Rare WWI Aircraft platform - saved.
 

The local news showed this, see article.
BBC - Fleet Air Arm Museum restores rare aircraft carrier

Good news that such an item has been saved is being restored.

Years Ago
 

Mossie -

I saw this lighter rescued years ago. I reacall having a conversation with Keith Ferris about his paintign of Culley's Camel taking off from H-3 and got into a long discussion about the lighter with him. Some time later he sent me a news article that they had found this lighter and were thinking or reuniting Culley's airplane and the H-3 lighter.

Really great to see this.....

Mike

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What a wonderful piece of early naval aviation history to have found. Let's hope they can get it fully restored and on display. I would love to see that when it's completed, along with Culley's Camel parked upon it. Thanks for posting the link Mossie.

Cheers!

Lou

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Brilliant - i'd seen a photo of it unrestored at the FAAM but great to hear it'll be restored, and would make a great display piece with a Sopwith Camel on it!

Someone else sent me a link to this not long ago, so here's the link with some pictures in its current state:

Search the registers · National Register of Historic Vessels · National Historic Ships

A quick followup: I just got this link through Facebook (Henry Mustin's development of the lighter idea):

National Naval Aviation Museum - Online Exhibits

The pictures, unfortunately, only show the N-9 tests. The Navy also ran tests with a Caproni bomber. Apparently those went well, except that the hold-downs wouldn't release properly. I guess there was neither time, money, nor interest to redesign and try again. But I have seen pictures of the Caproni on one of these!

-Larry