Curtiss-Reid Courier

McCurdy, the head of Curtiss-Reid hoped that a specialised mailplane, economical and able to fly in Canada's harsh winters, might find approval.[1]: 243 [2] The Courier was powered by a 120 hp (89 kW) de Havilland Gipsy III, a four-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline engine, driving a two-bladed propeller.The Courier's fuselage was roughly quadrilateral in section and built on welded steel tube Warren girder frames, though the upper decking was rounded.An open but heated cockpit was placed aft of the trailing edge, the pilot's upward vision enhanced by the short chord centre-section.Long-travel oleo struts to the upper fuselage, medium pressure tyres and a track of 6 ft (1.8 m) assisted landings on rough ground.[1]: 244–5 Though the Courier handled well, as demonstrated on a long flight to Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island as part of the Maritime Air Tour, the depressed economy made it hard to sell to clubs or individuals.
Mail planeCanadamailplaneMontrealCurtiss Aeroplane and Motor CompanyJ.A.D. McCurdyparasol wingdihedraltrapezoidalduraluminfabric coveredbalancedfuselagestrutscabane strutstrailing edgede Havilland Gipsy IIIinline enginepropellerWarren girdercockpittailplaneelevatorsangle of incidencerudderlanding gearoleo strutsfairingsshock absorberfloatplaneCartiervilleCanadian AirwaysRoyal Canadian Air ForceOttawaCharlottetownPrince Edward IslandFairchildinlineFlight