Naval Aircraft Factory / Curtiss NC
Naval Aircraft Factory; Curtiss · United States · first flew 1918 · transport aircraft
The NC (Nancy) flying boats were large biplane patrol and transport aircraft built jointly by the Naval Aircraft Factory and Curtiss for the US Navy in World War One.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 20.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large biplane flying boat with four Liberty engines
- Triplane tail surfaces on NC-1/2/3; biplane on NC-4
- Only aircraft to complete first transatlantic crossing in 1919 (NC-4)
Enormous high-wing biplane flying boat with four tractor engines in tandem pairs; distinctive boat hull and large triple tail structure distinguishes it from smaller contemporaries.
Specifications
- The Naval Aircraft Factory / Curtiss NC has a length of 20.8 m (68 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 38.4 m (126 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 145 km/h (90 mph).
- Typical crew: 6.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed in 1917 to combat German U-boats by flying anti-submarine patrols across the Atlantic, four NCs were completed by 1919. NC-4, commanded by Albert Read, completed the first transatlantic crossing in May 1919 via the Azores, a feat not matched non-stop until Alcock and Brown weeks later.
Variants
Four aircraft built (NC-1 through NC-4); early examples had triplane tail assemblies later revised to biplane configuration; NC-4 is preserved at the National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the US Navy; all four aircraft participated in the 1919 transatlantic attempt, with only NC-4 completing the journey.
Related aircraft
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