Boeing Model 5 • wp.archivoaereo.com

The Boeing Model 3 saw successful application in the U.S. Navy, leading the fleet to order an additional 50 similar aircraft. These seaplanes, designated Boeing Model 5 and generally similar to the Model 3, were constructed during 1918. However, due to numerous engine malfunctions, they were hardly used.

Upon their decommissioning after World War I, most of these aircraft still remained unpacked. This situation highlights the significant technical challenges Boeing faced in its early years of serial production.

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Variants and Technical Issues

One additional unit, the C-1F, was acquired for evaluation. This variant featured a single main float under the fuselage and two small auxiliary floats beneath the lower wing. The C-1F was similar to the Model 2 but was equipped with a 100 hp (75 kW) Curtiss OXX-6 V-engine.

Despite these modifications, no further orders were placed for these machines. The experience with the C-1F underscored the persistent difficulties with design and engine reliability during that era.

Pioneering Airmail with the C-700

The final example of the Model 5 was the C-700, built specifically for William Boeing himself. On March 3, 1919, Boeing and Edward Hubbard embarked on a trial flight with it along the postal route from Vancouver to Seattle, marking a significant aviation milestone.

Later, this very machine inaugurated the first international airmail line between Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia. The C-700, despite the general deficiencies of the Model 5 series, became a symbol of aviation’s pioneering spirit.

Technical Specifications

Modification	Model 5
Wingspan, m	13. 36
Length, m	8. 23
Height, m	3.84
Wing area, m2	45.99
Empty weight	861
Maximum takeoff weight	1086
Engine type	1 Piston engine Hall-Scott A-7A
Power, hp	1 x 100
Maximum speed, km/h	118
Cruising speed, km/h	105
Practical range, km	322
Service ceiling, m	1980
Crew, crew members	2