United States Navy
Despite the recommendations of a commission that the Navy investigate aeronautics, it didn't get involved in airflight until 1911, when it ordered two airplanes from Curtiss Aircraft Company. These were called "Curtiss A-1s" and might be classifiable as hydroaeroplanes.[1]
Officers were trained at the "naval aerodrome" at Annapolis, Maryland.[2]
The Navy began using the Experimental Model Bason at the Washington Navy Yard to conduct aerodynamic experiments. In 1914 it built an "Experimental Wind Tunnel" for the same purpose. An official Aerodynamics Laboratory was instituted. This fell within the The Bureau of Construction & Repair (C&R), headed by David Taylor. In January 1917 Taylor hired Albert Francis Zahm as the director of the lab.[1]
("Once in charge of the laboratory, Dr. Zahm wasted no time getting to work and the first three Aeronautical Reports were issued in January 1917. The second of these reports described a wind tunnel test on the 'Resistance and Controllability of School Dirigibles' [...].")[1]
The Bureau of Construction & Repair had an Aviation Division. Within this division, Starr Truscott was the assistant for LTA from 1916–1917.[3]
The 1917 Textbook of Naval Aeronautics may give some some insight into the means and methods used by the Navy during the war. It also contains some quotations and political comments regarding the strategic importance of aeronautics & aviation for maritime warfare, including Josephus Daniels to Henry Woodhouse 19-Jun-1917.
Josephus Daniels was the Secretary of the Navy from 1913–1921.
References
Publications referring to United States Navy or U.S. Navy
- Beehler, 1895, The origin and work of the division of marine meteorology (Simple title: The origin and work of the division of marine meteorology, Journal: Publication 10306, 1895, Report of the International Meteorological Congress, held at Chicago, Ill., August 21-24, 1893)
- Advisory Board for Aeronautics, 1915, Acts and resolutions relating chiefly to the Navy, Navy Department, and Marine Corps passed at the first session of the Sixty-fourth Congress, 1915-16 (Simple title: Acts and resolutions relating chiefly to the Navy, Navy Department, and Marine Corps passed at the first session of the Sixty-fourth Congress, 1915-16)
- Advisory Board for Aeronautics, 1915, Appropriation for expenses for the year 1915-1916. Acts and resolutions relating chiefly to the Navy, Navy Department, and Marine Corps passed at the first session of the Sixty-fourth Congress, 1915-16 (Simple title: Appropriation for expenses for the year 1915-1916. Acts and resolutions relating chiefly to the Navy, Navy Department, and Marine Corps passed at the first session of the Sixty-fourth Congress, 1915-16)
- Fletcher, 1915, The aeronautical needs of the navy (Simple title: The aeronautical needs of the navy, Journal: Flying)
- Hawley, 1915, Naval programme aims to make U. S. tenth among world powers (Simple title: Naval programme aims to make U. S. tenth among world powers, Journal: Aerial Age)
- Publication B2p0880e01, 1915, Army and navy planning organization of aviation corps for the militia (Simple title: Army and navy planning organization of aviation corps for the militia, Journal: Aerial Age)
- Aero Club of America, 1916, Aero Club of America's energetic and constructive work to get substantial air service for Army, Navy, and Militia (Simple title: Aero Club of America's energetic and constructive work to get substantial air service for Army, Navy, and Militia, Journal: Aerial Age)
- Walcott, 1916, Dr. Walcott advocates larger navy appropriation (Simple title: Dr. Walcott advocates larger navy appropriation, Journal: Aerial Age)
- Publication B2p0075e05, 1916, Liberal naval aeronautical appropriations are expected (Simple title: Liberal naval aeronautical appropriations are expected, Journal: Aviation and Aeronautical Engineering)
- Nature, 1919, Use of Helium for Aircraft Purposes (Simple title: The Use of Helium for Aircraft Purposes, Journal: Nature)
- Vissering, 1922, Zeppelin (Simple title: Zeppelin)
- Hartcup, 1974 (Simple title: The achievement of the airship)
Organization names | United States Navy; U.S. Navy; U.S. Department of the Navy |
---|---|
Entity type | |
Country | US |
City | Washington, DC; Annapolis, Maryland |
Affiliated with | |
Scope | |
Started aero | 1911 |
Ended aero | |
Keywords | military |
Key people | Josephus Daniels, David Taylor, Albert Francis Zahm, Starr Truscott |
Wikidata id |