Curtiss-Wright Corporation — Corporate Overview

Premises Description

Curtiss-Wright Corporation, headquartered historically in Wood-Ridge NJ and today in Davidson NC (with Wharton NJ operations), operated one of the largest World War II aviation-engine and propeller manufacturing footprints in the United States. Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Curtiss-Wright aviation-engine plants (Wright R-1820 Cyclone, R-2600 Twin Cyclone, R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial engines), propeller plants, and postwar nuclear-service valve and pump facilities were built and maintained with asbestos-containing thermal insulation, gaskets, packing, and sprayed structural fireproofing.

Alleged asbestos-containing materials at Curtiss-Wright plants included pipe covering and block insulation on high-pressure steam lines and process piping; heat-treat furnace insulation and refractory linings in engine-cylinder and propeller-blade heat-treatment operations; engine test-cell and dynamometer thermal insulation; sprayed fireproofing on structural steel; gaskets, valve packing, and pump packing in plant utility and process systems; and brake friction linings on overhead cranes and industrial vehicles. Plaintiffs alleged that Curtiss-Wright nuclear-service valve, pump, and control-component product lines — sold to Navy nuclear-propulsion, commercial nuclear-power, and defense customers — incorporated asbestos gaskets and packing well into the 1980s.

Product Description

Plaintiffs alleged that Curtiss-Wright aircraft brake friction linings, engine cylinder-head gaskets, exhaust-manifold gaskets, and propeller-hub seals contained chrysotile asbestos and released respirable fiber during aircraft-maintenance grinding, machining, and disassembly work.

Workers Exposed

Aircraft assemblers, engine mechanics, propeller-shop workers, machinists, pipefitters, insulators, millwrights, electricians, heat-treat operators, test-cell technicians, and maintenance workers at Curtiss-Wright plants allegedly worked in and around asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, packing, and fireproofing. Navy nuclear-propulsion and commercial nuclear-power workers who serviced Curtiss-Wright valves and pumps allegedly disturbed asbestos gaskets and packing during overhaul.

If You Worked With Curtiss-Wright Aviation-Engine, Propeller, or Nuclear-Service Component Products

If you or a family member worked at a Curtiss-Wright plant, serviced Curtiss-Wright aviation engines or propellers, or overhauled Curtiss-Wright nuclear-service valves and pumps and later developed mesothelioma or lung cancer, you may have claims against Curtiss-Wright and other alleged asbestos defendants.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 207-2823

Documented Jobsites

Workers at these jobsites allegedly encountered Curtiss-Wright Corporation asbestos products or premises, per public litigation and historical records:


Plants by State

Curtiss-Wright Corporation operated plants across multiple U.S. states. Detailed premises information is available on the following state jobsite pages:


Documented in Public Court Records

According to publicly filed federal asbestos litigation records (reviewed via CourtListener/RECAP), Curtiss Wright has been named in 500+ documented asbestos dockets filed between 2004 and 2025 — concentrated in the federal asbestos multidistrict litigation (In re: Asbestos Products Liability Litigation, MDL 875, E.D. Pennsylvania) and other U.S. district courts.

In these publicly filed cases, Curtiss Wright is most often named alongside other companies frequently sued as co-defendants in the same asbestos actions, including General Electric, Union Carbide, IMO Industries, Honeywell International, CBS, Eaton, Georgia-Pacific, Parker Hannifin.

Case counts and co-defendant associations are drawn from publicly filed litigation records and reflect allegations, not findings of liability, which is determined case by case.