Naval Aircraft Factory PN-7

Naval Aircraft Factory · United States · first flew 1924 · transport aircraft

The Naval Aircraft Factory PN-7 is a twin-engine biplane patrol flying boat developed by the US Navy's own aircraft factory in 1924, continuing the PN series of patrol boats that equipped US Navy patrol squadrons through the 1920s.

Recognition (WEFT)

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Spot it by:

• Twin-engine biplane patrol flying boat
• Open cockpit with twin pusher/tractor engine arrangement
• 1920s US Navy patrol boat with twin-boom tail

A large biplane flying boat with twin engines mounted between the wings, twin-tail arrangement, and the characteristic open-cockpit patrol boat layout of the mid-1920s.

Specifications

• The Naval Aircraft Factory PN-7 has a length of 15.24 m (50 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 22.25 m (73 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 153 km/h (95 mph).
• Typical crew: 5.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The PN series was developed by the Naval Aircraft Factory as a progression of patrol flying boat designs throughout the 1920s. The PN-7 represented a mid-series development with refined powerplant arrangements and improved seakeeping over earlier marks.

Variants

The PN series progressed through PN-5, PN-6, PN-7, PN-8, PN-9, PN-10, and PN-12, with successive improvements to engines and airframe; the PN-9 famously attempted a non-stop flight to Hawaii in 1925.

Where you'll see it

The PN-7 served with US Navy patrol squadrons in the mid-1920s, operating from coastal patrol bases on both coasts and in US territories.

Related aircraft

• Naval Aircraft Factory PN
• Naval Aircraft Factory PN-9
• Naval Aircraft Factory N2N
• Naval Aircraft Factory PN-10
• Aero A.24
• Canadian Vickers Vedette
• GAZ-5 AK-1
• Potez 25

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