1928 Curtiss Robin

“As the first Robin of the season brings you happiness in the knowledge that spring has come, so will your first Curtiss “Robin” thrill you with the realization that new comfort, luxury, safety and economy have arrived in air transportation.”

Curtiss-Robertson Airplane Mfg. Co.

All of the Curtiss airplanes were named after birds, for instance early planes were the “Oriole”, the “Carrier Pigeon”, the “Falcon”, the “Condor”, the “Hawk(s)” and the “Lark”.  Most Curtiss efforts to this point were concentrated on military production.  The Robin was the first commercial type airplane the company certificated. 

The Robin was designed by the Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Co. at Garden City, L.I. but manufactured by a subsidiary, the Curtiss-Robertson Aircraft Co. in St. Louis, Mo. Production started in July 1928.

1928 Curtiss Robin    ATC #68

• This example was delivered in California and spent its entire life there, consequently it is very original.  It has been recently restored to pristine condition and is regularly flown.
• Powered by 90 HP OX-5 Engine of Jenny fame. This is an 8 cylinder, aluminum block, water-cooled engine,  originally designed about 1913.
• Designed for 3 person operations, two passengers side to side and a pilot.
• Initial sales price $4,000

The Robin could cruise for over 4 hours at 84 MPH and land slowly at 44MPH.  It has a 41’ wing span, is 25’ 10” long, and weighs 1489 pounds.  The Robin was a docile and pleasurable airplane to fly and for that reason saw strong commercial and flight school demand.  It was also an early entrant in the cabin class category when most transportation was still in open seat bi-planes.

“Here is a ship so carefully engineered and so perfectly balanced that it virtually flies itself. Its quick take-off and low landing speed with ease of control under any weather conditions is astonishing for a ship of low horsepower. Powered with a 90 H.P. motor (the famous Curtiss OX-5) it has a cruising range of 785 miles. Its fuselage is built of welded chrome-molybdenum steel tubing with a tensile strength of 95,000 pounds per square inch. The wing ribs are one piece stamped from Alclad metal, non-corrosive, light weight, and unique for the period. The landing fear, tail skid and every detail is especially engineered. Most parts are interchangeable.”

Curtiss-Robertson Sales Brochure

In 1927, Texas-born Douglas Corrigan was a relatively new pilot who worked for ryan aircraft in san Diego as a welder and mechanic. This is when Charles Lindbergh selected Ryan to build the Spirit of St. Louis. Corrigan was instrumental in building the Spirit and his image appears in many of the photographs taken during its construction. Inspired by Lindbergh’s success, Corrigan became determined to someday emulate his hero and fly to Ireland, his ancestral homeland. In 1933 he purchased a derelict Curtiss ox–5 robin for $325 for that purpose.

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