Similar in general layout to the aircraft that FBA had produced during World War I, the Type 17 was a conventional two-bay biplane with unequal-span, unstaggered wings and side-by-side open cockpits. The pusher engine was mounted on struts in the interplane gap. Apart from their use by the French Navy, a small number were sold to the Polish Navy, the Brazilian Air Force, and civil operators as well. Some versions were built as amphibians, and others had fittings to allow them to be catapulted from warships.
In 1931, the US Coast Guard purchased an example for evaluation, and being pleased with the design, arranged for the type to be built under licence by the Viking Flying Boat Company in New Haven, Connecticut. Six aircraft were eventually produced and served with the Coast Guard under the designation OO until the outbreak of World War II.
(Hydravion Mixte de Transport) 2-seat amphibious transport aircraft, Hispano-Suiza 8A-powered, (37 built)
A FBA-17HMT2 plane called Lubliniak, was bought by the Airborne and Antigas Defence League (LOPP) with was funds donated by the readers of Głos Lubelski, for use in propaganda flights across central and eastern Poland.[1]
17 HMB.2
17 HMT 2s already in service with the French Navy, were redesignated HMB 2, after being fitted with a bomb rack on the port side of the hull.
17 HMT.4
4-seat amphibious transport aircraft, Hispano-Suiza 8A-powered, (2 built)
17 HT.4
(Hydravion de Transport) 4-seat transport aircraft, Hispano-Suiza 8A-powered, (35 built)
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 17 HE 2". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Pearcy, Arthur (1991). U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Since 1916. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN1-85310-118-4.
Bousquet, Gérard (2013). French Flying Boats of WW II. Sandomierz, Poland: Stratus. ISBN978-83-63678-06-7.
Cortet, Pierre (September 2000). "Rétros du Mois" [Retros of the Month]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (90): 4. ISSN1243-8650.
Morareau, Lucien (December 1998). "L'escadrille du bout du monde" [Squadron at the End of the World]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (69): 42–51. ISSN1243-8650.
Nelcarz, Bartolomiej & Peczkowski, Robert (April 2000). "Les appareils français dans la Marine Polonaise" [French Aircraft of the Polish Navy]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (85): 22–27. ISSN1243-8650.
Nelcarz, Bartolomiej & Peczkowski, Robert (2001). White Eagles: The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force 1918–1939. Ottringham, UK: Hikoki Publications. ISBN1-902109-73-2.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p.382.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 17 HL 1". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 17 HL 2". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 17 HMT 2". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 17 HMT 4". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 17 HT 4". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 171 HE 2". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 172 HE 2". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 172 HMT 2". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
Parmentier, Bruno (10 December 1998). "F.B.A. 172 HT 4". Aviafrance (in French). Paris. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
"FBA 17". www.airwar.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 20 February 2018.