Curtiss A-8

A-8 "Shrike"
Type	Attack
Manufacturer	Curtiss
Primary user	U.S. Army Air Corps
Produced	13
Variants	YA-10 Shrike A-12 Shrike

The Curtiss A-8 was designed in response to an Army Air Corps requirement for an attack aircraft to replace the A-3 Falcon. The Model 59 "Shrike" was designated XA-8 (the "Shrike" nickname was not officially adopted).

The XA-8 won a competition against the Fokker XA-7 and 13 service test aircraft were ordered (five as YA-8s and eight as Y1A-8s); upon the completion of testing eleven of these aircraft were redesignated A-8.

Four forwards-firing .30 machine guns were mounted in the wheel fairings, and an additional weapon of the same calibre was fitted in the observer's cockpit for rear defense. The standard bomb load was four 122-pound bombs.

One YA-8 was fitted with a radial engine and designated YA-10, while another was used for testing of the Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror engine as the Y1A-8A. This aircraft was redesignated A-8 upon the completion of testing.

46 aircraft were ordered as A-8Bs, however the order was changed to A-12s before production began.

Related content

Related development

• YA-10 Shrike
• A-12 Shrike

Comparable aircraft

• Fokker XA-7

Designation sequence
A-5 - A-6 - XA-7 - A-8 - XA-9 - YA-10 - XA-11 Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States