Photo FBA Flying Boat

[Stig Jarlevik]

Weeeeeell Clint (me trying to sound hesitant.... )

When I try and increase the size the last digit comes out as something like a bucking horse.

To be honest when I reached that far I am not even sure anymore if it is actually is a 3 or 5. Could almost be anything except the digit 1.....

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of Italian FBA Type H serial **44 at:


https://www.ebay.it/itm/CARTOLINA-FO...wAAOSwRylfdteG


Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay are a series of photos of FBA flying boats based at Hourtin at:


https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Photo-Terrai...kAAOSwNsVfhTqH


https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Photo-Terrai...oAAOSwb19fhTrE


https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Photo-Terrai...UAAOSw38JfhTsS


https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Photo-Terrai...MAAOSwkkRfhTs-



Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of FBA Type H D1 of CAM de Dunkerque:


https://www.ebay.de/itm/Fotokarte-ei...QAAOSwNm1fzPOU


The figures in the photo look like they may be German and the aircraft may have landed behind German lines, so is it FBA D1 serial 424 which according to http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escad..._Dunkerque.htm was captured on 26 April 1917?


Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of an Italian FBA Type H flying boat serial 3170 at:


https://www.ebay.it/itm/294295115591...cAAOSw7k5g~IXf


Rather intriguing is the number 147 under the gun ring. I'd be interested to know the significance of this number.


Regards,


Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

French built aircraft Clint

Speculating, since I know nothing about FBA's c/n, could this be an original c/n by them?
I doubt the Italians just painted three random digits for their amusement, so they have to mean something....

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hi Stig,


While I cannot absolutely say that we're not looking at the constructor's number, what I can say based on Lucien Morareau's les Aeronefs de l'Aviation Maritime it is perhaps not probable. He has four type H with numbers in the 100-199 range that are type H,although one of those,102,was the prototype. Whereas,the vast majority of machines between No.29 and No.299 are type C.I even wonder how definite the three numbers he does have in the 100-199 range for type T were not perhaps updated type C.But thats speculation.



Incidently,have you seen any other FBA flying boats of the WW.I era with the c/n in the position shown on the photo? Hard to be certain,but I don't think I have.


Regards,


Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

Clint

The numbers given by Lucien are the French serial numbers and I have no idea if they
corresponded to the numbers given by the manufacturer. Perhaps FBA did not use c/n?

Anyway Lucien gives No 102 as the first FBA Type H, followed by 158, 160, 170 until he jumps to the 300 range
No 147 is missing among the listed type C.

No 102 creates a problem since it is listed for both the type C and type H. Possibly a printing error?

I don't follow you with regard to "type T" in the 101-199 range.
What do you mean since there was no type T?

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hi Stig,


The No.102 was the prototype Type H originally built as a Type C as per the WDF on the type H.


With regard to the type T comment please ignore. Not sure why I typed that,unintentional in any event.What I intended to write refers to the three type H serials in the 100-199 range,whereas other numbers in that range are type C.Hence my suggestion 158,160,170 originally built as type C but possibly updated to Type H.



Regards,


Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

Always possible Clint

Talked to Gregory about the problem and he agrees it is probably some kind of
manufacturer's detail. If FBA and Aeronautique Maritime had the same sequences,
perhaps No 147 after all?
Seems to have been quite unusual anyway.

He has not researched specifically the FBAs in Italy, but they were pretty early
to order them, so I see no real reason why they should not have acquired a No 147.
Perhaps FBA took back a few model C and modified them, and some were later sent to Italy?

If not, what else can it actually be?

Cheers