Neglected Legacy: Navy Seaplanes

The U.S. Navy bought its first aircraft in 1911, a Curtiss amphibian called the A-1 Triad. The flying boat’s potential was exploited in World War I, but the float plane’s capability went unrealized until the early 1920s. Until then the lack of a launching system hampered shipboard operations. In May 1922, a compressed air turntable catapult installed on board the Maryland (BB-46) launched a Vought VE-7. As catapults were installed on other battleships and cruisers, the Navy acquired the capability of operating aircraft from existing capital ships. Techniques then were developed for supporting conventional forces, particularly with regard to spotting for ships’ guns. For more than 20 years, the float plane remained an indispensable part of naval aviation, but the advancement of technology eventually overtook them. The last float planes left Navy service in the early years after World War II, bringing an end to a colorful period of naval aviation. All photos are courtesy of U.S. Naval Air Systems Command.