2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. F9C Sparrowhawk: USN· Public domain
- 2. Curtiss XF9C-2 Sparrowhawk: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
what is it?
The Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk is a light 1930s biplane fighter aircraft that was carried by the United States Navy airships USS Akron and Macon. It is an example of a parasite fighter, a small airplane designed to be deployed from a larger aircraft such as an airship or bomber.
How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 7.8 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 95 years ago, in 1931.
- Top speed is 2.2× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1931-02-12
- introduced
- 1931
- retired
- 1937
- status
- retired
- number built
- 8
- role
- parasite fighter
- makers
- Curtiss-Wright
- engines
- 1× Wright R-975-E3
- crew
- 1
- length
- 6.2 m
- wingspan
- 7.8 m
- height
- 3.2 m
- max take-off weight
- 1,259 kg
- top speed
- 284 km/h
- range
- —
- ceiling
- 5,852 m
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1145728, Wikipedia: Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.