AD Flying Boat
Air Department, Admiralty · United Kingdom · first flew 1916 · reconnaissance aircraft
The AD Flying Boat was a British single-engined pusher biplane flying boat developed by the Admiralty Air Department in 1916 for coastal patrol and anti-submarine reconnaissance duties with the Royal Naval Air Service.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- pusher biplane flying boat
- open cockpit above a boat hull
- Royal Naval Air Service patrol type
Classic pusher biplane flying boat: broad two-bay wings above a relatively deep hull, engine and pusher propeller mounted on the upper wing centre section. Distinguished from Curtiss contemporaries by British construction details and lighter overall appearance.
Specifications
- The AD Flying Boat has a length of 9.3 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.5 m (44 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 161 km/h (100 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed at the Air Department, Admiralty, the type was one of several small flying boats produced in Britain during the First World War to patrol coastal waters against the growing U-boat threat. The pusher configuration gave the observers an unobstructed forward field of view. Production numbers were modest and the type served briefly before being superseded by more capable designs.
Variants
Minor production sub-series existed but no significantly different variants are documented.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Royal Naval Air Service from British coastal stations in 1916–17 on anti-submarine patrol and convoy escort duties over the North Sea and Channel.
Related aircraft
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