The White and Thompson company was formed by Norman Thompson and Douglas White in 1912 at Bognor Regis, Sussex to design and build aircraft.[1] It built several models of aircraft in small numbers, before being renamed the Norman Thompson Flight Company in September 1915.
The first aircraft to be produced by the renamed company was a twin-engined patrol flying boat, the Norman Thompson N.T.4. This was a three bay biplane powered by two pusher Hispano-Suiza engines mounted between the wings and was fitted with an enclosed, heavily glazed cockpit for its four-man crew.
An initial order for ten aircraft for the Royal Naval Air Service was placed in December 1915, with the first prototype flying in October 1916.[2] Further orders were placed in 1917 bringing the total ordered to 50. Production continued through 1917, but in 1918, following a change in policy on anti-submarine aircraft, the final contract for 20 aircraft was cancelled.[3] Total production was 26 aircraft, continuing until June 1918.[4]
Norman Thompson produced a revised design to meet the requirements of Admiralty Specification N.2C, to replace the N.T.4. This type, designated the Norman Thompson N.2C used the wings of the N.T.4 but with a new hull resembling that of the Porte/Felixstowe boats. Power was by two 200 hp (149 kW) Sunbeam Arab engines. The first prototype attempted to fly on 1 August 1918, but required changes to the hull before it was capable of take-off. Water handling remained poor, and the aircraft was tail heavy in flight. It was abandoned following the end of the war.[5]
The N.T.4 entered service with the RNAS in 1916,[6] being operated on anti-submarine patrols over the North Sea and English Channel but were mainly used for training, as larger aircraft were more suitable for patrol purposes.[7] Many of the aircraft produced in 1918 were delivered straight to storage and were never used.[8] Owing to its similarity in size to the Curtiss H-4, it shared the Curtiss flying boat's nickname of America, being renamed Small America when the larger Curtiss H-12 (known as Large America) and Felixstowe F.2 flying boats came into service.[9]