French seaplane carrier Foudre The Foudre was a French seaplane carrier , the first in history . Her development followed the invention of the seaplane in 1910 with the French " Le Canard " . Torpedo boat tender . The " Foudre " was first commissioned in 1896 as a torpedo boat tender ( " Croiseur porte - torpilleurs " ) , with the role of helping bring torpedo boats to the high seas , and launch them for attack . She was then modified as repair ship in 1907 , as a minelayer in 1910 , as a seaplane carrier in 1911 ( depot , transport , and launch by crane ) , and seaplane carrier with a flying - off deck in 1913 . She was initially converted to carry torpedo - carrying planes in hangars on the main deck . They were lowered on the sea with a crane . First seaplane carrier . In April 1910 , Vice - Amiral Auguste Boué de Lapeyrère , Navy Minister , established a committee to study the usage of balloons and planes by the navy . Seaplane tender . On November 29 , 1911 , a navy airbase was established at Fréjus Saint - Raphaël , and the torpedo boat tender " Foudre " was sent to the naval yard in Toulon to be converted as a seaplane tender . The ship was fitted out in a totally new way . A deck was installed at the bow for the seaplane to take off . The seaplane would land on the water , and be craned on board for stowing . A float - equipped " Canard Voisin " seaplane was bought by the navy for this purpose in December 1911 . The " Foudre " would be stationed at Fréjus , working as a seaplane tender , allowing for stowage , repair and supply of the seaplanes . The ship was armed on April 15 , 1912 , and trials with the " Canard Voisin " then started . On May 1 , 1912 , the Navy Ministry purchased several more seaplanes , a monoplane Breguet with a single float , a Nieuport with double float , and a converted Farman biplane . Experiments at sea started with the " Foudre " in July 1912 during tactical exercises in the Mediterranean . The " Canard Voisin " , and a new foldable " Nieuport " were used . During the exercises , in which a wargame simulated the fight of two rival navies , the use of the " Nieuport " allowed the discovery of a surprise attack by the " adversary " . During the summer of 1912 many flights of the " Canard Voisin " from the " Foudre " were accomplished in the bay of Saint - Raphaël . By the middle of 1913 , the navy had 11 seaplane pilots . The " Foudre " was again used in large - scale naval exercises . One of its planes , a Nieuport used for observations , foiled a " surprise attack " by a group of warships . Five more seaplanes were ordered following these exercises . Liftoff platform experiments . In November 1913 , a 10 meter flying - off deck was installed , with the objective of using it for a Caudron G . 3 seaplane . The plane successfully lifted off from the ship on May 8 , 1914 . At the beginning of the war , the platform was dismantled , and further experiments were postponed to a later date . World War I . During World War I her roles were numerous , ranging from submarine tender to seaplane / aircraft transport , and headquarters ship in 1916 . She was employed as an aviation school ship after the war . She disputes the honour of being the first seaplane carrier with which was temporarily converted as an experimental seaplane carrier for two months in April – May 1913 , and is more often considered as the first seaplane carrier .