Curtiss HS

The Curtiss HS was a single‑engine biplane flying boat built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company for the United States Navy during World War I. First ordered in 1916, the HS series entered service in 1917 and saw extensive operation from coastal bases and seaplane tenders. Powered by a 220 hp Hispano‑Suiza V‑8 or later a 400 hp Liberty L‑12, the aircraft featured a wooden hull with a stepped design that improved water take‑off, a two‑bay equal‑span biplane wing, and open cockpits for a pilot and an observer‑gunner. Its 12‑meter wingspan and 2,650‑kilogram maximum weight allowed a payload of up to 450 kilograms, typically a modest bomb load or depth charges for anti‑submarine patrols. The HS proved reliable in the harsh marine environment and contributed to the Navy’s early development of long‑range patrol tactics, influencing later designs such as the NC and PN series. Although only a few hundred were built, the HS marked Curtiss’s first successful military seaplane contract and demonstrated the strategic value of aerial maritime surveillance, laying groundwork for modern naval aviation. Its legacy persists in today’s carrier‑based helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft.

Curtiss

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