Test pilot William H. Engle was in California on a demonstration tour with the first F-5 Sea Bird. Here he is showing it to Hollywood actor Wallace Beery, who wanted to keep the aircraft at his seaside home so he could hop in and go fishing. Engle plunged through the surf to show it could be done, but advised the actor it was too dangerous for a low time pilot to attempt. Photo from: William Engle (son of Fleetwings test pilot William H. Engle) via Tim Martin

The second F-5 Sea Bird moored opposite downtown Miami at Virginia Key while on a sales tour that included Nassau/Bahamas and Havana/Cuba. The aircraft is Oklahoma based in 2024. Photo from: William Engle via Tim Martin

The third F-5 made its initial test flight on 19 March 1939 in the hands of test pilot William H. Engle. It was still at the factory by late November 1939 and photographed after delivery at Raby Field/MS with a Civil Air Patrol badge on the side. Oklahoma based in 2024. Photo from: William Engle (son of the test pilot) via Tim Martin

The first F-5 version which made its initial flight on 16 January 1938 with test pilot William H. Engle at the controls. The F-5 was a modified version of the F-4 with accommodation for five occupants (instead of four). Here it is parked on the Fleetwings seaplane ramp with both the nose mooring hatch and passenger access hatch open. Registration cancelled on 27 April 1948. Photo from: William Engle (son of the test pilot) via Tim Martin

The first of six F-5 amphibians from Fleetwings. The fuselage is stainless steel. NC16918 was cancelled from the register in 1948. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution

The fifth and last F-5 Sea Bird to be built in 1936. This rare five-seat amphibian had a stainless steel fuselage. Taken by Captain J.L. Bailey and submitted with permission of his son. Wrecked when it crashed during a test flight on 27 October 1949.