1926-Contin ued

28 July The submarine S-l, commanded by Lieutenant

C. B. Momsen, surfaced and launched a Cox-Klemin XS-

2 seaplane, flown by Lieutenant D. C. Allen. It also

recovered the aircraft and submerged completing the

first cycle of operations in a series of tests investigating

the feasibility of basing aircraft on submarines.

..

SOl demonstrates the feasibility of operating aircraft from sub-

marines in tests with XS-2 seaplane, 19261053777

9 August In a day of tests to determine the speed

with which aircraft could be operated at sea, pilots of

VF Squadron 1 completed 127 landings aboard

Langley. As a result of the experience gained, the

same squadron later landed 12 planes in 21 minutes

under the emergency conditions created when the

ship ran into a heavy mist.

18 August A contract was let to the Aircraft

Development Corporation, Detroit, Mich., for a metal-

clad airship designated ZMC-2. The descriptive term

"metal-clad" resulted from the fact that the ZMC-2's

lightly framed hull was covered with gas-tight stressed-

aluminum skin. It was also to be pressure-rigid in that

the shape of the hull was to be maintained by positive

internal gas pressure.

27 August Commander John Rodgers, Naval Aviator

No.2, on a flight from NAS Anacostia, D.C., crashed in

the Delaware River near the Naval Aircraft Factory

dock and received injuries from which he died on the

same day.

22 October In a display of tactics developed by VF

Squadron 2, Lieutenant Commander Frank D. Wagner

led the F6C-2 Curtiss fighters in a simulated attack on

the heavy ships of the Pacific Fleet as they sortied

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

65

from San Pedro. Coming down in almost vertical dives

from 12,000 feet at the exact time of which the fleet

had been forewarned, the squadron achieved com-

plete surprise and so impressed fleet and ship com-

manders with the effectiveness of their spectacular

approach that there was unanimous agreement that

such an attack would succeed over any defense. This

was the first fleet demonstration of dive-bombing and

although the tactic had been worked out by the

demonstrating squadron in an independently initiated

project, the obvious nature of the solution to the prob-

lem of effective bomb delivery was evident in that the

same tactic was similarly and simultaneously being

developed by VF Squadron 5 on the east coast.

13 November Lieutenant Christian F. Schilt, USMC,

flying an R3C-2, took second in the Schneider Cup

Race at Hampton Roads, Va., with an average speed of

231.363 mph. This was the last Navy participation in

international racing competition.

19 November Maryland (BB 46) conducted experi-

mental firing with the Mark XIX antiaircraft fire control

system which had been developed by the Ford

Instrument Company and which incorporated a stabi-

lized line of sight to aid in tracking approaching air-

craft.

13 December Rear Admiral Joseph M. Reeves, com-

manding Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet, reported on

the results of the first dive bombing exercise ("light

bombing," as it was then called) to be conducted in

the formal fleet gunnery competition. One Marine and

two Navy fighter squadrons and three Navy observa-

tion squadrons participated. The Marine and Navy

fighters made 45 degree dives from 2,500 feet and at

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FB-5 fitted for longitudinal arresting wires 458533