The Consolidated O-17 Courier (company designation Model 2) was an observation and training aircraft used by the

United States National Guard The National Guard is a U.S. state, state-based military force that becomes part of the United States Armed Forces, U.S. military's reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, reserve components of the United States Army, U.S. Army a ...

Development

A parallel development to the

Consolidated PT-3 The Consolidated Aircraft Company, Consolidated Model 2 was a training airplane used by the United States Army Air Corps, under the designation PT-3 and the United States Navy under the designation Consolidated NY, NY-1. Development Seeing the ...

series, the XO-17 was a converted PT-3 with such refinements as improved fuselage streamlining, oleo shock absorbers, wheel brakes, balanced elevators and increased fuel capacity. It was used almost exclusively as a cross-country flying, gunnery, photographic and radio trainer. The O-17 had a removable fairing (carrying a

Scarff ring The Scarff ring was a type of machine gun mounting developed during the First World War by Warrant Officer (Gunner) F. W. Scarff of the Admiralty Air Department for use on two-seater aircraft. The mount incorporated bungee cord suspension in el ...

mounting for one .30 cal (7.62 mm) trainable Browning machine gun). The

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

purchased three generally similar aircraft, two Model 7 landplanes and one Model 8 floatplane, the latter with the same float gear as the NY series. The sole XO-17A was converted from the PT-3 as a demonstrator that failed to secure any orders. It was later fitted with the experimental Packard DR-980 Diesel engine of 225 hp (168 kW). The Model 15 was also an O-17 type airframe fitted with a

Pratt & Whitney R-1340 The Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp is an aircraft engine of the reciprocating engine, reciprocating type that was widely used in United States, American aircraft from the 1920s onward. It was the Pratt & Whitney aircraft company's first engine, an ...

engine. It too failed to win any contracts.

Variants

;XO-17 (prototype) :

Conversion with a 225 hp (168 kW)

Wright R-790 The Wright R-790 Whirlwind was a series of nine-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by Wright Aeronautical Corporation, with a total displacement of about and around . These engines were the earliest members of the Wright Whirlw ...

-1 engine, streamlined fuselage, modified undercarriage, increased fuel capacity, provision for dual controls and a dorsal 0.3 in (7.62 mm) gun, one conversion. ;O-17 Model 2 Courier :Production version for United States National Guard use, 29 built. ;XO-17A (prototype) :One

converted with a Wright R-790-3 engine intended for export. ;Model 7 (RCAF landplane) :Royal Canadian Air Force, two built. ;Model 8 (RCAF floatplane) :Royal Canadian Air Force, one built. ;XPT-8 (demonstrator) :The airframe of the XO-17A prototype fitted with a Packard DR-980 Diesel engine of 225 hp (168 kw), scrapped in 1932. ;XPT-8A :A single PT-3A (''29-115'') similarly converted with a Packard DR-980 Diesel engine with Project Number 'P-564', but returned to PT-3A configuration. The airframe was subsequently lost in a fatal midair with a P-12C of the 17th Pursuit Squadron 2 miles W of

New Baltimore, Michigan New Baltimore is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 12,117 at the 2020 census. New Baltimore is a northern suburb of Metro Detroit and is located along the northern shores of Lake St. Clair. History N ...

on 17 December 1931. ;Model 15 (demonstrator) :Conversion with a

engine.

Operators

; *

; * Eskisehir Air School

Specifications

References

{{USAF trainer aircraft Consolidated O-17 O-17 Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1927 Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Single-engined piston aircraft

Development

Variants

Operators

Specifications

See also

References