The Felixstowe F.5 series originated in the United Kingdom as a militarized flying boat in the last year of World War 1 (1918). Her design was credited to Lieutenant Commander John C. Porte of the Royal Navy (out of the "Seaplane Experimental Station" at Felixstowe - hence her designation). Porte had already taken the Curtiss H.12 flying boat (Curtiss Model H) and modified it into a better product when he designed his Felixstowe F.2a series. The F.2a series would go on to become the standard Royal Navy Air Service flying boat of World War 1 while the follow-up F.5 led a healthy existence during the post-war period defined as the "inter-war" years (in both military and civilian guises).
Regardless, the F.5 went on to become the standard flying boat of the British Royal Air Force from 1918 onwards though missing out on operational service in World War 1 altogether. Production of the base F.5 military boat was as follows: Short Brothers (23 examples); Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company (17 examples); Gosport Aviation (10 examples); Dick, Kerr & Company (2 examples); Seaplane Experimental Station (1 example).
The Felixstowe F.5 maintained an elegant appearance consistent with flying boats of the time, made most identifiable by its hull-like fuselage. The fuselage was contoured where possible, bulbous at the lower portions to effectively displace water, with little detail to disrupt airflow. Wings were set amidships and were biplane in nature and slightly unequal in span, held in place by parallel bracing struts and cabling with pontoons located outboard. The engines were mounted between the upper and lower wing assemblies, well clear of salt spray from the sea. The fuselage tapered upwards towards the empennage which sported a single, large-area angular vertical tail fin and high-mounted, large-area horizontal tailplanes. Cabling extended from amidships rearwards towards the tail fin. The crew of four sat in open-air cockpits with accommodations for two pilots (seated side-by-side) and a pair of machine gunners - one manning the forward mount in the front circular cockpit and the other nestled between the two engine mounts amidships in another circular cockpit. Defensive armament centered around a collection of four Lewis aircraft machine guns, one set in a flexible mounting in the nose and the other two (or three) Lewis guns positioned along amidships. As a bomber, the F.5 could make use of four underwing bomb racks for the carrying of 4 x 230lb bombs. Power was derived from twin Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII series V12 inline piston engines delivering approximately 350 horsepower spinning two-bladed propellers. This provided for speeds of up to 88 miles per hour with a service ceiling of 6,800 feet and endurance for seven hours of flight time.
The base F.5 served with the British Royal Air Force and the Royal Naval Air Service branches. With the RAF, it made up the inventories of Squadrons No. 230, 231, 232, 238, 247, 249, 259, 261 and 267.
F.5 production was also undertaken by the Americans when the US Navy adopted the type into service in 1918. These were powered by a pair of Liberty engines and produced by Curtiss (60 examples), the US Naval Aircraft Factory (137 examples) in the US and by Canadian Aeroplanes (30 examples) out of Toronto, Canada. The Liberty-powered mounts came under the designation of "F.5L" and some 227 examples were built in all. F.5Ls were the US Navy's primary flying boat up until 1928 before being replaced by the PN-12 series. Curtiss F.5Ls also served in the civilian airliner role after some conversion. These were operated by the Aeromarine Plane and Motor Company beginning in 1919 under the company designation of "Aeromarine 75". Operators of this type included both the United States and Argentina.
Japan license-produced the F.5 for its Imperial Japanese Navy to the tune of 60 examples, these handled by the Hiro Naval Arsenal.
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Specifications
Short Bros; Phoenix Dynamo Mfg Co; Gosport Aviation Dick, Kerr & Co; Seaplane Experimental Station Felixstowe - UK Manufacturer(s)
Argentina; Japan; United Kingdom; United States Operators
MARITIME / NAVY
Land-based or shipborne capability for operating over-water in various maritime-related roles while supported by allied naval surface elements.
INTELLIGENCE-SURVEILLANCE-RECONNAISSANCE
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
49.2 ft (15.01 meters) Length
103.7 ft (31.60 meters) Width/Span
18.8 ft (5.72 meters) Height
9,101 lb (4,128 kilograms) Empty Weight
12,681 lb (5,752 kilograms) Maximum Take-Off Weight
+3,580 lb (+1,624 kg) Weight Difference
2 x Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII 12-cylinder Vee piston engines developing 350 horsepower each. Propulsion
STANDARD:
1 x 7.7mm (0.303 caliber) Lewis machine gun in flexible nose mounting.
2 OR 3 x 7.7mm (0.303 caliber) Lewis machine gun in midship positions.
OPTIONAL:
4 x 230lb bombs along underwing racks.
4 Hardpoints
F.5 - Base Production Series Designation; 53 examples produced.
F.5L - American designation for F.5 production; fitted with Liberty engines; production by Naval Aircraft Factory; Curtiss and Canadien Aeroplanes of Canada; 227 examples produced.
Curtiss F.5L - Alternative American Designation
Aeromarine 75 - Civilian Airliner conversions from F.5L models.
Images
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Left side view of the Felixstowe F.5 in flight
2 / 2
Right side view of a Felixstowe F.5L converted into the Aeromarine 75 passenger airliner
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