# Felixstowe F.1 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Felixstowe_F.1 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Felixstowe_F.1.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felixstowe_F.1 > Source revision: 1338214818 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British experimental flying boat Felixstowe F.1 Prototype Felixstowe F.1 (No.3580) General information Type Military flying boat National origin United Kingdom Manufacturer RNAS Felixstowe Designer John Cyril Porte Primary users Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force Number built 4 History Retired January 1919[1] Developed from Curtiss H-4 Variant Felixstowe F.2 The **Felixstowe F.1** was a British experimental [flying boat](/source/Flying_boat) designed and developed by [Lieutenant Commander](/source/Lieutenant_Commander) [John Cyril Porte](/source/John_Cyril_Porte) [RN](/source/Royal_Navy) at the [naval air station](/source/RNAS_Felixstowe), [Felixstowe](/source/Felixstowe) based on the [Curtiss H-4](/source/Curtiss_Model_H) with a new hull.[2] Its design led to a range of successful larger flying boats that was assistance in promoting Britain as a leader in this field of aviation.[1] ## Development Before the war Porte worked with [American](/source/United_States) aircraft designer [Glenn Curtiss](/source/Glenn_Curtiss) on a trans-atlantic flying boat. Due to the start of the [Great War](/source/First_World_War) he returned to England, eventually to command of the [naval air station](/source/RNAS_Felixstowe) at [Felixstowe](/source/Felixstowe), Suffolk.[2] Porte decided that the original Curtiss flying-boats that the Royal Navy acquired could be improved and a number of modifications to in-service flying-boats were made.[2] The modifications had a mixed result so Porte using the experience gained, developed with his Chief Technical Officer [John Douglas Rennie](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Douglas_Rennie&action=edit&redlink=1),[1] a new single-step hull known as the Porte I.[2] The Porte I hull used the wings and tail unit of an original H-4 (No.3580) powered by two [Hispano-Suiza 8](/source/Hispano-Suiza_8) engines; the new flying boat was designated the Felixstowe F.1.[1][2] During trials of the F.1 two further steps were added to the hull and a deeper V-shape which greatly improved the performance on takeoff and landing.[1][2] Porte went on to design a similar hull, the Porte II for the larger [Curtiss H-12](/source/Curtiss_H-12) flying boat, which became the [Felixstowe F.2](/source/Felixstowe_F.2).[2][3] ## Operators **[United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom)** - [Royal Naval Air Service](/source/Royal_Naval_Air_Service) - [RNAS Felixstowe](/source/RNAS_Felixstowe) - [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) - [Seaplane Experimental Station](/source/Seaplane_Experimental_Station), [Felixstowe](/source/Felixstowe) - Flying school[1] ## Specifications Front elevation, RNAS Felixstowe. *Data from* [1] **General characteristics** - **Crew:** 4 - **Length:** 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m) - **Upper wingspan:** 72 ft (22 m) - **Wing area:** 842 sq ft (78.2 m2) - **Powerplant:** 2 × [Hispano-Suiza 8](/source/Hispano-Suiza_8) water-cooled V8, 150 hp (110 kW) each ## See also - [British Anzani](/source/Anzani)[4] **Related development** - [Curtiss H-4](/source/Curtiss_Model_H) - [Felixstowe F.2](/source/Felixstowe_F.2) **Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era** - [White & Thompson No. 1 Seaplane](/source/White_%26_Thompson_No._1_Seaplane) **Related lists** - [List of flying boats and floatplanes](/source/List_of_flying_boats_and_floatplanes) ## References ### Notes 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Golden_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Golden_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Golden_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Golden_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Golden_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Golden_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Golden_1-6) Chorlton, Martyn, ed. (2012). *Aeroplane Collectors' Archive: Golden Age of Flying-boats*. Kelsey Publishing Group, Cudham, Kent. p. 23. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-907426-71-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-907426-71-1). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-orbis_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-orbis_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-orbis_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-orbis_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-orbis_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-orbis_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-orbis_2-6) Orbis 1985, p. 1775 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Rennie, Major John Douglas (1923). Pritchard, J. Laurence (ed.). ["Some Notes on The Design, Construction and Operation of Flying Boats"](https://archive.org/stream/journalaero27roya#page/136/mode/2up/search/fury+servo). *The Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society*. **XXVII**. University of Toronto: Royal Aeronautical Society: 136–137. Retrieved 25 September 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["British Anzani - a company history"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120206075213/http://www.britishanzani.co.uk/History.htm). *The British Anzani Archive*. British Anzani Archive. 2000. p. 1. Archived from [the original](http://www.britishanzani.co.uk/History.htm) on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2015. ### Bibliography - *The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)*. Orbis Publishing. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Felixstowe F.1](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Felixstowe_F.1). - [Sons of Our Empire](http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060008189): Film of the Royal Naval Air Service at Felixstowe, including a Curtiss Model H-2 and prototype Felixstowe F.1 (No. 3580) fitted with [Anzani](/source/Anzani_10-cylinder) engines, Porte and Commodore of [Harwich](/source/Harwich_Force), [George C. Cayley](/source/George_C._Cayley) RN returning from a flight in a Felixstowe F.1, about August 1916. - ["The Felixstowe Flying-Boats - part 1"](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%201723.html) a 1955 *Flight* article - ["The Felixstowe Flying-Boats - part 2"](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%201772.html) a 1955 *Flight* article - ["F-Boats - A Postscript by an Ex-pilot"](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%200087.html) a 1956 *Flight* article on the Felixstowe flying boats - [Felixstowe Flying-Boats](http://www.willhiggs.co.uk/dundee/felixstowes.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130330022203/http://www.willhiggs.co.uk/dundee/felixstowes.htm) 30 March 2013 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) v t e Felixstowe (Seaplane Experimental Station) aircraft Felixstowe F.1 Felixstowe Porte Baby Felixstowe F.2 Felixstowe F.3 Felixstowe F.5 Felixstowe F5L Felixstowe Fury --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Felixstowe F.1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felixstowe_F.1) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felixstowe_F.1?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.