Curtiss Oriole (Model 17)

The Curtiss Oriole, or Curtiss Model 17, was an American three-seat general-purpose biplane that first flew in 1919, one of the company's first designs aimed at the postwar civil market. It featured a laminated-wood monocoque fuselage and was initially powered by the war-surplus 90 hp Curtiss OX-5 V-8, with a tall radiator set in the pilot's line of sight. Introduced in June 1919 at a price of $9,850, the Oriole showed early sales promise, but its performance on the OX-5 fell short of expectations.

Curtiss soon re-engined it with the more powerful 150 hp K-6 and 160 hp C-6 engines and, when even that proved insufficient, increased the wingspan from 36 to 40 feet. The Oriole saw use as a sport and utility aircraft in the early 1920s but was ultimately produced only in modest numbers as the flooded postwar market favored cheaper surplus Jennys.