P.V.7 Grain Kitten, Curtiss R.2 and P.V.8 Eastchurch Kitten

P.V.7 Grain Kitten, Curtiss R.2 and P.V.8 Eastchurch Kitten

Here we see a Port Victoria P.V.7 Grain Kitten (left), Curtiss R.2 (centre) and Port Victoria P.V.8 Eastchurch Kitten (right), lined up to give some idea of the scale of the two smaller experimental aircraft.

The P.V.7 and P.V.8 were both built by the Port Victoria Marine Experimental Aircraft Depot on the Isle of Grain, and were designed to be launched from platforms from the Royal Navy's smaller warships, including destroyers. Both used the A.B.C. Gnat engine, and both were thus doomed by the problems with that unreliable engine of which only seventeen were ever built. The Curtiss R.2 was clearly included to give some idea of the scale of these two small fighters, but they were also much smaller than the standard RNAS fighters of the period - both were significantly smaller than the already compact Sopwith Camel.

The Curtiss aircraft was labeled as a Curtiss R.4 in the IWM catalogue, but Britain didn't receive any of that aircraft, and it is probably a Curtiss R.2, which was the same size and shape.

Copyright IWM Q 63832

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (16 September 2022), P.V.7 Grain Kitten, Curtiss R.2 and P.V.8 Eastchurch Kitten , http://www.historyofwar.org/Pictures/pictures_PV7_CurtissR_PV8.html

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