History

In 1914, the White & Thompson Company Limited, who had achieved exclusive licenses for Curtiss flying boats for Great Britain, decided to built two different flying boats in a single-engine and a larger two engined machine [The purpose was to participate in a air race for seaplanes, that would be held in August of that same year].

The single-engined machine, the White & Thompson No 2 Flying Boat was the first to be ready and was a pusher biplane with a, Beardmore built 120 hp (90 kW) Austro-Daimler engine, which was mounted between the upper and lower wings. The hull was built of wood and the two crew members sat side by side. It made is maiden flight on August 1, 1914.

Meanwhile, the first world war broke out and the RNAS ordered eight similar flying boats, type designation White & Thompson No.3. These machines had rounded wing-tips and an enlarged tail. Furthermore, the central fin, which was, on the prototype, mounted on the centre section of the upper wing, was replaced by two smaller areas above the wings. The production aircraft were powered by a 120 hp Beardmore engine, although one aircraft was fitted with a 150 hp (112 kW) Hispano-Suiza.

 

Technical information
Dimensions:
Length: 8,38 m Wingspan: 13,71 m
Height: - m Wing area: - m2
Weights:
Empty weight: - kg Max. start weight: 1088 kg
Performances:
Max. speed: 136 km/hr Rate of climb: - m/min
Range: - km Service ceiling: - m
Miscellaneous:
Engine type: One Beardmore rated 120 hp
Crew: -
Armament: -

 


In service with RNlNAS.

In February 1915 an English flying boat of the Type white & Thompson no 3 was interned. It had made an emergency landing at sea near the Westerschelde during an attack on Zeebrugge.
It was hit by German flak and was overpowered by a Dutch destroyer and towed to Vlissingen.
Later it was purchased for 1500 pounds sterling and repaired at Soesterberg.

The aircraft, registered MG-1 and later M-1, flew in from April 1916 from Schellingwoude near Amsterdam and from the Mok. In July 1916 there was a crack in the engine mounting and after repair it made some flights from April 1917.

White en Thompson type 3 vliegboot van de RNAS (1916-1919), reg.nr. G-1, na internering tijdens W.O. I, MVK de Mok, 1918
White & Thompson type 3 flying boat of the RNlNAS, serial G-1, at naval air station De Mok, 1918
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Detailopname van een White en Thompson type 3 vliegboot van de RNAS (1916-1919) na internering in Nederland tijdens W.O. I op MVK De Mok, 1916
Detail of the White & Thompson type 3 flying boat of the RNlNAS at naval air station De Mok, 1916
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]
Vliegboot # Trainingsvliegboot White & Thompson, type no 3, MG-1, (1916-1919). 03-1919 afgeschreven
Flying boat White & Thompson, type no 3, serialled MG-1. Written off in March 1919.
[Enclosed photo from BeeldBank NIMH. Click on photo for ordering information]

 


Serial 2nd Serial Contr. nr. Date in service Date out of service Notes
MG-1 M-1 1199 16-02-1915 03-1919 Written off March 1919.

 


1/72nd Scale

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1/48th Scale

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Scheme Colour name FS number BS number Humbrol XtraColor Vallejo Model Color Vallejo Model Air
Standard #1 Fuselage Mahogany with varnish     100   70.818  
Metal parts Black or Grey ~7038   33 (black)   70.950 71.057
Linen parts Doped ~3531   121 X105 70.819 71.028
Radiator & oiltank Battlegrey            

Check www.paint4models.com for an extensive conversion table with lots of colour and paint systems.

White-&-Thompson-No-3-SMALL
White & Thompson no. 3 of the RNlNAS.

 


Literature.

Nederlandse Marinevliegtuigen Thijs Postma & Nico Geldhof Pag. 9 1978 Uitgever Omniboek, ''s Gravenhage
The book mentioned below I don''t have in my library, but seems to be useful for information about this aircraft.
The Norman Thompson File, The History of the Norman Thompson Flight Company and White & Thompson Ltd Michael H. Goodall Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom, Air Britain (Historians) Limited 1995 ISBN: 08 51302 33 5

 

Websites.

Special thanks to mr H.G. Berfelo for providing me with information and good drawings of this flying boat.