Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909 – 1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by

Glenn Hammond Curtiss Glenn Hammond Curtiss (May 21, 1878 – July 23, 1930) was an American aviation and motorcycling pioneer, and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle racer and builder before moving on to motorcycles. As early ...

and Augustus Moore Herring in

Hammondsport, New York Hammondsport is a village at the south end of Keuka Lake, in Steuben County, one of the Finger Lakes of New York, United States. The Village of Hammondsport is in the Town of Urbana and is northeast of Bath. History Lazarus Hammond founded ...

. After significant commercial success in its first decades, it merged with the Wright Aeronautical to form Curtiss-Wright Corporation.

History

Origin

In 1907, Glenn Curtiss was recruited by the scientist Dr.

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (, born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He also co-founded the American Telephone and Te ...

as a founding member of Bell's Aerial Experiment Association (AEA), with the intent of establishing an aeronautical research and development organization. According to Bell, it was a "co-operative scientific association, not for gain but for the love of the art and doing what we can to help one another."Milberry 1979, p 13. In 1909, shortly before the AEA was disbanded, Curtiss partnered with Augustus Moore Herring to form the Herring-Curtiss Company.Gunston 1993, p. 87. It was renamed the Curtiss Aeroplane Company in 1910 and reorganized in 1912 after being taken-over by the Curtiss Motor Company.Bell 2002, p. 87.

Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company

The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was created on January 13, 1916, from the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of

, and Curtiss Motor Company of

Bath, New York Bath is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States, with an area of 96.3 square miles (249 km2) and a population of 11,426 in 2020. Its largest settlement is the Village of Bath, which has an area of 2.9 sq mi (7.5 km2) and a population ...

. Burgess Company of

Marblehead, Massachusetts Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, along the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town lies on a small peninsula that extends ...

, became a subsidiary in February 1916.Mondey and Taylor 2000, p. 197. At the same time, the

Curtiss Engineering Company Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909 – 1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss and Augustus Moore Herring in Hammondsport, New York. After significant commercial success in its first decades ...

was established as a subsidiary in

Garden City, New York Garden City is a village located on Long Island in Nassau County New York. It is the Greater Garden City area's anchor community. The population was 23,272 at the 2020 census. The Incorporated Village of Garden City is primarily located within ...

. With the onset of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, military orders rose sharply, and Curtiss needed to expand quickly. In 1916, the company moved its headquarters and most manufacturing activities to

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

, where there was far greater access to transportation, manpower, manufacturing expertise, and much needed capital. The company housed an aircraft engine factory in the former Taylor Signal Company-General Railway Signal Company. ''Note:'' This includes an
''Accompanying photographs''
/ref> An ancillary operation was begun in Toronto, Ontario, that was involved in both production and training, setting up the first flying school in Canada in 1915. In 1917, the two major aircraft patent holders, the Wright Company and the Curtiss Company, had effectively blocked the building of new airplanes, which were desperately needed as the United States was entering

. The U.S. government, as a result of a recommendation of a committee formed by

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

, then

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) is the title given to certain civilian senior officials in the United States Department of the Navy. From 1861 to 1954, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was the second-highest civilian office in the Depar ...

, pressured the industry to form a cross-licensing organization (in other terms a Patent pool), the Manufacturer's Aircraft Association. Later that year, Curtiss was acquired by the automobile manufacturer Willys-Overland. Curtiss was instrumental in the development of U.S. Naval Aviation by providing training for pilots and providing aircraft. The first major order was for 144 various subtypes of the Model F trainer flying boat. In 1914, Curtiss had lured

B. Douglas Thomas B is the second letter of the Latin alphabet. B may also refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Astronomy * Astronomical objects in the Barnard list of dark nebulae (abbreviation B) * Latitude (''b'') in the galactic coordinate syste ...

from Sopwith to design the Model J trainer, which led to the

JN-4 The Curtiss JN "Jenny" was a series of biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for ...

two-seat biplane trainer (known affectionately as the "Jenny"). The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company worked with the United States' British and Canadian allies, resulting in JN-4 (Can) trainers (nicknamed the "Canuck") being built in Canada. In order to complete large military orders, JN-4 production was distributed to five other manufacturers. After the war, large numbers of JN-4s were sold as surplus, making influential as the first plane for many interwar pilots, including

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( , born July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many oth ...

. A stamp was printed to commemorate the Curtiss JN-4, however a printing error resulted in some having the aircraft image inverted, which has become very valuable, and one of the best known rare stamps, even being featured in a number of movies. Curtiss plane - College Park

The Curtiss HS-2L flying boat was used extensively in the war for anti-submarine patrols and was operated from bases in

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

. The

John Cyril Porte Lieutenant Colonel John Cyril Porte, (26 February 1884 – 22 October 1919) was a British flying boat pioneer associated with the First World War Seaplane Experimental Station at Felixstowe. Early life and career Porte was born on 26 February ...

of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

and Curtiss worked together to improve the design of the Curtiss flying boats resulting in the

Curtiss F5L The twin-engine F5L was one of the Felixstowe F series of flying boats developed by John Cyril Porte at the Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe, England, during the First World War for production in America. A civilian version of the air ...

and the similar Felixstowe F.3. Curtiss also worked with the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

to develop the

NC-4 The NC-4 was a Curtiss NC flying boat that was the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, albeit not non-stop. The NC designation was derived from the collaborative efforts of the Navy (N) and Curtiss (C). The NC series flying boats w ...

, which became the first aircraft to fly across the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

in 1919, making several stops en route. By the end of World War I, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company would claim to be the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, employing 18,000 in Buffalo and 3,000 in

. Curtiss produced 10,000 aircraft during that war, and more than 100 in a single week. Peace brought cancellation of wartime contracts. In September 1920, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company underwent a financial reorganization and Glenn Curtiss cashed out his stock in the company for $32 million and retired to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. He continued as a director of the company but served only as an advisor on design. Clement M. Keys gained control of the company from Willys-Overland and it later became the nucleus of a large group of aviation companies. Curtiss seaplanes won the

Schneider Cup The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider, also known as the Schneider Trophy, Schneider Prize or (incorrectly) the Schneider Cup is a trophy that was awarded annually (and later, biennially) to the winner of a race for seaplanes and flying ...

in two consecutive races, those of 1923 and 1925. The 1923 race was won by U.S. Navy Lieutenant David Rittenhouse flying a

Curtiss R3C The Curtiss R3C is an American racing aircraft built in landplane and floatplane form. It was a single-seat biplane built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. The R3C-1Also given the "paper" designation F3C as fighters in the US Navy desig ...

to . Piloted by U.S. Army Lt.

Cyrus K. Bettis Lieutenant Cyrus K. Bettis (January 2, 1893 – September 1, 1926) was an American army aviator who won several races and set the then airspeed record for a closed-circuit race in 1925. He died after he crashed his aircraft less than a year later ...

, a Curtiss R3C won the

Pulitzer Trophy The National Air Races (also known as Pulitzer Trophy Races) are a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the United States since 1920. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew ...

on October 12, 1925, at . Thirteen days later, Jimmy Doolittle won the

Schneider Trophy The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider, also known as the Schneider Trophy, Schneider Prize or (incorrectly) the Schneider Cup is a trophy that was awarded annually (and later, biennially) to the winner of a race for seaplanes and flying ...

in the same aircraft fitted with floats with a top speed of . The Curtiss Robin light transport was first flown in 1928, becoming one of the company's biggest sellers during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, and the 769 built helped keep the company solvent when orders for military aircraft were hard to find.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation

On July 5, 1929, Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company together with 11 other Wright and Curtiss affiliated companies merged to become the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. One of the last projects started by Curtiss Aeroplane was the ambitious

Curtiss-Bleecker SX-5-1 Helicopter The Curtiss-Bleecker Helicopter was an American prototype rotary wing aircraft, introduced in 1926. The thrust of the aircraft was distributed from a central mounted engine through shafts to propellers mounted on each rotor blade. Design and ...

, a design that had propellers located midpoint on each of the four large rotors that drove the main rotors. This design, while costly and well engineered, was ultimately a failure."New Plane May Fly Straight Up In The Air."
''Popular Science,'' September 1930.

Curtiss Aviation School

Curtiss also operated a flying school at Long Branch Aerodrome in Toronto Township, Ontario, from 1915 to 1917 before being taken over by the Royal Flying Corps Canada.Long Branch

Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station

Glenn H. Curtiss sponsored the

Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station A Curtiss Jenny on a training flight Curtiss Flying School at North Beach California in 1911 The Curtiss Flying School was started by Glenn Curtiss to compete against the Wright Flying School of the Wright brothers. The first example was locate ...

on a 20-acre tract east of the Newport News boat harbor in the Fall of 1915 with Captain

Thomas Scott Baldwin Thomas Scott Baldwin (June 30, 1854 – May 17, 1923) was a pioneer balloonist and U.S. Army major during World War I. He was the first American to descend from a balloon by parachute. Early career Thomas Scott Baldwin was born on June 30, 18 ...

as head. Many civilian students, including Canadians, later became famed World War I flyers.

Victor Carlstrom 1st Lieutenant Victor Carlström (April 13, 1890 – May 9, 1917) was a record-holding Swedish-American pioneer aviator. He set a cross-America flight air speed record until the record was beaten by Ruth Bancroft Law. Biography He was born i ...

, Vernon Castle,

Eddie Stinson Edward Anderson Stinson, Jr. (July 11, 1893 – January 26, 1932) was an American pilot and aircraft manufacturer. "Eddie" Stinson was the founder of Stinson Aircraft Company. At the time of his death in 1932 in an air crash, he was the world's ...

and General Billy Mitchell trained here. The school was disbanded in 1922.

Products

Aircraft

Aircraft engines

Curtiss A-2 (engine) The Curtiss A-2 was a small 2 cylinder V-type engine built by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909 – 1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss and ...

* Curtiss OX-5 *

Curtiss OXX The Curtiss OXX was an early, dual ignition water-cooled V-8 aero engine derived from the Curtiss OX. Variants ;Curtiss OXX-2: ;Curtiss OXX-3: ;Curtiss OXX-5: ;Curtiss OXX-6: Applications * Aeromarine 39 * Aeromarine 40 * Burgess-Dunne * Curt ...

Curtiss C-6 The Curtiss C-6 is a six-cylinder, water-cooled, inline engine (aviation), inline aircraft engine. Design and development The C-6 features an overhead cam and aluminum cylinder jackets. Further development as a V-12 engine was carried out result ...

* Curtiss D-12 (Curtiss V-1150) * Curtiss K-12 *

Curtiss V-2 The Curtiss V-2 Type 3 (V-2-3) was a liquid-cooled V8 aircraft engine. Specifications ''Data from:'' Aerofiles Powerplants References {{Curtiss aeroengines V-2 The V-2 (german: Vergeltungswaffe 2, lit=Retaliation Weapon 2), with ...

* Curtiss V-1570 Conqueror * Curtiss H-1640 Chieftain *

Curtiss R-600 The Curtiss R-600 Challenger was a six-cylinder, double-row, air-cooled, radial engine for aircraft use built in the United States in the late 1920s. It developed . Design and development Curtiss started work on a small six-cylinder engine in Ma ...

Challenger * Curtiss R-1454

Helicopters

References

Footnotes

Notes

Bibliography

* Bell, Dana, ed. ''Directory of Airplanes, their Designers and Manufacturers''. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 2002. . * Bowers, Peter M. ''Curtiss Aircraft 1907–1947''. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1979. . * Casey, Louis S
''Curtiss, The Hammondsport Era, 1907–1915''
New York: Crown Publishers, 1981. . * Gunston, Bill. ''World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1993. . * Mondey, David, ed., revised and updated by Michael Taylor. ''The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft.'' London: Greenwich Editions, 2000. . * Milberry, Larry. ''Aviation in Canada.'' Toronto, Ontario, Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1979. . * Milberry, Larry. ''Aviation in Canada: The Pioneer Decades, Vol. 1.'' Toronto, Ontario, Canada: CANAV Books, 2008. . * Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. ''Canadian Aircraft Since 1909''. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. . * Sobel, Robert. ''The Age of Giant Corporations: A Microeconomic History of American Business, 1914–1970''. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1972. . * Roseberry, C.R. ''Glenn Curtiss: Pioneer of Flight''. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1972. . * Studer, Clara. ''Sky Storming Yankee: The Life of Glenn Curtiss''. New York: Stackpole Sons, 1937.

External links

The Curtiss Company: U.S. Centennial of Flight Commemoration

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtiss Aeroplane And Motor Company Defunct aircraft manufacturers of the United States History of Buffalo, New York Curtiss-Wright Company Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1916 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1929 Manufacturing companies based in Buffalo, New York Defunct companies based in New York (state) Defunct aircraft engine manufacturers of the United States Defunct helicopter manufacturers of the United States