*** World War I: United States American aviation








American Pre- World War I: Aviation Industry (1903-16)

early-American aviation industry
Figure 1.--We can not yet find any information about this early monoplane. The photyograph looks to have been taken in America about 1910. The French Santos-Dumont Demoiselle was the first production monoplane, but this looks different.

The first heavier than air flight was conducted by the Wright brothers in at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (1903). The Wrights were Ohio bicycle mechanics without formal engineering training. They at first flew gliders but became obsessed with the idea of powered flight. This meant designing amd building an engine. They began experimenting with powered flight with a biplane. The Wrights called their biplane flying machine "The Flyer". The Wrights achieved the first powered, sustained, and controlled flight of an airplane (December 17, 1903). Orville piloted and Wilbur rang at wingtip. The U.S. Patent Office granted a patent (1906). They began calling their 'flying machine' an aeroplane. The Wright Brothers were awarded the Congressional Medal for their achievement (1909). There was in popular interest, but at first not a lot of practical development in air commerce because of the limited capabilities of the early aircraft. The Wrights after their success, dismatled their Flyer and kept their design a carefully guarded secret. This did prevent Europeans from copying their desisn. It also impaired their efforts to sell their Flyers. Europeans who were working on aviation were shocked that two American bicycle mechanics had achieved the first flight. The Wrights had managed to figure out how to conttrol a plane in flight. This put them several years ahead of other designers. Charlie Taylor (1868-1956) originally worked for the Wright Brothers at the Wright Cycle Company. He was a mechanic and bicycle machinist. Taylor is sometimes called the 'Unsung Hero of Aviation'. He played a major role in building the engine that powered the Wrights’ first Flyere. The Aero Club of America (ACA) was a social club that was formed (1905). It was organized by wealthy industrialist Charles Jasper Glidden to promote aviationa. The ACA issued the first American pilot's licenses. Future American aircraft designer and manufacturer Glenn Curtiss (1878-1930) began as a pioneer aviator. Curtiss piloted the first official public flight in the United States flying 1 mile (1908). Curtiss established theb first aircraft manufacturing company (1909). The Wright Brothers opened the first civilian flight training school in Montgomery, Alabama (1910). The first pilots they trained were Walter Brookins, James Davis, Benjamin Foulois, Archibald Hoxsey and Arthur Welsh. Allan Lockheed (1889-1969) who would become one of the most famous names in aviation with George Gates entered the field when they made the first dual-pilot controlled flight (1910). Lockheed then designed the first successful twin-engine, 10-passenger seaplane (1916). Seaplanes were very important in the early days brvause there were so few airfields, especially outside of America and Europe. Calbraith Perry Rodgers (1879-1912) was the first private citizen to buy the new Wright Brothers Model EX (1911). Orville Wright personally gave him a 90 minute lesson and off he went. More imprtant than his purchase is what he did with the palnae. Rodgers persuaded J. Ogden Armour, a soft drink producer, the owner of the grape soft drink Vin Fiz, to sponsor a coast-to-coast fligt. Rodger's plane was christened 'The Vin Fiz Flyer'. And it vecame the first plane to achieve a coast-to-coast flight. It was not a speedy crossing. It took nearly 3 months (September 17 - November 5, 1911). Rodgers madevit, but had to survive 16 crash ups. Another major aviation figure, Glenn L. Martin (1886-1955) actually taught himself to fly. He then designed and built his own aircraft in California. Martin founded the Glenn L. Martin Company. He merged his company with the original Wright Company, forming the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company (1916). The comoany designed the MB-2 bomber which appeared at the end of World War I. Harriet Quimby (1875-1912) was the first American woman to earn a ACA pilot’s license (1911). Harriet Quimby made her name just before World War I, becoming the first woman to fly across the English Channel beating out English and French women (1912). Another giant in American aviation, William Boeing (1881-1956), entered the field by founding the Boeing Company (1915). Like the other Amrican aviation pioneers, they had no real impact on World War I. They would, however, have a huge impact on World War II.

Wright Brothers

The first heavier than air flight was conducted by the Wright brothers in at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (1903). The Wrights were Ohio bicycle mechanics without formal engineering training. They at first flew gliders but became obsessed with the idea of powered flight. This meant designing amd building an engine. They began experimenting with powered flight with a biplane. The Wrights called their biplane flying machine "The Flyer". The Wrights achieved the first powered, sustained, and controlled flight of an airplane (December 17, 1903). Orville piloted and Wilbur rang at wingtip. The U.S. Patent Office granted a patent (1906). They began calling their 'flying machine' an aeroplane. The Wright Brothers were awarded the Congressional Medal for their achievement (1909).

Interest

There was popular interest when it was announced that heavier than air flight was possible. There were condierable skepticism, however, espeially in Europe where severl groups were working on planes. Most did not believe that two unknown bicycle mechanics had solved the problems thaey had encountered in developing flying machines. The Wrights did some flights for reporters, but did not launch an important public exhibition camapaigm. And began demanding a signed contract before giving a de,onstration. The Wrights were more concerned with maintaing secrecy and a patent struggle. After their success, actually dismatled their Flyer and kept their design innovations a carefully guarded secret. Others were more interested in publicity and a few more dlying machines appeared, but the barnstorming demonstrations that aroused so much interest, only occuured after World War I. But in the years before the War we begin to see some demonstrations, mostly by other groups than the Wrights. Boys in particular were attracted with the opportunity to see an airplane and actual flight. Girls were less interested. but the Wright's achievement was a considerabl sebsation. The achievement did not, however, result in much practical development in air commerce because of the very limited limited capabilities of the Wright Flyer and other early aircraft. There was at first no real practical use for these planes. The majpt interest came from the American and European militaries, although limited capabolities mean that there was no huge rush to aquire planes.

Advantage

The Wrights had managed to figure out how to conttrol a plane in flight. This put them several years ahead of other designers. Charlie Taylor (1868-1956) originally worked for the Wright Brothers at the Wright Cycle Company. He was a mechanic and bicycle machinist. Taylor is sometimes called the 'Unsung Hero of Aviation'. He played a major role in building the engine that powered the Wrights’ first Flyere.

Aero Club of America (ACA)

The Aero Club of America (ACA) was a social club that was formed (1905). It was organized by wealthy industrialist Charles Jasper Glidden to promote aviation. The ACA issued the first American pilot's licenses. Future American aircraft designer and manufacturer Glenn Curtiss (1878-1930) began as a pioneer aviator.

Other Americans

Glenn Curtiss piloted the first official public flight in the United States flying 1 mile (1908). Like the Wrights he beagan aa a bicycle repairman who tuened to motorcycke engines and then after reading about the Wright's flight got interested in aviation. (Itvis no accident that bicycle repair mechanics were so omprtant. The bicycke was the workingman's transport. A vehicle he could afford--at lyeastbin America. Henry Ford would change this when he come out with the Model-T Ford, an automoble the American worker could afford. (In Eurooe manybworkers could not afford a bike--let alone a car. Thecrepercussions of this would largely determinge the outcome of the 20thb centyry. Curtiss established the first aircraft manufacturing company (1909). The Wright Brothers opened the first civilian flight training school in Montgomery, Alabama (1910). The first pilots they trained were Walter Brookins, James Davis, Benjamin Foulois, Archibald Hoxsey and Arthur Welsh. Allan Lockheed (1889-1969) who would become one of the most famous names in aviation with George Gates entered the field when they made the first dual-pilot controlled flight (1910). Another major aviation figure, Glenn. Martin (1886-1955) actually taught himself to fly. He then designed and built his own aircraft in California. Martin founded the Glenn L. Martin Company (1912). He merged his company with the original Wright Company, forming the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company (1916). The company designed the MB-2 bomber which appeared at the end of World War I. Another giant in American aviation, William Boeing (1881-1956), entered the field by founding the Boeing Company (1915). Like the other Amrican aviation pioneers, they had no real impact on World War I. They would, however, have a huge impact on World War II, especially Boeing, Curtis, and Martin.

Seaplanes

Lockheed then designed the first successful twin-engine, 10-passenger seaplane (1916). Seaplanes were very important in the early days brvause there were so few airfields, especially outside of America and Europe.

Sales

The problen for the Wrights was that there was not yet any commercial uses for air planes. The actual capabilities of the early airctaft were so limited that there was real practical use for them. There were some militarty sales, but few commercial sales. Calbraith Perry Rodgers (1879-1912) was the first private citizen to buy the new Wright Brothers Model EX (1911). Orville Wright personally gave him a 90 minute lesson and off he went. More imprtant than his purchase is what he did with the plane. Rodgers persuaded J. Ogden Armour, a soft drink producer, the owner of the grape soft drink Vin Fiz, to sponsor a coast-to-coast flght. Rodger's plane was christened 'The Vin Fiz Flyer'. And it became the first plane to achieve a coast-to-coast flight. It was not a speedy crossing. It took nearly 3 months (September 17 - November 5, 1911). Rodgers made it, but had to survive 16 crash ups. Almost all of the other early sales were by military establishments. Although until well into World War I there was no established air power doctringe.

Women

Harriet Quimby (1875-1912) was the first American woman to earn a ACA pilot’s license (1911). Harriet Quimby made her name just before World War I, becoming the first woman to fly across the English Channel beating out English and French women (1912).

Air Mail

Technology and sales were intricately linked. There wiuld be no rapiod advsnces in technology unless airoplanes could be sold. And there woyld be no significant sales unless aircraft had real profitable uses. The most obvious possible use was transporting people. But this was not im=nitially feasible. Early aviation was still dangerous given the flimsy early flying machines. The first commercial contracts contracts swere for air mail and came from the U.S. Postal Service. Thus the he U.S. aviation industry actually took off, so to speak, by moving high priorirty American mail. The public was willing to pay higher rates for mail thst could be delivered faster. The first airmail pilots flew primitive open-cockpit planes. The weather proved a real challenge. The aircraft could not deal well with rain, snow, and sleet. Air mail contravts helped expand routes. This lead to the development of increasingly reliable aircraft and was the beginning of the commercial air travel industry. And we begin to see passenger flights emrrging out of the air mail routes and airfields. The earliest passengers actually used mailbags for their seats. The first air mail flight was in the air less than a decade after the Wright Brothers made their flight (1903). The the U.S. Post Office Department (USPOD) began experimental airmail flights at air meets, fairs and carnivals (1911). The USPOD inagurated the first scheduled service between New York City and Washington, D.C. (1918). The U.S. Army Signal Corps initially operated the airmail route as a useful way to nefin the training of its its aviators before deploying them to France to fight the Germans. As a result of World War II, far more substantial and reliable aircraft became available.

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Created: 1:51 PM 11/25/2019
Last updated: 2:33 AM 4/20/2023