Etienne Romano, enthused by seeing French-built Wrights, built R-1 but it crashed on first flight. After First World War he found workshops at Cannes-La Bocca and in 1922 set up Les Chantiers Navales de la Croisette, changing name late 1920s to Chantiers Aéronavales E. Romano. Produced 130 types, concentrating on seaplanes (often with provision for catapulting), flying-boats and amphibians, but including various landplane fighters and trainers, some derived from seaplanes. Apart from a handful of R-83 fighters clandestinely supplied to Republican Spain, no series production resulted, with single exception of R-80 family of biplane trainers (February 1935), of which 147 were built for Armée de l’Air and 30 for Aéronavale, last in 1939 by which time company had been nationalized into SNCASE.