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The Robin you see here in the museum is on loan to us by it's owner, Elizabeth Nichols. She and her late husband "Red" purchased the aircraft a number of years ago and flew it regularly until the time of his death in the mid 80's. After his death the plane sat idle in the hanger and Mrs Nichols did not particulary want to sell the aircraft. In 1993 members of the museum approached her about placing the Robin here on loan and she was delighted with the idea and thought our museum would be a wonderful place for all to see this magnificent airplane.
As a symbol of his last name, Red used the buffalo nickel as his moniker and had two giant nickel plaques made to go on the Robin's engine cowling.
Specifications:
Curtiss Robin 4C-1A - 1 of the only 11 ever built.
Wing Span: 41 feet - 4 inches
Length: 25 feet - 5 inches
Gross Weight: 2850 pounds
Engine: Continental W-670, 220 hp
Propeller: Fixed pitch metal, ground adjustable
Cruise Speed: 98 mph.
Ceiling: 11,200 feet
Date Built: 1929 = 1930
Primary Use: Private and Commercial
The Robin, a workmanlike cabin monoplane had a wooden wing and steel tubing fuselage. The cabin accommodated two, and or three, passengers seated side-by-side behind the pilot. Early Robins were distinguished by large flat fairings over the parallel diagonal wing bracing struts, which were abandoned on later versions when found ineffective at creating lift. The original landing gear were bungee rubber cord shock absorbers, later replaced by an oleo-pneumatic system, a number of Robins had twin-floats added.
Design Features: Payload: with 50 gal fuel was 452 lb. Cruising speed: 102 mph. Landing speed: 48 mph.
Gas capacity: 50 gal (25 gal. in each wing tank), Oil capacity: 5 gal. Price at factory field was $7,500.
Military service:
A single modified Robin (with a 110 hp Warner R-420-1) was used by the United States Army Air Corps, and designated XC-10. This aircraft was used in a test program for radio-controlled (and unmanned) flight.
A Curtiss Robin C was purchased by the Paraguayan government in 1932 for the Transport Squadron of its Air Arm. It was intensively used as a VIP transport plane and air ambulance during the Chaco War (1923-1935).
This Model: Robin 4C-1A Four-seat version with an enlarged forward fuselage section; is 1 of the only 11 ever built.
The Curtiss Robin, introduced in 1928, was a high wing monoplane with a 90 hp V8 OX-5 8-cylinder engine. It was later fitted with the more powerful Challenger engine, which developed between 170 and 185 hp NOTE: Model B (90 hp. Curtiss OX-5 engine), Model C-1 (185 hp. Curtiss Challenger engine), and Model J-1 (165 hp. Wright J-6 Whirlwind 5 engine)
The J-1 version was flown by Douglas Corrigan (nicknamed "Wrong way") as well as The Flying Keys, who set a continuous653 hr. of flight, endurance record.