English: A Curtiss R3C-2 Racer biplane on display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

The Curtiss Aircraft Company's "Curtiss R" was a utility aircraft produced for the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy during World War I. The Model R was the prototype, while the Model R-2 was the production version.

To promote aircraft design improvements in the domestic aircraft industry, the U.S. government ordered advanced racing craft from various companies. In 1921, the U.S. Navy ordered a racing plane from Curtiss. Designated the CR (for Curtiss Racer), it was a biplane with two staggered wings of different spans. It had a single cockpit, and was powered by a Curtiss D-12 engine that provided 450 horsepower.

In 1923, the Navy ordered a second racer. The engine was an enhanced V-1400, which was 30 pounds lighter but provided more than 100 more horsepower. It was more streamlined as well.

The R3C-1 had wheeled landing gear. It won the Pulitzer Trophy in 1925.

The R3C-2 was the seaplane version. It was designed to race for the Schneider Trophy. Lt. Jimmy Doolittle (later a U.S. Army Air Corps general and leader of the Doolittle Raids in World War II) won the trophy. The next day, Doolittle set a new world speed record.

The Smithsonian acquired the R3C-2 in 1927. It still carried the markings used in the 1925 Schneider competition. It was on loan at the Air Force Museum for several years, and was restored. It went on display at the Air and Space Museum in 1976.