John Cyril Porte

Lieutenant Commander John Cyril Porte RN CMG US DCM (1884-1919) was a flying boat pioneer associated with the World War I Seaplane Experimental Station at Felixstowe.

At an ealy age Porte joined the Royal Navy, but contracted tuberculosis and was discharged in 1911. Instead he learnt to fly and became interested in flying boats. He met American aircraft designer Glenn Curtiss at Volk's Seaplane Base at Brighton, and together they worked on a design for the "America" flying boat, in which they intended to cross the Atlantic, but the commencement of hostilities in 1914 stopped this plans.

War service
His health not withstanding, he was recommissioned a Wing Commander in the Royal Naval Air Service and given command of a training unit in Hendon and later the naval air base at Felixstowe. While in this position he encouraged the purchase of Curtiss H-4 flying boats, a military version of their earlier "America" flying boat design.

Porte modified an H-4 with a new hull whose improved hydrodynamic qualities made take-off and landing much more practical, and called it the Felixstowe F.1. Porte then modified the hull of the larger Curtiss H12 flying boat, the Felixstowe F.2, which was greatly superior to the original Curtiss boat. Under his supervision the Seaplane Experimental Station continued to enlarge and improve the design of the Felixstowe independently of Curtis, through the F.3 and F.5. Several hundred were built for war-time patrolling 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. Ironically, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company manufactured copies of the F.5 as the F5L and Aeromarine 75.

Death
Porte was in Brighton in 1919 when his tuberculosis at last overcame him and he died on 22 October. He is buried in West Norwood Cemetery where his monument is a cross and anchor.