Sturtevant Naval Battleplane

Model A Type (A-3) Battleplane, Tractor biplane December 1915, Loening design; Number built –1,
Three place, crew side by side, Span: 47' Length: 25'10" Height: 10' 10", Gross weight: 4,350lbs. Sturtevant 5A water cooled V-8 cyl. 140 hp. engine. Special Feature: two removable 8' X 2.5' nacelles positioned mid wing for machine gunners to fire outside the propeller arc.
First flight and flight testing by Lt. Byron Jones USA on December 12, 1915 at the Readville Trotting Park.
This was the first American aeroplane designed specifically for air combat.


Note: There are sources that describe a larger version of this Battleplane: a three place, two aircrew side by side, a scaled up Model A-1 version of the Battleplane with a longer wing span and a longer and wider fuselage but otherwise similar in form to the Model A-1. This larger Battleplane has not been identified or confirmed. It also was reported to mount the twin gunner nacelles.

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"I have never been able to determine how many, if any, were ordered by
the U.S. Army - but only twelve (12) were procured by the U.S. Navy."

The Army procured seven Sturtevant "Advanced Trainers" (80 hp) during 1916, and four Sturtevant "S4" 2-seat observation airplanes (150 hp) during 1916-17. The S4's maximum speed of 75mph probably explains why the Army didn't buy any more of them. I have seen a photograph of the advanced trainer, which looked rather like a cross between a Curtiss Jenny and a German Albatros.

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B. F. Sturtevant was my 2nd. great grand father. There is a Sturtevant engine in the Wright-Patterson Air Museum in Dayton, Ohio.

I have also celebrated Sturtevant Days in Sturtevant, Wisconsin.

Rgds.

Kip Foss
361-776-2091
361-790-6955

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From Robert Hunter Sturtevant's "Descendants. .."
"The B. F. Sturtevant Compnay (now a Division of the Westinghouse
Corporation) had its beginning by Benjamin Franklin Sturtevant (7-
154). Its reputation as a manufacturer of high class machinery
resulted in may accomplishments (see other write-ups on STURTEVANT,
WISCONSIN and the STURTEVANT CAR). One such accomplishment was the
STURTEVANT AEROPLANE, built during the years 1915-1917. The aeroplane
was built in two different models (one for the U.S. Army and one for
the U.S. Navy). Built under the manufacturers name of the Sturtevant
Aeroplane Company of Boston, Massachusetts, its all-steel frame was
something way ahead of the times. Most aircraft at that time were
being built with wood frames and some metal support.

The aircraft was a two=seat design, powered by an engine (rated at 140
horsepower at 2000 rpm) which was also manufactured by the B. F.
Sturtevant company. During World War I, the aircraft was intended
primarily for the observation and training role and appears to have
served the training role at Pensacola.

I have never been able to determine how many, if any, were ordered by
the U.S. Army - but only twelve (12) were procured by the U.S. Navy.
After this (because of the standardization of designs brought about by
World War I), the Sturtevamt Aeroplane Company shifted its production
to aircraft components for other aircraft manufacturers. "

The "Sturtevant, Wisonconin" referred to held a number of names,
Sturtevant being the last. It was the home of the Brown-Corliss Engine
Company which built steam engines, but bankrupted and was bought out by
B. F. Sturtevant in 1923.

Benjamin Franklin Sturtevant was the son of Seth (6-102) Sturtevant and
Huldah Besse. Seth was son of Lot Sturtevant (5-95) and Elizabeth
Besse. Lot was the son of Joseph (4-41) Sturtevant and Mary Gibbs.
Joseph was the son of Moses Sturtevant (3-9) and Elizabeth Horrell.
Moses was son of Samuel (2-4) and Mercy Cornish, son of Samuel 1-1.

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