What was Curtiss-Wright's greatest contribution to WWII?

[gjs238]

As the title asks, what was Curtiss-Wright's greatest contribution to WWII?

 

[Greyman]

Indirectly getting North American to build 'A better P-40'.

 

[Conslaw]

The Wright 3350. With all its flaws, it was the engine that made the B-29 practical. They might have been able to fudge it with the P&W R2800, but the P&W 4360 wasn't ready yet. Eventually the 4360 would prove to be a better fit with the plane but that pairing didn't happen until the B-50, which was originally to be the B-29B.

 

[GrauGeist]

Of all the aircraft and components that Curtiss contributed to the war, the P-40 stands head and shoulders above the rest. It was the P-40 that provided the foundation that the U.S. and Allies were able to build on in an effort to stem the Japanese tide and to challenge the Axis in North Africa.

Much like Grumman's F4F, the P-40 was rugged, capable of standing against the best of the Axis and bought the Allies time to field newer types.

 

[Wildcat]

Agreed with the P-40.

 

[gjs238]

How about Curtiss props?
It's been mentioned in other threads how valuable prop development was.

Didn't Curtiss make the "paddleblade" prop for the P-47?

 

[Koopernic]

R-1820 (B-17)
R-2600 (B-25 and a number of Navy aircraft) its early existence stimulated the development of a range of aircraft that then easily accepted the superior R-2800.
R-3350 (B-29)
P-40
inventing the aeroplane.

 

[fastmongrel]

inventing the aeroplane.

I dont think even the most rabid Curtiss Wright fan would claim they invented the aeroplane.

 

[tyrodtom]

I thought the Wright in Curtiss Wright was from the Wright brothers , right ?

 

[Greyman]

If you're trying to start an Abbott and Costello bit I'm not gunna play ball ...

 

[GrauGeist]

There was alot of change within the Wright company before the merger with Curtiss.

By the time the Wright company merged with Curtiss, it was mostly just a board of directors, patent holdings and very little activity in regards to aircraft design/manufacturing.

When you see "Wright" and "Curtiss" in the same name, you have to chuckle anyway, because the Wright brothers and Glenn Curtiss were mortal enemies.

 

[Balljoint]

The Wrights invented the technology, i.e. wing and prop aero along with two axis and then three axis control. They were what is now known as intellectual property developers. Once they proved their concepts and gained their patents they licensed others, particularly foreign manufactures.

Curtiss was more of an aero hot rodder with a strong entrepreneur bent. Like Henry Ford he had an aversion to patents. Both were important to early aviation. Too bad they couldn't just get along.

 

[GrauGeist]

Curtiss was always trying to find a way around Wright's patents...his solution was ultimately accomplished by merging Wright's company with his.

But the Wrights were very jealous and protective of thier patents and any changes to thier design, this is what led Orville to walk away from the Wright company when they were in Partnership with Glen Martin. Martin was a proponent of Tractor design, the Wrights, especially Orville, felt that Pusher technology was more efficient. It was shortly after the dissolution of Martin's partnership (Martin-Wright), that the Curtiss merger happened (Curtiss-Wright).

 

[Koopernic]

The saga of the aileron:
Aerospaceweb.org | Ask Us - Origins of Control Surfaces

 

[fastmongrel]

I thought the Wright in Curtiss Wright was from the Wright brothers , right ?

It is but the Wright Brothers didnt invent the aeroplane and they never claimed to be the inventors. The Wrights were brilliant thinkers, empirical developers and engineers who built on the work of people like Otto Lilienthal, George Caley and others. They did invent the aero propellor and 3 axis control system and possibly invented the wind tunnel.

edit: Done some googling and the wind tunnel was an earlier invention.

 

[GregP]

The Wrights maybe didn't invent the airplane, but they DID invent the airplane that could fly under it's own power and had the first practical ailerons, too. In fact, their patent was upheld until WWI happened and made litigation secondary to winning the war. Neither side (the Wrights or anyone else) chose to resume legal maneuvers after the war.

 

[Balljoint]

The Wrights maybe didn't invent the airplane, but they DID invent the airplane that could fly under it's own power and had the first practical ailerons, too. In fact, their patent was upheld until WWI happened and made litigation secondary to winning the war. Neither side (the Wrights or anyone else) chose to resume legal maneuvers after the war.

The Wright's invented roll control, but did so through wing warping IIRC. Curtiss actually invented the aileron as an improved means of roll control.

The Wrights crashed many times –saved by their canard design cushioning the impact- before they figured out the need for yaw control

 

[GregP]

I said the Wrights invented the first PRACTICAL aileron, not that they invented it. Their parent was upheld, as I stated.

Curtiss did not invent the aileron. That dates back to 1864 in the UK and the British scientist Matthew Piers Watt Boulton ... at least according to several references. I hope this doesn't turn into a finger-pointing item ...

 

[davparlr]

If we are including the Wright Brothers as part of Curtiss-Wright, then we have to include the modern propeller.

 

[fastmongrel]

The Wrights maybe didn't invent the airplane, but they DID invent the airplane that could fly under it's own power and had the first practical ailerons, too. In fact, their patent was upheld until WWI happened and made litigation secondary to winning the war. Neither side (the Wrights or anyone else) chose to resume legal maneuvers after the war.

The Wrights tried to enforce their patents outside of the USA and failed miserably wasting their own time and making a lot of money for the legal profession.