Curtiss O-52 Coruja – Fotos e Vídeo

O Curtiss O-52 "Coruja" was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II. Developed in 1939, the Curtiss O-52 was the last “heavy” observation aircraft developed for the US Army Air Corps. The concept of the two-seat observation aircraft, classed as the “O” series aircraft, dated to World War I, and in 1940, the Army Air Corps ordered 203 Curtiss O-52s for observation duties. By 1941, the O-52 was no match for modern combat conditions.

O Coruja Curtiss O-52 was a two-seat observation aircraft that served with the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II. It was designed by Curtiss-Wright Corporation in 1939 as the last “heavy” observation aircraft for the US Army Air Corps. The O-52 had a metal fuselage and fabric-covered wings, and was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-51 radial engine of 600 hp. It was armed with one forward and one rearward firing .30-caliber machine gun.
The O-52 first flew in 1940 and entered service in 1941. It was used for military maneuvers and training within the US, but it soon became obsolete for combat operations overseas due to its low speed and limited range. The O-52 was replaced by lighter and faster liaison aircraft, such as the Piper L-4 Grasshopper and the Stinson L-5 Sentinel. The O-52 was also designated as the “L” series for liaison-type aircraft after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Some O-52s were sent to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program, where they were used for artillery spotting and reconnaissance missions on the Eastern Front.
O O-52 was the last observation aircraft procured in quantity by the US Army Air Corps, and marked the end of an era of aerial observation that dated back to World War I. Only a few O-52s survive today, and some are on display at museums such as the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, and the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.