| B & W Seaplane | |
|---|---|
 Boeing Model 1A at theMuseum of Flight | |
| General information | |
| Type | Seaplane |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Designer | |
| Primary user | New Zealand Flying School |
| Number built | 3 |
| History | |
| First flight | June 15, 1916[1] |
TheBoeing Model 1, also known as theB & W Seaplane, is aUnited States single-enginebiplaneseaplane aircraft. It was the firstBoeing product and carried the initials of its designers,William Boeing andLt. Conrad Westervelt USN.
The first B & W was completed in June 1916 at Boeing'sboathousehangar onLake Union inSeattle, Washington. It was made ofwood, with wire bracing, and was linen-covered. It was similar to theMartintrainer aircraft that Boeing owned, but the B & W had better pontoons and a more powerfulengine. The first B & W was namedBluebill, and the second was namedMallard. They first flew on June 15, 1916, and in November, respectively.
The two B & Ws were offered to theUnited States Navy. When the Navy did not buy them, they were sold to theNew Zealand Flying School and became the company's first international sale. On June 25, 1919, the B & W set a New Zealand altitude record of 6,500 feet. The B & Ws were later used for express and airmail deliveries, makingNew Zealand's first official airmail flight on December 16, 1919.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the company, Boeing built a third B & W Seaplane, designated Model 1A, in 1966. The Model 1A is a modernized replica of the original Model 1 with many structural improvements, including a welded steel tubing fuselage and tail construction. The aircraft also has modernized flight controls and instrumentation, and is powered by a derated 170 hp (130 kW)Lycoming GO-435 engine. The Model 1A was originally built as a pure seaplane like the original, though it was later fitted with bolt-on wheels to allow it to operate on land.[2]
Data from Boeing: History[1][3]
General characteristics
Performance
Photo of Boeing Model 1 in Raglan Harbour in 1920Archived 2020-07-03 at theWayback Machine
