Hall PH Flying Boat

[Scott Rose]

The Hall PH was an American flying boat of the 1930s. It was a twin-engined biplane, developed from the Naval Aircraft Factory PN and could hence trace its lineage back to the Felixstowe flying boats of World War I. The PH was purchased in small numbers by the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard. It remained in service with the Coast Guard until 1944, being used for anti-submarine and search and rescue duties.

Development and design
In December 1927, the U.S. Navy placed a contract with the Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corporation of Bristol, Pennsylvania for a developed version of the Naval Aircraft Factory PN-11, which itself could trace a development history back to the Felixstowe F.5 flying boat of World War I. The resultant prototype, the XPH-1, first flew in December 1929.

The XPH-1 had identical wings and a similar metal hull to that of the PN-11, but was fitted with a large single fin and rudder. It was powered by two Wright Cyclone radial engines and accommodated its two pilots side by side in an open cockpit, with cockpits for gunners in the nose and behind the wings.

In 1930 the Navy ordered nine aircraft, designated the PH-1, which were fitted with more powerful engines and a partly enclosed cockpit for the pilots. The Coast Guard later ordered seven PH-2 aircraft, similar to the PH-1 but with armament removed, and seven PH-3 units with armament reinstated and a fully enclosed cockpit for the pilots.

Operational history
Delivery of the PH-1 commenced in October 1931,equipping VP-8 from 1932, operating from the seaplane tender Wright and from bases at Pearl Harbor, Midway Atoll, and the Panama Canal Zone. It was replaced by the Consolidated PBY-1 Catalina in 1937.

Production of the PH recommenced in June 1936 to meet an order for seven PH-2s for the Coast Guard.These entered service from 1938, being the largest aircraft operated by the Coast Guard at that time. In 1939 the Coast Guard ordered an additional seven PH-3 aircraft; they entered service in 1941

The Hall flying boats were used by the Coast Guard for search and rescue duties and were fitted with specialized equipment for this role. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entry into World War II, the remaining PHs were painted in U.S Navy Grey Green colors to replace the previous bare metal finish, armed, and used for anti-submarine patrols (particularly during the Operation Drumbeat U-boat attacks off the East coast of the United States in 1942) as well as continuing search and rescue operations.[6] The Coast Guard continued operating the PH-2 and -3 until 1944.

Variants
XPH-1 prototype in flight. Note the open pilots canopy.
XPH-1 Prototype. Two 537 hp (401 kW) Wright R-1750 engines. One built.
PH-1 Production version for U.S. Navy. Partly enclosed cockpit for pilots. Two 620 hp (463 kW) Wright R-1820-86 engines in short-chord Townend ring cowlings. Nine built.
PH-2 Version for U.S Coast Guard. Two 750 hp (560 kW) Wright R-1820F-51 engines. Armament omitted. Seven built.
PH-3 Improved version for Coast Guard. Long Chord NACA cowlings. Revised enclosed canopy for pilots. Seven built.

Role: Patrol Flying Boat
Manufacturer: Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corporation
First flight: 1929
Introduction: 1931
Retired : 1944
Primary users:
United States Coast Guard
United States Navy
Number built : 24

Specifications (PH-3)

General characteristics
Crew: six
Length: 51 ft 0 in (15.54 m)
Wingspan: 72 ft 10 in (22.20 m)
Height: 19 ft 10 in (6.05 m)
Wing area: 1,710 sq ft (158.9 m2)
Empty weight: 9,614 lb (4,370 kg)
Gross weight: 16,152 lb (7,342 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-1820F-51 Cyclone 9 cylinder air cooled radial engine, 750 hp (560 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 138 kn (159 mph, 256 km/h)
Cruise speed: 118 kn (136 mph, 219 km/h)
Range: 1,687 nmi (1,937 mi, 3,119 km)
Service ceiling: 21,350 ft (9,700 m)
Wing loading: 9.45 lb/sq ft (46.2 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.093 hp/lb (0.15 kW/kg)

Armament
Four flexibly mounted .303 (7.7 mm) in Lewis guns
Up to 1,000 lb (454 kg) depth bombs

Source: Wikipedia




Hall PH-3 of the US Coast Guard.


Hall PH-3 of the US Coast Guard over Lower Manhattan.


XPH-1 prototype in flight.

[JohnB]

Unlike the UK, it seems the U.S. was never very big on multi engine biplane flying boats.
The prototype with the open cockpit looks like a direct descendant of a WWI Curtiss or Felixstowe...or a smaller version of various Shorts.

The color images have been extensively reproduced, with that blue scheme it looks almost sleek.

[quemerford]

They are rather handsome. Thanks for posting Scott.

[Scott Rose]

They are rather handsome. Thanks for posting Scott.

Your welcome. I've always thought flying boats had a certain appeal to them.

[Hooligan2]

That one most certainly does, I presume the type is extinct which is a great pity.

[Randy Wilson]

The same color image of the Hall PH-3 is published on page 62 of Jeff Ethell and Warren Bodie's book "WWII War Eagles; Global Air War in Original Color". The source is shown as "S.I./Arnold Coll.". A search of the Rudy Arnold Collection online turns up this B&W negative which is reversed but seems to me to be identical in detail to the color image above. I think the ammo box on a Browning 1919.30 cal is normally on the left of the gun but I could be mistaken. Or is that a shell collector on the right in the color image? Its been quite a while since I fired one and not from the nose of an aircraft.

https://edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NASM.XXXX.0356_ref870
you will have to go to page 7 of the images as this link doesn't seem direct, sorry

Jeff was a friend and I knew of his very large collection of mostly color Kodachrome slides, which he used for many of the images in his books. However this attribution of the book's image is a bit puzzling. Any thoughts from the group? A minor puzzle, I hope.

Randy

[CoastieJohn]

Hey Scott,

I sent you a couple of PM's. On my end it shows they're hung up in the "Outbox". Did you get them?

Thanks....John

[Cubs2jets]

Jeff was a friend and I knew of his very large collection of mostly color Kodachrome slides, which he used for many of the images in his books. However this attribution of the book's image is a bit puzzling. Any thoughts from the group? A minor puzzle, I hope.

Randy

I've always admired the books by Jeff Ethel. The color reproduction from the originals was always stunning - as well as the subject matter. Some of the prints DID come from the Smithsonian and National Archives collections.

During a visit to the National Archives in the early 2000's I inquired about a certain photo/negative that I was interested in a scan of. The researcher on staff informed me rather briskly that it was one of a number of color negatives that had been loaned to "Mr. Ethel" that hadn't been returned (apparently to the point of legal action). Of course by that point Jeff had been gone for nearly 10 years and I was to understand that his daughter had taken over the business.

I never heard any resolution to this situation. I hope that the negatives were eventually returned to the National Archives so that we may all have access to enjoy them.

C2j

[Warbird Kid]

Its interesting how this flying boat can look fairly sleek and more modern in certain features (i,.e large angular tail, bulbous cockpit, etc.) and yet be so primitive with being an early golden age era aircraft.

[CoastieJohn]

Does anyone know if the above photos are in the public domain?

[JohnB]

Its interesting how this flying boat can look fairly sleek and more modern in certain features (i,.e large angular tail, bulbous cockpit, etc.) and yet be so primitive with being an early golden age era aircraft.

I certainly agree about the cockpit and fully cowled engines, but that vertical stabilizer with the oversized balanced rudder is pure '20s...if not 'teens.

Last edited by JohnB on Wed Apr 13, 2022 5:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mark Sampson]

I just wouldn't have wanted to have been the bow turret gunner.

[pjpahs]

Really wouldn’t want the spent ammunition cases being ejected into the slipstream into the propellers and being thrown about. I would guess it’s a case catcher attached to the flexible nose gun.