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  • Transcontinental Reliability and Endurance Test

    In 1919 the Air Service initiated a project to test its men and planes to the utmost under various kinds of flying conditions over an extended distance. Two groups of aircraft were to leave New York and San Francisco at the same time on Oct. 8, fly to the opposite coasts of the U.S., and then return

  • Round-the-Rim Flight

    In its desire to test the long-range capabilities of the airplane, the Air Service decided to fly a Glenn Martin bomber completely around the periphery of the U.S. The flight, which began at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., on July 24, 1919, was made in a counterclockwise direction. Since time and

  • Flights to High Altitude

    Schroeder's Altitude Flights, 1918-1920During World War I, the Air Service began making test flights at high altitude. On Sept. 18, 1918, Capt. Rudolph W. "Shorty" Schroeder set a world record of 28,900 feet in a Bristol airplane from McCook Field. In 1919 he established three more world altitude

  • Air Corps Development, 1919-1935

    Following World War I, many Americans believed the United States should never again become involved in European entanglements. Military appropriations were reduced dramatically and the Air Service was cut to only 10,000 men as of June 30, 1920. This reduction in funds had a paralyzing effect upon

  • Blunder Trophies

    Humor was a virtue not greatly lacking among the test pilots at McCook Field and, later Wright Field. Although the pilots assigned to the Flying Section approached their jobs in a most diligent and professional manner, they still possessed that habit so common among those who fly -- jocularity. A

  • Research & Development in the Interwar Years

    Gyroscopic ControlsThe fuselage section of a Sperry "Messenger" airplane was converted into an experimental "guided missile" in 1922. Gyroscopic equipment was installed in the airplane to control its altitude and direction of flight. Later refinements of gyro controls led to the development of

  • Caproni Ca. 36 Restoration

    Recognizing the significance of the Caproni bombers as an important milestone in the evolution of U.S. strategic bombardment doctrine as well as in the history of U.S. wartime combat aviation, the National Museum of the United States Air Force had the good fortune to arrange a long term loan of one

  • Italian Aviation in WWI

    In most historical accounts of the early days of military aviation, our reverence for the activities of the American Expeditionary Force and its French and British companions-in-arms on the western front has led us to overlook the immense Italian contribution to the formation of airpower doctrine.

  • Americans Join the Air War in Northern Italy

    While many of the Foggia graduates were transferred to the Western Front to fly with the American Expeditionary Force, about 75 remained in Italy under the command of Capt. Fiorello LaGuardia, who simultaneously held office as a Congressman from New York, and later served as Mayor of New York City.

  • The Foggiani

    The bombing effort continued to grow in spite of the disaster to the Italian ground forces at Caporetto. In late 1917, due to the lack of suitable training facilities in the United States, a contingent of some 500 Americans were sent to Foggia, Italy, to learn military flying. After completing their