1925-Contin ued
attempting a flight from San Francisco, Calif., to
Honolulu, T.H. (Territory of Hawaii) were forced
down by lack of fuel shortly after 4:00 in the after-
noon. Lost at sea for 10 days in spite of extensive air
and sea search, Commander Rodgers and his crew
rigged sail from the wing fabric and set course for
Kaui Island. After covering about 450 miles by sail,
they were sighted on 10 September by the submarine
R-4, 10 miles from their goal. The 1,841.12 statute
miles, flown from 31 August to their forced landing
was accepted by the EA.I. as a new world airline dis-
tance record for Class C seaplanes that remained
unbeaten for almost five years.
3 September The rigid dirigible Shenandoah (ZR-1)
was torn apart in a severe line squall before daylight
over Byesville, Ohio. The control car and after section
of the hull fell directly to the ground, while the for-
ward section with seven men aboard free-ballooned
for an hour before they landed safely 12 miles from
the scene of the crash. In all there were 29 survivors,
but 14 were killed including Lieutenant Commander
Zachary Lansdowne, the commanding officer.
29 September The Chief of Naval Operations
directed that all heavier-than-air Naval Aviators, not
already qualified to pilot landplanes, be given training
in landplane operation.
3 October In view of the need for an accumulation
of upper air data for improved weather forecasting,
the Bureau of Aeronautics requested that aircraft
squadron flagships take upper air soundings twice a
day when at sea.
5 October VJ-lB, first of the Utility Squadrons, was
formed at San Diego, Calif., from personnel of VS-2B and
assigned to Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet. Lieutenant
John E Moloney was the first commanding officer.
26 October The two Navy entries in the Schneider
Cup Race at Bay Shore Park, Md., flown by Lieutenants
George Cuddihy and Ralph A. Ofstie, were forced out
of the race on the last lap with engine trouble.
27 October Oleo shock-absorbing landing gear for
aircraft was reported in use on NB-l, FB-1, UO-l, SC-2
and new bombing planes being constructed by the
Naval Aircraft Factory, Douglas and Boeing.
30 November The President's Aircraft Board, better
known as the Morrow Board, after its senior member,
submitted its report to President Calvin Coolidge. On
UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995
63
the basis of views expressed in extended hearings by
prominent civilian and military leaders, the board
made recommendations in regard to the aviation
industry and military aviation that were of far reaching
importance and influenced a number of legislative
actions taken in the following months. Its recommen-
dations against a separate air force and in favor of rep-
resentation for aviation on operational commands and
high level administrative offices, and its recognition of
the need for a policy of long-range procurement and
standard replacement schedules were among those of
special interest to the Navy.
14 December The Lampert Committee, set up on 24
March 1924 by the House of Representatives as the
Select Committee of Inquiry into the Operations of the
United States Air Services, filed its report. It favored
establishment of a Department of National Defense
and an adequate representation of aviation in the high
military councils. It showed particular concern over
the state of the aircraft industry and recommended
that the government cease competing with the indus-
try in the production of aircraft, engines and acces-
sories; that the requirement of competitive bidding be
abolished in favor of other restrictions promoting the
best interests of the Government; that the War and
Navy Departments each spend $10 million annually
for new flying equipment; and that a five-year con-
struction and procurement program be carried out.
18 December Competitive trials of Consolidated,
Curtiss and Huff Daland aircraft, designed as land, sea
gunnery and training planes were completed at NAS
Anacostia, D.C. These trials led to the procurement of
the Consolidated NY series of training planes which
continued in use into the 1930s.
1926
21 April The Secretary of the Navy directed that
beginning with the Class of 1926, all graduates of the
Naval Academy be given a course of 25 hours of flight
instruction during their first year of sea duty and that,
for the purpose of providing this instruction, flight
schools be established at the naval air stations at
Hampton Roads, Va., and San Diego, Calif.
9 May Lieutenant Commander Richard E. Byrd and
Aviation Pilot Floyd Bennett, flying a trimotor Fokker
named the Josephine Ford, made the first flight over
the North Pole, reaching it at 9:03 GCT. After circling
the Pole, they returned to base at Kings Bay,
Spitzbergen, Norway completing the round trip in 15
and one half hours.

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