Float Planes and Flying Boats: The U.S. Coast Guard and early Naval Aviation

With nearly 300 vintage photographs and close to 300 pages of text, retired U.S. Coast Guard aviator Capt. Robert Workman presents a complete picture of naval aviation's rapid development between 1911 and 1938. Frustrated by the lack of information specifically about the Coast Guard's aviation heritage, the author undertook research of his own. The result is a balanced look at early naval aviation that, for the first time, gives full credit to the important contributions made by Coast Guardsmen. He shows that it was thanks to their creativity, skill, and determination, along with efforts by the other sea services, that such great strides were possible. Several chapters are devoted to the inventions of the float plane and flying boat and why the flying boat was considered more seaworthy and reliable.

CAPT. ROBERT B. WORKMAN JR., USCG (Ret.), a 1959 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, flew both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, including the last of the flying boats. He builds large-scale model Coast Guard aircraft and historical aircraft for museums around the country, dedicating over 700 hours to each model. Workman lives in Ashburn, Virginia.