Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright

Model: 104

Name: Seahawk II

Type: Jet fighter

Date:

Status: Service test

Country: United States of America

Service: U.S. Navy

Designation: XF16C-1

Although Curtiss had failed with their Model 99 Stingaree jet fighter (evaluated as the XF15C-1 by the Navy), the company continued to submit jet designs with little success to both the Navy and the Air Force.

The Curtiss Model 104 Seahawk II was entered as the XF16C-1 in the same competition as the Vought XF6U-1 Pirate, and was at least as good an aircraft, displaying desirable handling characteristics and excellent performance throughout. However, the Navy insisted on a single-jet aircraft, while the Seahawk II had two.

The company therefore went back to the drawing board to work on a single engine variant tentatively designated the XF16C-2, but this required heavy redesign of the wing and failed to make it in time before the competition was closed.

Of course, the Vought Pirate was chosen and produced as the F6U-1.

The photo was done using a photo of the Curtiss Blackhawk. The profile view was heavily transformed from a gorgeous original color profile of the same  Blackhawk by Robert Beechy. [link]

Both original images are reproduced below right, underneath my re-creations.

• First lines could have been drawn in 1946...it could use 2x Westinghouse J34 engines  I was going to suggest the Pratt & Whitney J42 (actually, Rolls-Royce Nene built under license), but I guess they were bigger  (Roddy1990)
• really nice, love the in period 'Kodachrome' look too :) the 'seahawk' looks as tho it could be a contemporary of the Douglas Skyknight ;) (Joe Warner)