Designed by Glenn Curtiss, an American pioneer of water-based aircraft, the Navy Curtiss NC flying boat consisted of a biplane wing, engines and tail section that were mounted above a speedboat hull with braces and support wires. These planes were powered by four engines and operated at speeds between 66 and 85 miles per hour. These models entered production too late for World War I; however, Navy Curtiss NC-4, piloted by Lieutenant Commander Albert C. Read, completed the first Atlantic crossing in 1919.
In 1931, the huge 12-engine Dornier Do X flying boat entered service. With a massive wingspan of 147.5 feet and a maximum weight of over 123,000 pounds, the flying boat was the largest aircraft built to date. It completed a flight with 169 passengers and crew, setting a world record, and featured three decks, complete with a bar, smoking and writing rooms, bathroom, lounge, kitchen, dining room and sleeping quarters. The plane burned 400 gallons of fuel an hour when cruising at 110 miles per hour.
The Marchetti S.55 had one of the most unconventional designs, featuring a twin-hull, open cockpit layout, with twin engines that were mounted back-to-back and at a high angle of attack. In 1926, the flying boat set 14 world records for speed, altitude and distance with payload. In 1933, a formation of 24 S.55s filled the sky as they flew a 6,000-mile trip to Chicago for the World's Fair.
The Consolidated PBY Catalina is one of the most iconic seaplanes, serving extensively in World War II. Originally designed in 1933, over 3,500 of the seaplanes were produced in the United States, Canada and USSR -- making the Catalina the largest production run of any flying boat in history. They were utilized for oceanic patrols, including reconnaissance and anti-submarine missions, and for search and rescue. A few of these classics are still in operation around the world as water bombers.
One of the most successful modern seaplanes is the Canadian-built CL-215. It is an amphibious design, able to operate from land or water, featuring two 2,100 horsepower Pratt & Whitney piston engines. The aircraft was specifically designed as a water bomber, and is used by Canadian, French, Spanish and Greek agencies to fight forest fires. The CL-215 can carry 1,200 gallons of water, filling its tanks in less than twenty seconds. CL-215s have been known to make over 100 drops a day, raining down over 144,000 gallons of water on an out-of-control fire.
