Curtiss-Wright CW-21 is a plane that saw extensive service in the early part of the war in the Pacific and China and in some cases even with the Japanese. Primarily used by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force and the Chinese Nationalist Air Force (saw limited use with the AVG) in the Dutch East Indies and in China, its fire power was comparable to that of the Oscar (but worse than the cannon equipped Zero) and could out climb both. In the Dutch East Indies, it was finally taken out of service by attrition with from the overwhelming numbers of the Japanese and all were either lost in combat or destroyed on the ground.
According to some reports from Dutch pilots, it had superior performance over the Curtiss Hawk and the Brewster Buffalo and could easily out climb the Zero but not out turn it. Its metal ailerons also reportedly gave it a better roll rate at higher speeds than the Zero.
While some can argue that it wasn't successful because it didn't have a winning record, that can be largely attributed to flight operations conducted under tactically unfavorable circumstances. Had its pilots had more time to learn the relative merits of their and the enemy's aircraft they might well have been able to use their CW-21Bs with more effect.
Specifications (CW-21B)General characteristicsCrew: one, pilot
Length: 27 ft 2 in (8.3 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft (10.7 m)
Height: 8 ft 11 in (2.7 m)
Wing area: 174.3 ft² (16 m²)
Empty weight: 3,382 lb (1,534 kg)
Loaded weight: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Wright Cyclone R-1820-G5 nine cylinder radial air-cooled engine, 1,000 hp (746 kW)
PerformanceMaximum speed: 315 mph at 17,000 ft (506 km/h at 5,200 m)
Range: 630 mi (1,010 km)
Service ceiling: 34,300 ft (10,500 m)
Rate of climb: 4,500 ft/min (1,400 m/min)
Armament2 × 0.3 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns
2 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Saw service with the Dutch East Indies AF, Nationalist China AF, AVG (lost all their CW-21s in a crash from poor visibility) and Japan (captured from Dutch).
ack-ack
