World War 1

Bancroft 1917 Biplane

18/11/2025TerryLeave a comment

Built during 1917-18, the single-place, open biplane was a wood and fabric design described as being influenced by Caudron G.3. Employing a two-control (rudder and elevator) system adapted from 1910 Voisin system, it had a small podlike fuselage with twin booms, fabric covered for lateral stability, and two-bay wings that were fairly standard biplane style but minus ailerons.

Possibly powered by a 50-60hp Anzani engine, it reportedly underwent Army evaluation but was rejected and stored away in a barn.

Discovered c.1961 and was undergoing restoration when it was destroyed in a shop fire.

Bancroft Airplane Co

18/11/2025TerryLeave a comment

(Basil or Louis) Bancroft Airplane Co,
E Hartford CT.
USA

Built a biplane in 1917-8.

Carolina F Boat

27/10/2025TerryLeave a comment

The 1918 Carolina Corp F Boat was a wood-veneer version of Curtiss F with major design changes, for USN evaluation. It was a two-place open cockpit biplane floatplane powered by a 100hp Curtiss OXX-6.

Although it was overweight to the extreme and incapable of flight, several design changes produced one attractive version that finally did fly, although only a distance of about 25′.

Unfortunately, the Navy demanded longer and higher.

Of three USN s/ns assigned; A4344 to 4346, all were cancelled except A4343.

Andermat Biplane

09/10/2025TerryLeave a comment

A 1916 open cockpit biplane does appear, designated as an Andermat Biplane, flying in a photo that also shows part of the company’s large bomber.

Andermat 1916

09/10/2025TerryLeave a comment

The 1916 Andermat project funding was by Gray Taxicab Co of San Francisco. First flown on 16 April 1916, piloted by Roy Francis, it featured double interplane ailerons, twin tails. One prototype constructed for Army bomber evaluation was shipped to San Diego after this test flight, then reportedly ended up at Kelly Field TX, at which point its track vanished, and the military contract for 21 planes went unfilled.