bought by the United States Army Air Corps (designated
YC-30) for use as executive transports. One Condor was converted with extra fuel
tanks and used by the 1939–1941 United States Antarctic Service Expedition, and,
unique for a Condor, had a fixed undercarriage to allow use on floats or skis.
Some aircraft were later modified to AT-32 standard with variable-pitch
propellers and improved engine nacelles. The AT-32D variant could be converted
from sleeper configuration to daytime use with 15 seats. Four T-32s operating in
the United Kingdom were pressed into service with the Royal Air Force at the
outbreak of World War II.

Eight bomber variants (BT-32) were built with manually operated machine gun
turrets in the nose and above the rear fuselage. All these aircraft were
exported. A military cargo version (CT-32) was also built for Argentina. It had
a large loading door on the starboard side of the fuselage.

Specifications (BT-32)

General characteristics
Length: 49 ft 6 in (15.09 m)
Wingspan: 82 ft 0 in (24.99 m)
Height: 16 ft 4 in (4.98 m)
Wing area: 1,276 ft2 (118.54 m2)
Empty weight: 11,233 lb (5,095 kg)
Gross weight: 17,500 lb (7,938 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright SGR-1820-F3 Cyclone radial piston engine, 710 hp (529 kW)
each

Performance
Maximum speed: 176 mph (283 km/h)
Range: 840 miles (1,352 km)
Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,705 m)

Armament
5 × flexible 0.3 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns
1,680 lb (762 kg) Bombs




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