Description
Glenn Curtiss was an American aviation pioneer and inventor who played a significant role in the early development of airplanes and aviation technology. One of his most famous achievements was the design and construction of the aircraft known as the America, which played a key role in early transatlantic flight attempts.
The America was a biplane that Curtiss designed in 1913 for the transatlantic race, which was a competition to be the first to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. The plane featured a wooden frame covered in fabric, and was powered by a powerful Curtiss V-12 engine. The America was also fitted with a number of special features designed to aid in long-distance flight, including a navigation system, wireless telegraph, and flotation gear.
Curtiss himself did not fly the America on its most famous flight, which took place in 1919. Instead, the plane was flown by a crew of four, including the famous Navy aviator John Porte. The America set off from Newfoundland, Canada, and made its way across the Atlantic to the coast of Ireland, covering a distance of over 3,000 miles in just over 16 hours of flying time. While the America did not win the transatlantic race (which was won by the British pilots Alcock and Brown a few weeks later), the flight was still a major achievement and helped to establish the feasibility of long-distance air travel.
Glenn Curtiss himself was a fascinating figure in aviation history. He started out as a bicycle mechanic before transitioning to motorcycles and eventually airplanes. He was a fierce competitor and was involved in a number of aviation contests and races during his career. He also invented and patented a number of key aviation technologies, including ailerons (which are still used in modern airplanes today) and the hydroplane (a type of high-speed boat that skimmed across the water on small wings).
Curtiss’s contributions to aviation were instrumental in the early development of the industry, and his work helped to establish the United States as a leader in aviation technology. He continued to innovate and experiment throughout his career, and his legacy is still felt today in the modern aviation industry.
Approximately 20″x16″ print of
The “America”
Flying boat designed by Glenn H. Curtiss for first Transatlantic Flight
First test flight on Keuka Lake,
June 23rd, 1914.
Artist – Franklin Hurtt
Reproduced by the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum W. Ellwood Doherty Memorial
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