Curtiss H-12

The history of the Curtiss H-8 is somewhat muddled, but it is clear that the first of the new larger flying boats as successors to the Curtiss H-4 were named the H-8 by the British. The first remained in its original configuration with twin 160hp Curtiss engines; the rest were the order of fifty were refitted with 250hp Rolls-Royce engines and re-designated the H-12.

The fifty Curtiss H.12 "Large America" were ordered in Britain and began arriving in March 1916. The new engines increased the plane's capabilities remarkably.

There is some confusion over the difference between H.12s, H.12Bs, and H.16s. After the initial batch with the 250hp engine, another twenty-four were upgraded with the 375hp Rolls-Royce and were designated the H.12B, and a further fifteen were ordered as H.12s without engines, delivered as H.16s, and fitted with the 375hp Rolls-Royce. Other sources, rather than equating the H-16 with re-engined H-12s, designate the H-16 as a larger airplane using the 400hp Liberty. Most likely some fifteen H-12s were converted to H-16s while most H-16s were built from scratch.

Lessons learned from flying the H.12s led to the excellent Felixstowe F.2, with a stronger hull and improved hydrodynamics.

Perhaps the H.12's finest moments were on 14 May 1917 when a RNAS Curtiss shot down the Zeppelin L22 and on 14 June 1917 when L43 was shot down by another. H.12 operated widely and had frequent encounters with German seaplanes and submarines.

The US Navy experimented with H.12s (including some with Liberty engines), but the type was not used internationally. Curtiss HS.1L's filled that role instead.

1:144 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory
 * Sculpteo: Reduced Aircraft Factory

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory