Navy Partnership & Flying Boat Development

1925–1935
Fleet’s collaboration with the U.S. Navy produced America’s most important flying boats and laid the groundwork for the PBY Catalina.

Navy Partnership & Flying Boat Development

1925–1935

A Growing Need for Maritime Aviation

By the mid-1920s, the U.S. Navy recognized that modern naval warfare and long-range reconnaissance required aircraft capable of operating far from land. Flying boats—able to take off and land on open water—offered unmatched versatility.

Consolidated Aircraft, under Reuben H. Fleet’s leadership, had already earned a reputation for reliable, long-range designs. The Navy saw in Fleet a partner who understood both engineering and operational needs.

The Beginning of a Transformative Collaboration

Fleet’s relationship with the Navy deepened after Consolidated moved to Buffalo and later San Diego. The Navy turned to Consolidated for:

longer-range patrol aircraft
better hull designs
improved stability on rough seas
more robust structures for ocean service
aircraft suitable for extended missions far from base

Fleet’s team approached these challenges by blending aeronautical engineering with lessons drawn from marine architecture.

The XPY-1 Admiral — A Defining First Step

In 1928, Consolidated introduced the XPY-1 Admiral, its first major flying boat for the Navy. It represented a leap forward in:

hull efficiency
water handling
long-range endurance
ease of maintenance
multi-crew operation

The XPY-1 showed the Navy that Consolidated could build aircraft not merely adequate for maritime duty, but world-class patrol ships suited for global operations.

Human Moment — Pride in a New Direction

Accounts in Our Flight to Destiny describe Fleet’s excitement when the Navy first evaluated the XPY-1. Dorothy Fleet recalled how he returned home more animated than usual, confident that this program could redefine the company’s future. What had begun as a single contract was quickly becoming a long-term strategic partnership.

The P2Y — Range and Reliability

The XPY-1 led directly to the P2Y series, which established new standards in:

transoceanic range
hull strength and hydrodynamics
payload and fuel efficiency
crew comfort on long missions

The P2Y became a favorite of Navy personnel because it simply worked—rugged, reliable, and forgiving in difficult seas. Crews joked that it flew “like a battleship with wings.”

Experiments and Lessons Learned

Throughout the 1930s, Consolidated and the Navy experimented with:

improved hull step designs
corrosion-resistant materials
aerodynamic refinements for low-altitude patrol
new engine configurations
better navigation and radio equipment

These experiments created a bank of hard-earned knowledge that would lead directly to the most successful flying boat of World War II.

Momentum Toward a Breakthrough

By 1935, the Navy needed a more advanced patrol aircraft—one that could fly farther, stay aloft longer, and carry heavier defensive armament. Consolidated, armed with years of data and sea trials, submitted designs that perfectly matched these requirements.

The Navy partnership had matured into a collaboration built on trust: Fleet’s engineers understood what naval aviators needed, and the Navy believed Consolidated could deliver.

Setting the Stage for the PBY Catalina

All the experience from the XPY-1, P2Y, and intermediate prototypes culminated in the design that would become the PBY Catalina—arguably the most important flying boat in history.

But the Catalina’s birth is a story large enough for its own dedicated page.

Why This Partnership Matters

The decade-long collaboration between Fleet and the U.S. Navy produced:

the engineering lineage that created the PBY
new standards for long-range maritime aviation
innovations in hull design, stability, endurance, and reliability
an industrial base in San Diego that would later support massive wartime production

Most importantly, it marked the moment when Consolidated and the Navy ceased to be customer and contractor—they became partners in shaping the future of American air power.