Seaplane
It was obvious from the very start of heavier-than-air flights that a craft capable of taking off and landing on water would be desirable. As early as 1910 a Frenchman, Henri Fabre (1883-?), built the first seaplane by attaching floats rather than wheels to his aircraft. The next year Glenn Curtiss (1878-1930) designed a plane that had a light boat for its body. Curtiss demonstrated the military potential of his seaplanes by landing near a United States Navy ship and allowing the ship to hoist the craft on board via a crane.
Seaplanes were used during World War I. Although they did not receive the publicity or acclaim that land-based fighters did, they were widely used by both sides for reconnaissance, bombing, and torpedo attacks. It was a seaplane that warned the British about the movements of the German ships that led to the battle of Jutland. By the end of the war, the British had developed long-range seaplanes that could cross the North Sea to attack German airships patrolling the coast.
After the war, the Schneider Trophy Races helped accelerate the development of seaplanes. The first race was won in 1923 by an American whose craft averaged 47.75 miles per hour (76.8 kph). Later races were noted for design and engine innovations. The British came out with Supermarine aircraft--capable of over 407 miles per hour (655 kph)--that anticipated the great Spitfire fighters of World War II.
The seaplane distinguished itself in another field: commercial aviation. A German aircraft designer, Claudius Dornier (1884-1969), had already designed several successful seaplanes when he tackled the problem of transporting passengers across the Atlantic profitably, comfortably, and safely. In 1929 he unveiled the Dornier Do.X, the largest airplane of its time with twelve engines, a wingspan of 157 feet (47.88 m), and a length of 131 feet (39.95 m). Although it never flew, Dornier's craft served as the model for succeeding commercial seaplanes, including the Boeing 314 Clippers, which established the first scheduled routes across the Atlantic. Introduced in 1939, these huge flying boats provided luxurious accommodations for their passengers on Atlantic and Pacific ocean routes. During World War II, seaplanes were used extensively as patrol craft by the Allied forces. One famous descendant of the Clipper was the Catalina, which was responsible for helping the British find and destroy the German battleship Bismarck.
After the war, improvements in runways led to the abandonment of seaplanes. Airline companies also needed planes capable of transporting a large number of passengers at maximum speed but at minimum expense and the luxury flying boats could not compete with the new jet aircraft. Today, seaplanes are still used in rugged backwoods areas where there are few runways, and in fire fighting where they can scoop up water from lakes.
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