John Cyril Porte

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John Cyril Porte
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
(United States)

pioneer associated with the First World War Seaplane Experimental Station at Felixstowe.[3]

Early life and career

Porte was born on 26 February 1884 to

TCD and Henrietta (née Scott) in Bandon, County Cork,[4] Ireland.[5] Reverend Dr. Porte[6] served as Rector of St Peter's, Ballymodan, Bandon before moving to England with his family as Vicar of St Matthew's church, Denmark Hill in 1890. Rev. Porte's father, George Porte (1819–1892) was a Civil Engineer and master of Erasmus Smith School living in Dublin,[7][8][9] a member of the Royal Irish Academy, Fellow of the Royal Geological Society of Ireland[10] and founder member of the Dublin Microscopical Club.[11]

Porte joined the

lieutenant in 1905.[2] Porte transferred to the Royal Navy Submarine Service in 1906 receiving his training on HMS Thames before HMS Forth and duties on submarines, his first command was HMS B3, beginning 1 January 1908.[6] He served under Murray Sueter, a pioneer of submarines, airships and aeroplanes who encouraged Porte to join that branch of the service.[6][5]

During 1908 he designed a

airships; one having control of the rudder and wing warping, the other control of the elevator.[6][5] The use of staggered planes apparently preceded that of the Goupy.[16] Both officers were attached to the submarine depot at Haslar.[15]

In 1910 he joined

Lieutenant, RN
.

Porte learnt to fly by the end of 1910 using a

Daily Mail Circuit of Britain from Brooklands with the first British built 60hp Anzani Deperdussin monoplane,[4][6] but suffered an unfortunate accident shortly after takeoff.[18] He proved to be a gifted and natural pilot.[6]

With

Savoia.[6] They were the first to establish a British factory for the manufacture of a foreign aircraft; with Porte also as technical director and designer,[6] Frederick Koolhoven joined them from France as chief engineer[6] and works manager in the summer of 1912. Porte invested nearly all his money in the venture.[6]

He flew Deperdussin aircraft in the

air races at Hendon Aerodrome, where he became a popular figure with the weekend crowds, by now achieving a considerable reputation as a skilled pilot.[6] About November 1912 Porte was a director of British Anzani alongside Captain John Crosby Halahan, a former Royal Dublin Fusiliers and Royal Flying Corps (RFC) officer, Waldo Ridley Prentice and Claude Scholfield, with Santoni as chairman. Halahan was appointed manager of the Deperdussin Flying School at Hendon in 1913.[19]

Porte tested the

White & Thompson[5]
as a designer and test pilot.

He married Minnie 'Betty' Miller at St James's Church, Piccadilly[6] on 16 August 1916.[21]

Transatlantic challenge

London 4 February 1914, announcement of the Woman's Aerial League silver trophy and $5,000 prize.
The Sun 18 June 1914, "The latest photographs of the Wanamaker
seaplane. Lieut. Porte standing by the machine."
Glen Curtiss, actress Norma Phillips (Our Mutual Girl)[24] and Porte with his characteristic straw hat in front of the Trans-Atlantic Flyer.[25]

About 1911 Porte met American aircraft designer Glenn Curtiss and proposed a partnership to produce an aircraft to compete in the Daily Mail prize for the first transatlantic crossing. In 1912 Curtiss produced the two-seat Flying Fish that was classified as a flying boat because the hull sat in the water; it featured an innovative notch or "step" in the hull that Porte recommended for breaking clear of the water on takeoff.

Pursuing his interest in flying boats, over October 1913 Porte met Curtiss with Eric Gordon England at George Volk's Seaplane Base on Brighton sea front, where the Curtiss flying boat was demonstrated.[6][5] In January 1914 Porte was engaged in building improved Curtiss flying boats for White & Thompson with a flying school to support the enterprise.

Widely publicised, Porte and Curtiss then worked together on a design at

Anglo-American Exhibition beginning 14 May 1914, Victoria Woodhull Martin offered a further $5,000 and silver trophy on behalf of the Woman's Aerial League of Great Britain
.

Porte was to fly and navigate the aircraft with co-pilot and engineer George Hallett. The route selected was much longer than a direct flight, at reduced risk and planned to start 20 July from St. John's, Newfoundland to the Azores, 1,198 miles distant for re-fuelling and on to Plymouth, stopping en route at Vigo in northern Spain.[6]

By 20 May 1914 the official contenders for the prize were Irishman Porte, and Englishman Gustav Hamel with a British built prototype Martinsyde monoplane funded by Canadian businessman Mackay Edgar. Edgar retired from the competition 25 May 1914 following Hamel's disappearance over the English Channel 23 May, withdrawing entirely on 18 June. The commencement of hostilities stopped Wanamaker's plan on 4 August 1914 when the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland declared war on Germany and Porte, leaving with nothing but his clothes,[6] boarded Lusitania at New York bound for Liverpool.

War service

His health notwithstanding, two days after returning to England he was recommissioned in the

Claude Graham White on 4 August under the Defence of the realm Act.[26]

Captain

H-12s
or Large Americas.

Once the project was under way, Porte assisted with the assembly and testing of the America flying boats at

RNAS Felixstowe; he was officially posted to Felixstowe in September 1915 as commander of the Experimental Flying Wing[4][30][31] where he would frequently fly on offensive patrols to gather what was required of the aircraft.[6]

His first design implemented at Felixstowe was the Porte Baby, a large, three-engined biplane flying-boat powered by one central pusher and two outboard tractor Rolls-Royce Eagle engines. Between November 1915 and 1918, it was the largest flying boat built and flown in the United Kingdom.[32]

Porte modified a Curtiss H-4 (No.3580)

Curtiss H-12 flying boat, creating the Felixstowe F.2, that was greatly superior to the original Curtiss boat. Under Porte's supervision, the Naval and Seaplane Experimental Station continued to enlarge and improve the design of the Felixstowe aircraft independently of Curtiss, through the F.3 and the F.5; Porte's last design to be built was the 123 ft-span five-engined Felixstowe Fury[4] triplane (also known as the "Porte Super-Baby" or "PSB"), largest seaplane in the world and largest British aircraft at the time.[6][33][34][35]

Porte Baby (No.9800), RNAS Felixstowe
, May 1916, Porte walking under the tailplane.

The Felixstowes were mainly used on long-range patrols to look for the High Seas Fleet or submarines of the Imperial German Navy. However, the aircraft were also initially used successfully to intercept Zeppelins. To avoid this danger, Zeppelins were forced to fly higher, resulting in Porte developing the first composite aircraft experiments in 1916, with a Porte Baby carrying a small Bristol Scout fighter piggyback. The flying boat would provide the long range, while the fighter would be able to climb rapidly to engage the enemy. With Porte at the controls of the flying boat, on 17 May 1916 Flight Lieutenant M. J. Day successfully flew the Baby launch craft over Harwich in its one and only trial flight, and, although on this occasion the parasite was successfully released, the scheme was abandoned as impractical for North Sea conditions.[36]

Several hundred seaplanes of Porte's design were built for war-time patrolling of the east coast of England, for naval reconnaissance around the Mediterranean Sea, and were even sold to the US for coast patrols. Armed with torpedoes and depth charges, they could attack ships and U-boats. A measure of the success of Porte's work is that the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company manufactured the F.5 as the F5L and Aeromarine 75.

Seaplane lighter and Curtiss H-12 flying boat.

Acutely aware of the flying boat's limitations, Porte pioneered the use of a small towing

ballast to enable the flying boat to taxi up on to the deck. Once the flying boat was in place, it was picked up by a destroyer and towed to the release area at 30 kts. The aircraft was then recovered.[30]

Porte extended this technique for Colonel Samson, Officer commanding RNAS Great Yarmouth. A thirty-foot deck was added to the seaplane lighter with a Sopwith Camel single-seat fighter held down with a quick release system. The first trial with Samson as pilot failed; at the moment of release, the aircraft lifted off at the wrong angle and stalled into the sea. Despite the setback, both Samson and Porte were convinced the scheme would work, so a lighter pilot was selected. On 11 August 1918 Lieutenant S. D. Culley took off successfully from lighter H5 towed by HMS Redout.[37] Culley intercepted and destroyed Zeppellin L 53 at the peak of the fighter's ceiling, rendezvoused with the destroyer and ditched his aircraft alongside the lighter.[6][37] Restored seaplane lighter H21, built 1918 is held in the Fleet Air Arm Museum collection.[38]

During Porte's tenure at Felixstowe, due to the reorganisation of the different aerial services, he received various naval, RNAS and Royal Air Force ranks, and was known variously as

wing commander and lieutenant colonel.[4] He was pensioned with the rank of colonel
.

Porte was also President of the RNAS Felixstowe Sports Committee.[39]

Profiteering trial

On 25 July 1917, while he was engaged in his large flying boat design,

Sir Edward Carson, then First Lord of the Admiralty, chaired by barrister and member of parliament John George Butcher
. Casson and Porte were examined before the committee during the early months of 1917, but there was apparently no exchange of correspondence between the committee, Curtiss publicity manager Seely or Glen Curtiss.

The case was high-profile;

Attorney General, Sir Frederick Smith represented Director of Public Prosecutions, Charles Willie Mathews, assisted by H. D. Roome (co-author of Archibald) and Mr Branson, both the Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions were present in Court. Walter Joseph Synott[40] and Patrick Hastings argued for Casson; Porte's solicitor Sir George Lewis (son of Sir George Lewis) instructed Richard David Muir and Ellis Hume-Williams
.

During his time at Hammondsport before the war, Porte arranged with Seely, then Curtiss sales manager, to receive as an agent, 20–25% commission on all Curtiss flying boats that he sold after the projected trans-Atlantic flight. At the time of his hasty return from the United States in August 1914, Porte's connections with the Curtiss company had not been fully and legally dissolved;[41] Porte continued to receive monies secretly through Casson as a commission agent between August 1914 and 24 July 1917, when he was in the position of ordering aircraft on behalf of the Navy and was accused of receiving £48,000 in this manner.[42] On 19 November 1917 Casson admitted guilt but, on return of the money, the Attorney General entered a plea of nolle prosequi against Porte in light of his failing health and important war service.[23] Dropping the charges was seen by The Crown as a way of removing any stigma from Porte's name and reputation as a public servant, but the authorities refused any payment for his inventions.[41]

Seeley did not appear, remaining at Hammondsport in the United States; the embarrassment of the case led to his dismissal, but with no lasting financial implications.

civil servant and barrister living in Bedford Park, was 'persuaded' to plead guilty so the trial could be brought to a swift conclusion[6] and reprimanded by the sentencing judge, Henry McCardie.[42][43] His health gravely impaired, Porte returned to Felixstowe where he was nursed to recovery by his wife.[6]

Felixstowe Fury with revised tailplane and Sopwith Camel comparison at the Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe early 1919,[35] Porte in the foreground.

In November 1917 Porte was recommended for the

Blackburn Aircraft Company.[6][41][45]

Porte was appointed a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1918 Birthday Honours[41] "in recognition of distinguished services rendered in connection with the War". He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in July 1918 for his design work.[6]

Later life

RAF,[17][46] and still very sick, Porte joined the Gosport Aircraft Company in August 1919 as chief designer;[6] it was hoped that there would be progressive developments as he agreed to use his recent patents that were very forward looking, one incorporating a ski or hydrofoil. These designs gave him the idea of lifting hydrofoils and an appointment was arranged with Lord Northcliffe who expressed an interest. The meeting was brokered by Air Commodore R. M. Groves (an RNAS contemporary) for the end of October 1919, who in a letter described the invention "As incredible as the Ironship or Telephone in their day". It was also hoped the company would convert the many war surplus 'F' type flying boats for civil use.[6]

Before his death Porte produced a series of flying boat designs for commercial purposes, offering considerable improvements and modification of the proven types developed during the war including the G9, a trans-ocean passenger and cargo version of the Felixstowe Fury, however partly through lack of Government interest and adequate finance, none of the new designs were realised.[47][48][6]

Worn out with overwork and worry, his illness taking over his worn out body,

pulmonary tuberculosis on 22 October 1919, age 35;[4][3] he was buried in Brighton and then re-interred in June 1920 at West Norwood Cemetery[49] alongside his mother and three of his brothers who pre-deceased him. His monument is a cross and anchor with an epitaph, "Colonel Porte was the inventor of the British flying boats."[50]

Legacy

Even into his last moments, Porte was thinking and talking about his future ideas; at the time of his death, there was a sense of real loss in the aviation world.

The Aeroplane, stated in a long obituary, "The history of John Cyril Porte is a tragedy relieved by the example of indomitable will and loyalty which he has set to all who serve the King. Few have suffered more and none have done better work in spite of physical and mental suffering".[6]

Walter Raleigh in his book The War in the Air summed up the importance of Porte's work during the First World War: "The shortest possible list of those who saved the country in its hour of need would have to include his name."[48]

In recognition of his pioneering work,

Arthur Vyell Vyvyan, Charles Laverock Lambe, Robert Marsland Groves and Edward Maitland Maitland.[53]

In 1922 Porte was recognised for an award from the Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors in relation to flying boats and later his widow received an award of £1500.00 from the Commission in respect of information passed to the US Government[21] concerning inventions, designs, etc. in relation to aircraft and aircraft accessories, specifically flying boats.[54]

All the Short Brothers flying boats that followed between 1930 and 1950 owe much to Porte's work.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Hammondsport, N.Y. Launching of Rodman Wanamaker's trans-Atlantic flyer "America."". British Pathé. 22 June 1914. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Lovell; Harley, Tony; Simon (19 October 2017). "John Cyril Porte". The Dreadnaught Project. Retrieved 4 November 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^
    The Atlanta Constitution. 29 October 1919. Archived from the original
    on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2010. Lieutenant Colonel John Cyril Porte former wing of the Royal Navy air service and inventor of the flying boat known as Felixstowe Fury is dead here ...
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Notice of Death. Flight. 30 October 1919
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Robertson, Professor R. (1991). "John Cyril Porte & The Felixstowe Flying Boats" (PDF). The '14–'18 Journal: 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak Chilton, Air Marshal Sir Edward. "John Cyril Porte (1884–1919) Naval Officer, Pilot and aircraft designer extraordinary". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. Brunswick-Street, Great.
    (No.) 43". The Dublin almanac, and general register of Ireland, for 1847 (14 ed.). Oxford University. 1847. p. 674.
  8. ^ "Clippings". The Irish Times. 11 August 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  9. ISBN 1-85607-4668. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 16 February 2012.
  10. ^ COLE, REV. J.H. (1903). "DIOCESE OF CORK". Church and Parish Records of the United Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. City Library Cork: CORK: GUY AND COMPANY LIMITED. 70, PATRICK STREET.: 19, 303–304. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  11. ^ Stevenson, Dr Brian (1850–1900). "'Porte's(?) Field Microscope'". Microscope-Antiques.com. Retrieved 7 November 2018. Maker: Spencer & Son, Dublin
  12. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36882. London. 25 September 1902. p. 8.
  13. ^ "Wilfred Bayley Pirie". Grace's Guide. Grace's Guide Ltd. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Gosport". Hampshire Airfields. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  15. ^ a b "A British-built and Designed Glider". Flight. 1 (39): 583. 25 September 1909. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  16. ^ "Jane's All The World Aircraft 1913". Their Flying Machines. Sampson Low Marston. 1913. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  17. ^ a b c UK National Archives AIR/76/408
  18. ^ "the Great International Air Race for the Daily Mail $10000 Prize". British Pathé. 1911. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  19. ^ "British Anzani history". British Anzani Archive. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  20. ^ H. E. S. (5 July 1913). Spooner, Stanley (ed.). "The Home of the "Seagull."". Flight. V (27): 728–729. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  21. ^ a b "John Porte". Grace's Guide. Grace's Guide Ltd. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  22. ^
    ISBN 0815602642
    .
  23. ^ a b The Admiralty Contracts Case. Flight. 22 November 1917
  24. ^ "Our Mutual Girl, No. 29 (1914) Company Credits". IMDb. 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  25. ^ "Photograph and caption". Moving Picture World: 586. 25 July 1914. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  26. ISBN 978-1473831704
    . Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  27. ^
    ISBN 978-1-907426-71-1
    .
  28. ^ Reynolds, Clark G., Admiral John H. Towers: The Struggle for Naval Air Supremacy (1991), 90.
  29. ^ Hanlon, Michael E. (1998–2000). "Aircraft of the AEF". worldwar1.com. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  30. ^ a b c Robertson, Professor R. (1991). "John Cyril Porte & The Felixstowe Flying Boats" (PDF). The '14–'18 Journal: 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  31. ^ "365 (Felixstowe) Squadron Air Training Corps". RAF Felixstowe – Station Commanders. Royal Air Force, 356 (Felixstowe) Squadron Headquarters, Carr Road, Felixstowe Suffolk IP11 3RX United Kingdom. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  32. ^ Owers, Colin (2015). "The Porte Baby" (PDF). Cross & Cockade International: 46. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  33. ^ "Felixstowe Fury (+1919)". wrecksite.eu. The Wrecksite. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  34. ^ "Giant Seaplane Wrecked". Taranaki Daily News. 1 November 1919. p. 9. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  35. ^
    ISBN 978-1-907426-71-1
    .
  36. ^ Composite Aircraft. Flight. 11 November 1937
  37. ^ a b "Sopwith Camel". Imperial War Museums. IWM. 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018. Flown by Lieutenant S.D. Culley during a sweep by the Harwich Force in the southern area of the North Sea on 11th August 1918. It took off from a lighter H.5 which was being towed by the destroyer 'Redoubt' and shot down the Zeppelin L.53. The Camel was recovered almost undamaged after landing in the water alongside the lighter.
  38. ^ "Seaplane Lighter H21". National Historic Ships UK. National Historic Ships. 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  39. ^ Trippitt, Mike (22 May 2018). "The fascinating history behind Felixstowe's flying boats". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  40. ^ Liddle, Edward. "Walter Joseph Synott". Cricket Europe. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  41. ^ a b c d e f g Robertson, Professor R. (1991). "John Cyril Porte & the Felixstowe Flying Boats" (PDF). The '14–'18 Journal: 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  42. ^ a b Admiralty Aircraft Contracts The Times 13–20 August 1917
  43. ^ "Corruption in War Contracts". Auckland Star. XLIX (41): 15. 16 February 1918. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  44. ^ UK National Archives ADM 273/2/17
  45. ISBN 978-1935881452
    .
  46. ^ "The Felixstowe Flying Boats". Flight. 23 December 1955. p. 931.
  47. ^ "Some Gosport Flying Boats for 1920". Flight. 25 December 1919. pp. 1657–1658.
  48. ^ a b c Felixstowe Flying Boats. Flight: p.932. 23 December 1955.
  49. ^ "Personal advertisement". The Aeroplane: 1149. 9 June 1920.
  50. ^ The RAF utilised some Army ranks in its early days, and Porte is recorded on his headstone as "Colonel, John Cyril Porte CMG, late Wing Commander RNAS, formerly Commander RN, who after a life of strenuous endeavour and glorious achievement in the service of his King and country, died in Brighton on 22nd Oct. 1919, aged 35 years".
  51. ^ RAF Museum AC78/13/4/2
  52. ^ UK National Archives AIR/76/408 "Distinguished Service Medal conferred by President of USA"
  53. ^ "No. 31691". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 December 1919. p. 15614.
  54. ^ "Mynnie Porte". Grace's Guide. Grace's Guide Ltd. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Cyril Porte.
Military offices
Preceded by Officer Commanding
RNAS Felixstowe
?–31 March 1918 		None
Group reformed as Seaplane Experimental Station
Military offices
New title
Group established
 Officer Commanding
Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe
1 April 1918 – June 1919 		None
Group disbanded
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