Curtiss NC-4 Design, Construction, and Testing Reports
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Curtiss NC-4 Design, Construction, and Testing Reports
Identifier
NASM.XXXX.0422
Creator
United States. Navy
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Biographical/Historical note
In 1917, during World War I, the United States Navy sent out specification for a flying boat of sufficient range to cross the Atlantic Ocean by air to Great Britain, where it would serve as an anti-submarine patrol aircraft. The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, in conjunction with the United States Navy, developed a three-engine aircraft to meet these specifications. The first of the new aircraft was the NC-1 that flew for the first time on October 4, 1918. This was followed by the NC-2 whose maiden flight took place on April 12, 1919 with four engines in tandem pairs. The engine arrangement of the NC-2 had been declared unsatisfactory for the mission and the wings were removed and installed on the NC-1 to replace the originals that had been damaged in a storm. By this time, World War I had ended, but the Navy decided to continue the program in an effort to make the first transatlantic flight crossing by air. The new NC-3 and NC-4 models reverted to the three-engine format, although the NC-4 had a fourth engine mounted as a pusher behind the center engine. On May 16, 1919 the NC-1, NC-3 and NC-4 assembled at Trepassy Bay, Newfoundland, under the command of Commander John H. Towers, to begin the 1400-mile flight to the Azores. The NC-1 was forced down short of the island and sank. Naval vessels stationed along the flight path rescued the crew of the NC-1. The NC-3 landed two hundred miles short and taxied the remaining distance to the island. Only the NC-4 completed the flight successfully, reaching Plymouth, England, via Lisbon, Portugal, on May 31, 1919. Following publicity tours of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, the Curtiss NC-4 was given over to the Smithsonian Institution and is now part of the National Air and Space Museum collection.
Processing Information
Arranged and described by Hank Brown, 1999. Encoded by Amanda Buel, 2014.
Date
1918-1969
bulk 1919-1919
Provenance
Lee Pearson, XXXX-0422, Unknown.
Extent
1.51 Cubic feet (2 records center boxes)
2.27 Linear feet
Summary
This collection consists of reports on the design, construction, and testing of the NC series flying boats and photographs of NC-4's construction and transatlantic flight.
Restrictions
No restrictions on access.
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Financial records
Drawings
Arrangement
The collection is set up in a series of books with two copies of each book, except books 11 and 13. There is some water damage to book 10. Due to the fact that book 5 contained oversize materials, both copies of this book are filed out of sequence in box 4.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of reports on the design, construction, and testing of the NC series flying boats and photographs and 3 negatives of the NC-4's construction and transatlantic flight. The collection is set up in a series of books with two copies of each book, except books 11 and 13. There is some water damage to book 10. Due to the fact that book 5 contained oversize materials, both copies of this book are filed out of sequence in box 4.
Genre/Form
Financial records
Drawings
Rights
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Creator
United States. Navy
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Names
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
United States. Navy
Topic
Seaplanes
Aeronautics
Curtiss NC-4 (P2N-1)
Curtiss NC-Boat Family
Aeronautics, Military
Other Finding Aids note
http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/arch/findaids/nc4-design/nc4d_frames.html
http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/arch/findaids/pdf/NC-4_Design_Finding_Aid.pdf
Citation
Curtiss NC-4 Design, Construction, and Testing Reports, Acc. XXXX-0422, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Archival Repository
National Air and Space Museum Archives
