Following the outbreak of war in Europe, Porte returned to England and rejoined the Royal Navy, eventually becoming commander of the naval air station at Felixstowe where he recommended the purchase from Curtiss of an improved version of the America flying boat on which he had worked, the Curtiss H-4 type,[1] resulting in the RNAS receiving two prototype Americas and 62 H-4s.

[2] The Curtiss H-4 was found to have a number of problems, being both underpowered and having a hull too weak for sustained operations and having poor handling characteristics when afloat or taking off.

[6] Rather than the lightweight boat-type structure of the Curtiss boats, the F.1's hull was based around a sturdy wooden box-girder similar to that used in contemporary landplanes, to which were attached a single-step planing bottom and side sponsons.

The combination of the new Porte II hull,[9] this time fitted with two steps, with the wings of the H-12, a new tail and powered by two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines was named the Felixstowe F.2; its first flight was in July 1916,[10] proving greatly superior to the Curtiss on which it was based.

Its excellent performance and maneuverability made it an effective and popular type, often fighting enemy patrol and fighter aircraft, as well as hunting U-boats and Zeppelins.