Page 81 - Aviation News - September 2017

experimentally with a two-pounder Davis Gun
above its cabin, but that modification went
no further. Further aircraft were 9061-9064
and N2140-N2159, though the final four were
probably not completed. Twenty additional
aircraft were ordered but later cancelled. All
from 9061 onwards received the 200hp geared
Hispano-Suiza and were known as the N.T.4A;
deliveries ran between March 1917 and
May 1918. Other modifications included an
increase in cockpit glazing and relocation of the
gravity tank above the upper wing, the ailerons
were reduced in chord and the lower rudder
given a protective plywood covering. N.T.4s Employing an early, very limited form of cockpit glazing, N.T.4 8343 comprised a boat-built hull
form with broad-chord ailerons. This photo was taken at Killingholme Seaplane School in 1917.
and N.T.4As flew from Calshot, Cattewater,
Torquay, Killingholme Seaplane School, Grain, 1919, although there’s no evidence of delivery. and N2287 were bought by the Estonian Air
Dover, and Felixstowe Seaplane School, in The N.T.2B series was notable for its engine Force. The Japanese Government acquired
the roles of maritime patrol and later training. changes, partly a product of Hispano shortages N2283, while N2284 and N2293 joined the
Post-war, N2155 became G-EAOY but the but also intended to improve performance. Of Peruvian Air Force. N2290 became G-EAQO,
registration was cancelled in October 1920. the first 50, most used the 160hp Beardmore, before travelling to Canada where it assumed
though several received the 150hp Hispano- G-CACG.
TRAINERS Suiza. With the aim of providing more power, a Norman Thompson produced several other
Though the N.T.4/4A was of itself 200hp Sunbeam Arab was tested in N2294, but designs during the war years. A pusher 150hp
successful, as a maritime patrol ’boat it was longitudinal control became difficult because Hispano-Suiza-powered flying boat serialled
eclipsed by the Felixstowe types, ironically
masterminded by Porte. But during the
winter and spring of 1917 the company also
built 20 FBA Type Bs (N1040-N1059), small
training flying boats, which became known
as N.T.5s. Norman Thompson also secured
success with a training ’boat of its own: the
N.T.2B.
The need for a small trainer for initial
instruction emerged as operational flying boats
grew bigger and more complicated. The N.T.2B
proposal found favour with the Admiralty and
in November 1916 ten were ordered, N1180
to N1189. The first arrived at Calshot Flying Norman Thompson N.T.5 prototype N1040, a modified FBA Type B flying-boat. This was the
only example to feature a triangular-section rear hull with a flat top.
School on June 8, 1917 and many subsequent
examples were based there, though N1181 and of the Arab’s greater torque, overcome by N26 was ordered early in 1917, arriving at
N1189 spent time at Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire. mounting it slightly starboard of centre. When Calshot during April. A two-seater, it bore a
Deliveries were completed by October 1917. the Arab proved temperamental another marked similarity to the No 3 Flying Boat. A
The N.T.2B was a two-bay, unequal span change was made, this time to the 200hp second project, to Admiralty Specification
biplane, again with long-chord ailerons and Hispano-Suiza; again, torque proved a problem, N.1B, was a tandem fighter flying boat, again
equipped with faired bracing kingposts above cured by slewing the engine mounting. a pusher, employing the 200hp Hispano-Suiza
the outermost struts. At first, power came After the war, many N.T.2Bs were stored between equal-span two-bay wings designed
from an uncowled pusher 160hp Beardmore. at Aeroplane Acceptance Parks and Marine to fold. The N.1B discarded Thompson’s
Side-by-side dual-control was fitted, the cockpit Aircraft Depots, while others travelled far and favoured lengthy fin for a more conventional,
enclosed with extensive glazing – a lesson wide: N2266 was purchased by a Norwegian higher aspect-ratio arrangement. Serialled
from the N.T.4. The hull bottom employed a owner, N2275 joined the Royal Norwegian Air N37, it was completed in December 1917 and
single step, the afterbody again supporting Force, becoming N-12 and later N-27, while travelled to Grain for assessment, but crash-
a lengthy fin and the tailplane being suitably N2288 became N-13. In May 1919, N2286 landed during January 1918. Trials revealed
high-mounted. The N.T.2B became the
standard RNAS flying boat trainer. A second
batch followed, N2555-N2579, delivered
between December 1917 and May 1918 and
powered mostly by the 200hp Hispano-Suiza.
N2760-N2784 appeared between April and
August 1918, again using the Hispano-Suiza
and built by Pemberton-Billing Ltd at Woolston.
N2400-N2429 were delivered from July to
November 1918 and were powered by the
Sunbeam Arab engine.
Deliveries of further batches, N2260-N2359
and N2500-N2523, began in November 1918,
but the war’s end served to cancel many.
Only N2260-N2295 and N2500-N2514 were
built, the latter by S E Saunders. Of the final
allocation, N3300-N3374, the first 14 may The private venture pusher 150hp Hispano-Suiza-powered two-seat flying boat N26 was
have been constructed by Supermarine during purchased by the Admiralty for trials.

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