Curtiss JN-4 Canuck
A view of a restored museum example of the JN-4 Canuck in original Royal Flying Corps training colours. PHOTO: DND
Overview
Overview
During the First World War, the Royal Flying Corps began setting up flying schools in Canada starting in 1916. The Royal Flying Corps selected the Curtiss JN‑3 Jenny as the training aircraft of choice. The type was then manufactured in Canada under license by Canadian Aeroplanes Limited, and the Canadian version was given the designation JN‑4 Canuck. The Canuck went on to become numerically the most important trainer of Canadian and British pilots and the design lent itself to a wide variety of training purposes, including air‑to‑air gunnery, photography and wireless radio training. Royal Flying Corps training schools in both Canada and the United States of America used the aircraft extensively. After the war, numerous JN‑4 Canucks made their way into civilian use. The Canadian government received over 50 JN‑4 aircraft as part of a post-war Imperial gift, but only 10 of these aircraft saw active use in the Canadian Air Force of the 1920s.
| Model Number | JN‑4 |
| Role | Trainer |
| Taken on strength | 1917 |
| Struck off strength | 1924 |
| Number | 2,320 |
| Service | Royal Flying Corps / Canadian Air Force |
|---|
Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft: A Military Compendium by T.F.J. Leversedge © 2007. Translated and reproduced with permission of the author.
Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications
| Manufacturer | Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd. |
| Crew / passengers | Two pilots in tandem or one pilot plus one passenger |
|---|---|
| Powerplant | One 90 hp Curtiss OX‑2 or OX‑5 piston engine |
| Maximum speed | 74 mph (121 km/h) |
| Cruising speed | 60 mph (96.5 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 11,000 ft (3,353 m) |
| Empty weight | 1,390 lb (631 kg) |
| Gross weight | 1,920 lb (872 kg) |
| Upper span | 43 ft 7 in (13.29 m) |
| Lower span | 34 ft 8 in (10.57 m) |
| Length | 27 ft 3 in (8.29 m) |
| Height | 9 ft 11 in (3.02 m) |
| Wing area | 361 sq ft (33.5 m2) |
| Armament | Provision for forward firing Vickers machine gun or flexible Scharff-ring mounted machine gun in rear cockpit |
| Cost | $5,465 US |
Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft: A Military Compendium by T.F.J. Leversedge © 2007. Translated and reproduced with permission of the author.
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