Naval Aircraft Factory PN-

Aircraft of the U.S. Navy

Development

Entwicklung

The Naval Aircraft Factory PN was a series of open cockpit American flying boats of the 1920s and 1930s. A development of the Felixstowe F5L flying boat of the First World War, variants of the PN were built for the United States Navy by Douglas, Keystone Aircraft and Martin. 

In 1925, the Naval Aircraft Factory produced a version with new wings with an airfoil section of greater maximum lift coefficient. It was powered by experimental 525 hp Wright T-2 piston engines, and was designated PN-7. Although the new wing proved successful, the engines were unreliable, and the wooden hull inherited from the F.5 required much maintenance, so two aircraft with metal hull construction and powered by 475 hp Packard engines were built as thePN-8. Further, similar aircraft were built as the PN-9 and PN-10, but the water-cooled V-12 Packard engines were disappointing and radial engines were substituted to produce the PN-12. This combination of the revised wings introduced by the PN-7, with a metal hull and radial engines met the requirements of the Navy and therefore the PN-12 formed the basis of more extensive production to re-equip its patrol squadrons. As the production capacity of the Naval Aircraft Factory was limited, production was contracted out to several aircraft companies, with versions being built by Douglas (PD-1), Keystone Aircraft (PK-1) and Martin (PM-1 and PM-2) The PN-11 featured a revised hull which eliminated the sponsons. It also used twin vertical tails.

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Variants

Versionen

Redesignated Felixstowe F-5L

Umbenannte Felixstowe F-5L

Redesignated F-6L. Last two Naval Aircraft Factory F-5Ls, modified with revised tail surfaces

Umbenannte F-6L. Letzte beiden F-5L wurden von der Naval Aircraft Factory umgabaut.

Modified version with new wings Powered by two 525 hp Wright T-2 engines.

Modifizierte Version mit neuen Flügeln und zwei 525 PS Wright T-2  Motoren

PN-7 with metal hull. Powered by two Packard 1A-2500 V-12 engines. Two built

PN-7 mit Metallrumpf. Angetrieben von zwei Packard 1A-2500 V-12 Motoren. Zwei Maschinen

Converted from PN-8 with redesigned engine nacelles. One converted.

Umgebaute PN-8 mit überarbeiteten Motoprgondeln. Eine Maschine

Similar to PN-8. Powered by two 500hp Packard 1A-2500. Two built.

Ähnlich wie die PN-8 angetrben von zwei 500hp Packard 1A-2500. Zwei Maschinen.

New hull Four built, one with two Pratt and Whitney R-1690 Hornet engines, and remaining three powered by two Wright R-1750 D Cyclone. Last three later re-designated XP4N-.

Überarbeiteter Bootsrumpf. Eine Maschine mit Pratt and Whitney R-1690 Hornet weitere drei mit Wright R-1750 D Cyclone. Später als XP4N- Bezeichnet.

One prototype, fitted with twin vertical tail surfaces.

Ein Prototyp mit überarbeiteter Bootsrumpf und Heckleitwerk.

Development of PN-10 powered by radial engines. Two built. One powered by two Pratt and Whitney Hornet engines, with the other powered by two Wright R-1750 Cyclone engines.

Version der PN-10 angetrieben von Sternmotoren. Eine mit 525 PS Pratt & Whitney R-1690-Hornet und ein Exemplar mit zwei Wright R-1750 Cyclone-Motoren.

Developed production version of PN-12. Two 575 hp Wright R-1750 Cyclone engines. 25 built by Douglas.

von Douglas in Lizenz gebaute PN-12, 25 wurden gebaut.

Production version from Keystone of PN-12. Twin tails. 18 built by Keystone.

Serienversion von Keystone in Lizenz gebaute PN-12 mit Doppelheck-leitwerk, 18 wurden gebaut.

Production derivative of PN-12 by Martin.  27 built.

Serienversion  von Martin in Lizenz gebaute PN-12, 27 wurden gebaut.

Improved derivative of PM-1 with more powerful Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines and twin tails. 25 built.

Verbesserte Serienversion von Martin der PM-1 mit Wright R-1820 Cyclone Motor und Doppelheckleitwerk, 25 wurden gebaut.

Operational history

Einsatzgeschichte

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Drawings

Zeichnungen

F-6L VS-1