Curits flying boat in Royal Navy service?

Lufbery · 8 March 2005, 09:56 AM

Hi all,

A recent thread on the RNAS buying American planes, and Roden's page on the Curtis H-16 flying boat were both eye-openers for me. Up until now, I had no clue that American designs actually flew combat in the war.

The Roden page gives a lot of information on how many were built, and by whom, but I'm curious about their operational history.

What kind of missions the the Curtis flying boats fly?

How successful were they?

Are there any notable combats or missions?

Does anyone here know?

Regards,

Dan_San_Abbott · 8 March 2005, 11:29 AM

Drew Ames:
John Porte had been teamed with Rodman Wanamaker in the Curtiss "America" Flying boat prior to the war. It was planned to fly the Atlantic, but the war intervened. John Porte was recalled to duty with the RNAS. The "America" led to the Curtiss H.4 Flying boat. Which at Porte's request, the RNAS bought two H.4 "America" flying boats. Comdr. John Porte
found the Curtiss H.4 hull had some short comings. So he set about the redesign of the hull. The redesigned hull with the "America's" wings and empennage became the F.1 Flying boat.
The next Flying Boat was the Curtiss H.12, the "Large America". John Porte found the H.12 hull was not up to the F.1 hull. Porte then designed a larger hull to take the H.12 wings and tails, this then became the F.2. Fifty H.12 flying boats were ordered from Curtiss, serial numbers 8650-8699. These fifty H.12 wrote history with the RNAS. An additional quantity of of twenty-one were ordered as the H.12B, s/n N4330-N4250., these with Rolls-Royce engines. This led to the design of the Curtiss H.16 withthe two Liberty Engines for the USN and Rolls Royce Eagles for the RNAS. By the end of the war the RNAS had at least fifteen H.16 in service with the RNAS. Curtiss was very important to the RNAS. With the services provided by the RNAS in improved hulls, made it possible for Curtiss to quickly meet the needs of the USN flying service. The ball had been rolling for two years, and provided time needed for Curtiss to expand their production facilities. This expansion of their facilities made it possible for Curtiss to fullfil the requirements of the USN and the RNAS.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

MikeW · 8 March 2005, 01:33 PM

Drew,

Colin Owers has produced a superb 2 part feature titled Killingholme Diary in the Autumn and Winter 2004 issues of Cross & Cockade. Not RNAS in this case, but the US Navy - the article details the use of flying boats on anti submarine missions over the north sea. Great detail, unusual photographs, profiles, its all there.

Mike

Lufbery · 8 March 2005, 01:55 PM

Mike and Dan-San,

Thank you very much. I had no idea of the close cooperation between the British and the Americans.

Did the flying boats fly missions other than submarine patrol. For that matter, did any of them ever get a submarine?

Regards,

8 March 2005, 04:30 PM

Hello Lufbery,

Quite a number of Zeppelin and submarine (including British) encounters are reported in Sturtivant & Page 'Royal Naval Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1919'.

One notable incident involved Curtiss H.8 8666, which shot down L22 on 14 May 1917. Later that summer, this same plane also fired upon L40 and L44, but to no avail.

The crews of H.8 8662 and 8676 were decorated for sinking UB20 on 29 July 1917.

H.8 8677 destroyed L43 in flames on 14 June 1917.

The first US Navy aircrew to be killed in WWI were shot down while aboard H.12b N4338 on 15 February 1918.

There are plenty of other interesting accounts, but I hope this helps.

-Paul

Lufbery · 8 March 2005, 07:41 PM

Paul, that helps a lot, except that I'm ignorant about what you mean by L43 (for example). Are those airships?

Regards, and thank you!

Colin A Owers · 8 March 2005, 10:21 PM

You need to read "The Spider's Web" by PIX and "The Story of a North Sea Air Station" by Snowdon-Gamble (Spelling?) both of which have been reprinted. Chase up in secondhand shops. Great stories of the men and machines.

You might like my two-part article on the Curtiss HS-1L/2L in last year's Over the Front. These boats were used for anti-submarine missions from French stations - and also the only contact with a U-Boat from the USA.

Cheers

Colin A Owers

PS I started out to research Curtiss Flying Boats of WWI for a proposed book, but this has expanded to all the USN aircraft to 1919 - to include those designed but not built until after the Armistice. I have potted histories of the first 7100 USN aircraft.

Always interested in any information on these neglected aircraft.

Colin A Owers · 8 March 2005, 10:23 PM

I forgot to mention that the USMC flew Curtiss R-6 floatplanes from the Azores on anti-submarine patrols. Only the Army did not get a US design into active service. The Navy's part in the war is mostly overlooked.

Colin A Owers

Dan_San_Abbott · 8 March 2005, 11:22 PM

Colin A. Owers:
There was quantity of U.S.N. aircraft purchased as surplus, sold to Frenchman in Macao, China, there were some quantities of HS.2L, Aeromarine 39, Curtiss F Boat and Curtiss F5L and Curtiss JN-4D. These aircraft with all spares equipment, engines, props, etc. would wind-up in Canton as Kuomintang South China Air Service commanded by Gen. Yung Sen-yat, under President Sun Yat-sen. Do you have any information about these aircraft? Do you know anything about the "Rosamonde"?
Blue skies,
Dan-San