Boeing Model 1

The Boeing Model 1, also known as the B & W Seaplane, is a United States single-engine biplane seaplane aircraft. It was the first Boeing product and carried the initials of its designers, William Boeing and Lt. Conrad Westervelt USN.

B & W Seaplane
Boeing Model 1A at the Museum of Flight
General information
Type	Seaplane
Manufacturer	Boeing
Designer	William Edward Boeing George Conrad Westervelt
Primary user	New Zealand Flying School
Number built	3
History
First flight	June 15, 1916[1]

Design

The first B & W was completed in June 1916 at Boeing's boathouse hangar on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington. It was made of wood, with wire bracing, and was linen-covered. It was similar to the Martin trainer aircraft that Boeing owned, but the B & W had better pontoons and a more powerful engine. The first B & W was named Bluebill, and the second was named Mallard. They first flew on June 15, 1916, and in November, respectively.

Operational history

The two B & Ws were offered to the United States Navy. When the Navy did not buy them, they were sold to the New 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, making New 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]

Former operators

 New Zealand

• New Zealand Flying School

Specifications (B & W Seaplane)

Data from Boeing: History^[1][3]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
• Wingspan: 52 ft 0 in (15.86 m)
• Wing area: 580 sq ft (53.9 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,100 lb (953 kg)
• Gross weight: 2,800 lb (1,272 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Hall-Scott A-5 Straight-6 piston engine , 125 hp (93 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 75 mph (121 km/h, 65 kn)
• Cruise speed: 67 mph (109 km/h, 58 kn)
• Range: 320 mi (518 km, 280 nmi)
• Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.56 m/s)