Flying boat, seaplane, and floatplane did not always mark separate categories in contemporary or later usage. The terminology remained fluid, and a rigid modern definition can obscure how the aircraft were understood and used. Less familiar examples reveal how much variety maritime aviation contained during the First World War. Their hulls, floats, payloads, and operating environments provide a more useful basis for comparison.
Chapter · 1:09-2:05
Why waterborne aircraft mattered in the First World War
Flying boats, seaplanes, and floatplanes often overlapped as terms, so the opening compares their First World War naval roles without forcing rigid definitions.