August Mystery Airplane Contest

The Liberty powered HS-1L and HS-2L series was the only American designed and built aircraft issued to U.S. forces in France during World War I.

Beginning in May 1918, HS-1L and HS-2L flying boats arrived by ship for anti-U-boat operations and were assigned to 10 U.S. Naval Air Stations.

The first patrol was flown on 13 June 1918. Of the 182 aircraft delivered, 19 were the longer wing HS-2L capable of carrying a larger weapon load.

Since Curtiss lacked enough production capacity, the HS series was also built by Standard, Lowe-Willard-Fowler, Lockheed, Gallaudet, and Boeing, at an average unit cost of $30,000. Over 1,000 were built, with the Navy assembling 25 from spare parts after the war.

The HS-2L in this photo taken in Ottawa in 1991, is the sole remaining example. Powered by a 350 hp Liberty 12, it was built for the U.S. Navy as A1876, completed on 9 August 1918, and assigned to Halifax Naval Station, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, in September 1918. This base and one at North Sydney, were commanded by Lt. Richard E. Byrd. In February 1919, A1876 was one of 12 given to the Canadian Government. Others were purchased as war surplus.

The Curtiss HS-2L served in Canada as a bush plane until 1933, pioneering work in timber survey, airmail, and forestry patrol. The HS-2L also established the first scheduled air service in 1924 and the first regular air mail. Many flew with the Ontario Provincial Air Service.

Registered G-CAAC, and named La Vigilance, the former U.S. Navy A1876, was flown by the Laurentide Air Service, often with pioneering bush pilot Stuart Graham (1893-1976) at the controls.

It was used for aerial photography, fire spotting, and forest mapping. G-CAAC crashed on takeoff into Foss Lake, Ontario, on 2 September 1922.

In 1967, the wreck was reported by Don Campbell of Kapuskasing. The Canadian National Museum recovered the aircraft from 1968 to 1969, and using parts from three other HS-2L wrecks, G-CAAC, was restored over the course of 14 years, and put on display at Rockcliffe in May 1986. A very fine book on Canadian bush flying is Robert Grant's Great Northern Bushplanes (Hancock House, 1997). One chapter is devoted to the Curtiss H-Boat.

This one was tougher than I expected. This month's winner is Wayne Muxlow of Minneapolis. Other correct responses came from Ed Wells, Dave Lundgren, and Graydon Carlson, who also nailed the Curtiss HS-2L. Blue skies (without the smoke we hope) and tail winds. Fly safely.