Curtiss A-3B Falcon Article & Plans
March 1968 American Aircraft Modeler

March 1968 American Aircraft Modeler Table of Contents These pages from vintage modeling magazines like Flying Aces, Air Trails, American Modeler, American Aircraft Modeler, Young Men, Flying Models, Model Airplane News, R/C Modeler, captured the era. All copyrights acknowledged.

Here are plans for the Curtiss A-3B Falcon that I electronically scanned from my purchased copy of the March 1968 American Aircraft Modeler magazine. You might be able to scale up the images below if suitable plans cannot be located. Plans for this fine model were drawn by Mr. Paul R. Matt. All copyrights (if any) are hereby acknowledged.

"The Curtiss Falcon is a family of military biplane aircraft built by the United States aircraft manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company during the 1920s. Most saw service as part of the United States Army Air Corps as observation aircraft with the designations O-1 and O-11, or as the attack aircraft designated the A-3 Falcon." - Wikipedia

Curtiss A-3B Falcon

by Paul Matt

Born and bred at the Garden City facilities of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. in 1924 and later produced at Buffalo, the Falcon sired many offspring. A number of attempts were made to lump the Falcon series together as one with each used in different ways. This is unfair to the historical significance of the basic design. Despite the many variations and uses for which the Falcons were submitted and the strong family resemblance, each type was different and each had its own personality. We cannot delve into the entire Falcon line within this limited space. However, we can touch upon the development of the A-3 Attack models.

Between 1924 and 1926 the Army Air Corps, for the first time, started a systematic categorizing of its aircraft - thus the A-Attack, B-Bombardment, C-Cargo, O-Observation, P-Pursuit, etc. designations. An extended program was undertaken to secure new aircraft to fill these definite requirements. Prior to this, there were numerous unrelated designations with an equal number of aircraft serving various purposes unsuccessfully.

In the fall of 1924 the Air Corps held several open competitions for new air-craft. Among them were the requirements for a two-place observation aircraft to replace the weary DH-4Bs. Private industry welcomed this opportunity to produce their own designs, unhampered by McCook Field Ordnance and Engineering Department specifications. Basic requirements were set forth. Certain military goals had to be met, but the industry had a more liberal hand in the final concept. The only stringent stipulation seemed rather ridiculous from the engineers' point of view; the power plant had to be the Liberty 12 engine of WWI vintage. This was an economy move by the military.

Eleven manufacturers competed at McCook Field. Each product was assigned