Glenn Curtiss started as a bicycle racer and manufacturer of one-cylinder bicycle engines before advancing to motorcycles, creating the Hercules brand.
He pioneered seaplanes and flying boats, enabling takeoff and landing on naval ships, earning him the title "Father of Naval Aviation". World War I and the "Jenny": 1914–1918 Curtiss Company Profile 1907–1947
Curtiss made the first officially witnessed flight in North America and won top prizes at international air meets in France. Glenn Curtiss started as a bicycle racer and
The company developed the legendary Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" , which became the primary training aircraft for US pilots, becoming an icon of American aviation. becoming an icon of American aviation.