pre WWI US Navy and Army flying machines

[flypaper2222]

Hi
Didn't this first fly in May 1918 and crash on its maiden flight?

Mike

Naval Aircraft Factory N-1, a 1918 US Navy patrol floatplane that was designed to carry theDavis recoiless cannon. This aircraft was the first to be both designed and built by the Naval Aircraft Factory, but the program was canceled due to poor performance and several crashes.

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots!

 

[flypaper2222]

Hi
Didn't this first fly in May 1918 and crash on its maiden flight?

Mike

the guy in the front mist ofhad some hell of a surprise, i altered the description to include its crash.....thanks

 

[flypaper2222]

Nov 4 1910 Eugene Ely takes off from the Cruiser USS Birmingham, becoming the first aircraft to take off from a ship. Well known fact but for me I found interesting the photo of them hoistig his machine on to the deck, particulry the bow and lines

of the ship.

 

[flypaper2222]

Curtiss Tractor, Curtiss moves away from pusher aircraft. Two Curtiss Tractor aircraft were purchased by the US Army in 1911 numbers A20 and A21. They were Curtiss first tractor aircraft. They were used to train new US Army pilots. At that time the US Army did not have the rank of "Pilot". It carryed two passengers sitting side by side. Rumor has it he delayed building tractor aircraft because" he didnt like the feel of wind on his face".

 

[SaparotRob]

Nov 4 1910 Eugene Ely takes off from the Cruiser USS Birmingham, becoming the first plabe to take off from a ship. Well known fact but for me I found interesting the photo of them hoistig his machine on to the deck, particulry the bow and linesView attachment 856842View attachment 856843View attachment 856844View attachment 856845 of the ship.

Never seen these before.

 

[flypaper2222]

The State of US Army aviation iduring 1909/1914. At that time the Army had a handfull of men, under a dozen, able to fly, the Army didn't even have the rank of Pilot in its vocabulary. Most were trained by civilians like Glen Curtiss himself. Training was carried out on a mixed bag of pusher aircraft with the Curtiss Tractor and Martin TT still in the future. Accidents and deaths were common occurrence that threatened the entire training program.

As for these photos, I can't place the local but I think they show both the aircraft and men of the time and the struggle to
fly.The last picture shows Glen Curtiss instructing a Army Lt.

.