Camp at San Diego. By Lieutenant Theodore G. Ellyson, U. S. N.)
THE first active interest of the Navy Department in the practical side
of aviation may be said to date from November, 1910, when Glenn H.
Curtiss offered to instruct one officer in the care and operation of his
type of aeroplane. Prior to this date the Department had carefully
followed the development of the different types of aeroplanes, but had
taken no steps toward having any one instructed in practical flying, as
at that time there was no aeroplane considered suitable for naval
purposes. Again, shortage of officers and lack of funds for carrying
along such instruction were reasons for the delay in taking the initial
step. There were unofficial rumours to the effect that there would be an
aviation corps organised, and it was understood that requests for such
duty would be considered, but it was looked upon as an event that would
take place in the dim future. At this time Mr. Curtiss made his offer to
instruct an officer at his flying field which was to be located in
southern California, and, as it was understood that he had in view the
development, during the winter, of a machine that could be operated from
either the land or the water, his offer was immediately accepted by the
Navy Department, and I was fortunate enough to be detailed for this
duty.
The training camp was located on North Island, opposite San Diego,
California, this spot having been selected on account of the prevailing
good weather, and because there was both a good flying field for the
instruction of beginners, and a sheltered arm of San Diego Bay, called
The Spanish Bight, for carrying on the hydroaeroplane experiments. The
camp was opened on January 17, 1911, and shortly thereafter seven pupils
were on hand for training, three army officers, one naval officer and
three civilians.
What was accomplished there is now history, namely the development of a
machine that could rise from, or land on, either the land or the water,
a feat that had never before been accomplished. It is true that one man
had been able to rise from the water; but in attempting to land on the
same he had wrecked his machine, so this could not be called a
successful experiment. This same machine which had risen from the water
and landed on the land and then risen from the land and landed on the
water, was flown from the aviation field to the U. S. S. Pennsylvania by
Mr. Curtiss, a landing made alongside and the aeroplane hoisted on board
with one of the regular boat cranes. No preparations had to be made
except to fit a sling over the engine section of the aeroplane so that
it could be hooked on the boat crane. The aeroplane was then hoisted
over the side and flown back to the aviation field.
As I have said, the above paragraph is now history. What is not
generally known is the hard work and the many disappointments
encountered before the hydroaeroplane was a real success. Mr. Curtiss
had two objects in view: First, the development of the hydroaeroplane,
and secondly, the personal instruction of his pupils. The latter was
accomplished early in the morning and late in the afternoon as these
were the only times when the wind conditions were suitable, and the
experimental work was carried on during the rest of the day, and, I
think, Mr. Curtiss also worked the best part of the remainder of the
time, as I well remember one important change that was made as the
result of an idea that occurred to him while he was shaving. No less
than fifty changes were made from the original idea, and those of us who
did not then know Mr. Curtiss well, wondered that he did not give up in
despair. Since that time we have learned that anything that he says he
can do, he always accomplishes, as he always works the problem out in
his mind before making any statement.
All of us who were learning to fly were also interested in the
construction of the machines, and when not running "Lizzy" (our practice
machine) up and down the field, felt honoured at being allowed to help
work on the experimental machine. You see it was not Curtiss, the genius
and inventor, whom we knew. It was "G. H.," a comrade and chum, who made
us feel that we were all working together, and that our ideas and advice
were really of some value. It was never a case of "do this" or "do
that," to his amateur or to his regular mechanics, but always, "What do
you think of making this change?" He was always willing to listen to any
argument but generally managed to convince you that his plan was the
best. I could write volumes on Curtiss, the man, but fear that I am
wandering from the subject in hand.
One of the results of the experiments at San Diego, was to show that
such a hydroaeroplane, or a development of it, was thoroughly suitable
for naval use. Although it was the first of May before Mr. Curtiss
returned to his factory at Hammondsport, specifications, which were
approximately as follows, were sent him and he was asked if he could
make delivery by the first of July:–
"A hydroaeroplane, capable of rising from or landing on either the land
or the water, capable of attaining a speed of at least fifty-five miles
an hour, with a fuel supply for four hours' flight. To carry two people
and be so fitted that either person could control the machine."
His reply was in the affirmative and the machine was delivered on time.
Since that time this machine has been launched from a cable, which can
easily be used aboard ship, and has been flown on an overwater nonstop
flight, one hundred and forty-five miles in one hundred and forty-seven
minutes. If such an advance has been made in a little over six months'
time, what will the next year bring forth?
In my opinion the aeroplane will be used by the Navy solely for scouting
purposes, and not as an offensive weapon as seems to be the popular
impression. This impression is probably enhanced by the recent newspaper
reports of the damage inflicted upon the Turks in Tripoli, by bombs
dropped from Italian aeroplanes. Even could an explosive weighing as
much as one thousand pounds be carried and suddenly dropped without
upsetting the stability of the aeroplane, and were it possible to drop
this on a ship from a height of three thousand feet, which is the lowest
altitude that would ensure safety from the ship's gun fire, but little
damage would be done. The modern battleship is subdivided into many
separate water-tight compartments, and the worst that would be done
would be to pierce one of these, and destroy those in that one
compartment, without seriously crippling the gunfire or manoeuvring
qualities of the ship. In only one way do I see that the aeroplane can
be used as an offensive weapon, and that is when on blockade duty, with
the idea of capturing the port, ships out of range of the land batteries
could send out machines with fire bombs and perhaps set fire to the
port.
Innumerable instances could be cited where the use of an aeroplane for
scouting purposes would have been invaluable. In recent times may be
cited the blockade of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War, and the
blockade of Santiago, during the Spanish-American War.
[Illustration: ELLYSON LAUNCHES HYDRO FROM WIRE CABLE]
(A) The start. (B) Leaving the wire
[Illustration: HUGH ROBINSON'S HYDRO FLIGHT DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI]
Again suppose that several scouts were on the lookout for an enemy's
fleet, and that they sighted the enemy's smoke. It has been proven that
by modern scouting methods it is next to impossible for an enemy to
start for any of several destinations, no matter how many miles apart,
and not be discovered by the opponent's scouts before reaching their
destination. The enemy's main strength, or battleships, will be covered
by a screen, that is cruisers and torpedo boat destroyers, spread out
many miles from the main body, whose duty it is to prevent our scouts
from getting near enough to obtain any information. In order to obtain
the necessary information our scouts would have to pierce this screen,
and the chances are very great that they would be sunk in the attempt,
or so crippled that they would be unable to convey the information to
the Commander-in-Chief. In any event, why run such a risk? If equipped
with aeroplanes it would be an easy matter to send them out, and the
information would be obtained in a much shorter time, without danger of
the loss of a ship, and with the surety that the information would be
secured. In this connection it must be remembered that there is nothing
to obscure the vision at sea, that the range of vision from a height of
three thousand feet is approximately forty miles, and that the wind
conditions are always better than over land; that is, steady. These are
simply a few instances of the value that an aeroplane may be to the
Navy.
In my opinion, the ideal aeroplane for naval use should have the
following characteristics: The greatest possible speed, while carrying
two people and fuel supply for at least four hours' flight (not under
sixty miles an hour speed, as this has already been accomplished), and,
at the same time, capability of being easily handled in a thirty-mile
wind. There are many machines for which this quality is claimed, but few
that have really proved it. Double control so that either person can
operate the machine. Ability to be launched from shipboard, without
first lowering into the water, as on many occasions the wind at sea will
be suitable for flying, whereas the sea will be too rough to rise from.
Ability to land on rough water. The engine to be fitted with a
self-starter. Also that the engine be muffled and the machine fitted
with a sling for hoisting on board ship by means of a crane, and so
constructed that it can be easily taken apart for stowage, and quickly
assembled.
A search-light for making landings at night, and an efficient wireless
apparatus, should also form part of the full equipment.
I did not make one of the requirements that the aeroplane be able to
rise from the water, for in actual service it could always be launched
from the ship. For practice work and for instructional purposes, it must
be so fitted, but this could be a different rig if necessary. In the
near future I predict that the aeroplane adopted for naval purposes will
operate from a ship as a base and the great part of the instructional
work will be done in the hydroaeroplane on account of the large factor
of safety.