Control Line: Navy Carrier
THE MYSTERY PLANE from the December issue was the Curtiss XSC-2A Seahawk. The Seahawk was the last Curtiss aircraft to reach full production, ending almost 40 years of aircraft manufacturing. Curtiss built over 30 different aircraft designs for the Navy, including examples of almost every type of aircraft flown by the Navy except helicopters. The Seahawk was also the last shipboard floatplane used by the Navy, and the last scout or observation type as well. Rescue duties were taken over by helicopters, and aircraft carriers became the capital ship of choice, providing attack aircraft capable of assuming the observation and reconnaissance function of the scouts.
Control Line: Navy Carrier
MYSTERY PLANE from the February issue is the Blackburn B-48, unofficially designated Firecrest by the manufacturer. It was to be a follow-on to the Firebrand Mk. 5 with an improved pilot position and a new wing. Its design mission was surface-strike carrying torpedo, bombs, rockets, or externally mounted .50 caliber guns. It did not achieve its first flight until after WW II, at a time when piston engines were losing popularity in favor of jets as the power plant of choice for military aircraft. The design was terminated after the second prototype. As before, I will accept entries in the mystery plane contest at my home address shown at the beginning of this column. The winner of a year's membership in the Navy Carrier Society will be selected from among those who correctly identify the mystery plane. Because of the mail delays around Christmas, I have delayed selecting a winner for the February issue. The results of that contest will be announced in my next column.
