94

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

1938-Contin ued

enlisted students, and gameboard problems were

introduced as a practical approach to instruction in

scouting and search.

1 December The Hepburn Board, appointed by the

Secretary of the Navy in accordance with the act of 17

May, reported on its survey of the aviation shore

establishment. Recognizing the demands that would

have to be met if the approach of war should precipi-

tate a great expansion, the Board recommended for

aviation the enlargement of 11 existing stations and

the erection of 16 new ones, including Oahu

(Kaneohe), Midway, Wake, Guam, and five other

Pacific Islands.

16 December The K-2 airship was delivered to NAS

Lakehurst, N.J., for trials. This was the prototype for

the World War II K Class patrol airships, of which 135

were procured.

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The non-rigid aiJ:5hip K-2, prototype for World War II LTA fleet 1053773

1939

27 March Following the successful experimental

refueling of patrol planes by the submarine Nautilus

(SS 168), the Commander-in-Chief U.S. Fleet (CIN-

CUS), directed that Submarine Division Four and

Patrol Wing Two conduct refueling tests at frequent

intervals and carry out an Advanced Base problem

each quarter to develop to the utmost the possibilities

for refueling patrol planes under various conditions.

7 April An amphibian version of the PBY flying boat

was ordered from Consolidated. This aircraft, the first

successful amphibian patrol plane procured by the

Navy, was the prototype for the PBY-5A which was

widely used in World War II.

15 May A contract was issued to Curtiss-Wright for

the XSB2C-l dive bomber, thereby completing action

on a 1938 design competition. The preceding month,

Brewster had received a contract for the XSB2A-l. As

part of the mobilization in ensuing years, large pro-

duction orders were issued for both aircraft, but seri-

ous managerial and developmental problems were

encountered which eventually contributed to discard-

ing the SB2A and prolonged preoperational develop-

ment of SB2C. Despite this, the SB2C Helldiver would

become the principal operational carrier dive bomber.

27 May Lieutenant Colonel Alfred A. Cunningham,

first U.S. Marine Corps aviator, died at his home in

Sarasota, Fla. He reported for flight training at

Annapolis, Md., on 22 May 1912, a day now celebrat-

ed as the birthday of Marine Corps aviation; and in a

relatively short aviation career, served with distinction

in many capacities. During World War I, he organized

and commanded the first Marine aviation unit, was

among those proposing operations later assigned to

the Northern Bombing Group and was commanding

officer of its Day Wing. In the postwar period, he

served as the first administrative head of Marine Corps

aviation and then commanded the First Air Squadron

in Santo Domingo.

13 June Saratoga and the tanker Kanawha (AO 1)

completed a 2-day underway refueling test off the

coast of southern California, thereby demonstrating

the feasibility of refueling carriers at sea, a technique

which was to prove vitally important to operations in

areas where bases were not available.

13 June The Aviation Cadet Act of 1935 was revised

to provide for the immediate commissioning as

ensigns or second lieutenants of all cadets on active

service and the future commissioning of others upon

completion of flight training. The law also extended

the service limitation to seven years after completion

of training of which the first four would be required,

and provided for promotion to the next higher grade

on the basis of examination after three years of ser-

vice. A reduction in the bonus payment upon release

to inactive duty was made with the provision that avi-

ation cadets already serving in the fleet be given the

option of remaining on the old pay scale with the

$1,500 bonus or of accepting commissioned pay and

the new $500 discharge payment.

1 July A standard system of numbering patrol

squadrons in reference to wings was adopted by which