Ed Davis was an early aviator who helped build and then pilot the flying boat "America". He went with the "America" when it was sold by Curtiss to England. He crashed the plane in the North Sea. He was one of the few American pilots who flew an American-built plane in combant in World War 1.

The "America" was the world's first multi-engine flying boat. It was built in 1913 to make the first Transatlantic flight to recognize  100 years of peace with England. The flight was canceled when the retired British Naval Officer who was to fly the "America," along with a US Navy officer, was called back to active duty with the advent  of WW 1. Later, in 1919, a larger, more powerful version of the "America," the Curtiss-C-4, did make the first Transatlantic flight. The NC-4 is on display at the Naval-National Air Museum in Pennsacola.

The Curtiss Museum's reproduction of the 1914 Curtiss Flying Boat “America" flew 7 times during the annual Seaplane Homecoming mid Sept 2008. The "America" was powered by two reconditioned, original, 9.3L Curtiss XX-6 water-cooled, overhead valve, 100 hp, V-8 engines with counter rotating propellers. On its maiden flight the "America" lifted from the choppy waters of Keuka Lake, where Curtiss flew his aeroplanes almost 100 years ago, in only 11 seconds. 

The "America" takes off around 37 mph, cruises around 65, and lands near "dead stick" at 40 mph. Pilots Jim Poel and Lee Sackett add that it takes the "softest touch down" of any seaplanes they have every flown.