88

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

1934-Contin ued

15 November Plans to install hydraulic flush deck

catapults aboard carriers were formalized in a Bureau

of Aeronautics request that space be reserved on

Yorktown and Enterprise for two bow catapults on the

flight deck and one athwartships on the hangar deck.

18 November A contract was issued to the

Northrop Corporation for the XBT-I, a two-seat Scout

and 1,000-pound dive bomber. This aircraft was the

initial prototype in the sequence that led to the SBD

Dauntless series of dive bombers introduced to the

fleet in 1938 and used throughout World War II.

XBT-I, heavy dive bombel; forerunnerofSBD 1053784

14 December Reinflation of the rigid airship Los

Angeles (ZR-3) was completed, and she became air-

borne in the hangar at NAS Lakehurst, N.J., after near-

ly three years of decommissioned status. Although not

flown again, she continued in use as a test and exper-

imental ship for another five years and, after having

served that purpose, was stricken from the inventory

on 29 October 1939. Dismantling was completed in 7

weeks.

15 December The Secretary of the Navy approved

acceptance of the X03C-l, a single-engine biplane

observation seaplane; subsequently converted to the

XSOC-1. Aircraft of this type were operated from bat-

tleshi ps and cruisers from late 1935 through World

War II.

21 December Flight test of the NS-l, Stearman

biplane trainer, was completed at NAS Anacostia, D.C.

1935

5 January The Bureau of Navigation stated that

Lieutenant Commander John R. Poppen, MC, would

be ordered to the Naval Dispensary, Philadelphia Navy

Yard, with additional duty at the Naval Aircraft

Factory, to observe pilots, conduct their annual physi-

Curtiss SOC-

I catapulted

from heavy

cruiser

41061

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