Curtiss Model F

The Curtiss Model F was a family of pusher biplane flying boats that Curtiss built before the First World War. The wing cellule came from the Model E landplane, with two bays, no stagger and large ailerons between the interplane struts, and the pilot and one passenger sat side by side in an open cockpit. The first examples were sold in 1912 without a designation, and the name Model F only appeared the following year. The United States Navy bought them as C-2 to C-5, later AB-2 to AB-5; one made the first flight under automatic control in 1913 and another was the first aircraft catapulted from a warship under way in 1915. Examples went to Russia and the type was built under licence in Italy.