1940-Contin ued

the phrase, Radio Detection and Ranging Equipment,

be used in lieu of terms such as Radio Ranging

Equipment, Radio Detection Equipment, Radio Echo

Equipment, or Pulse Radio Equipment.

30 December The Bureau of Aeronautics directed

that fleet aircraft be painted in non-specular colors.

Ship-based aircraft were to be light gray all over;

patrol planes were to be light gray except for surfaces

seen from above which were to be blue gray.

1941

1 February The Atlantic and Pacific Fleets were

established, completing the division begun the previ-

ous November and changing the titles of aviation

commands in the Atlantic Fleet to "Aircraft, Atlantic

Fleet" and "Patrol Wings, Atlantic Fleet." No change

was made in the Pacific Fleet aviation organization at

this time.

10 February As an initial step in training patrol

plane pilots to make blind landings, using radio instru-

ment landing equipment which was being procured

for all patrol aircraft and their bases, a one-month

course of instruction began under Project Baker. This

was attended by one pilot from each of 13 squadrons;

by one radioman from each of five patrol wings; and

by two radiomen from each of five Naval Air Stations.

26 February An extensive modification of aircraft

markings added National Star Insignia to both sides of

the fuselage or hull and eliminated those on the upper

right and lower left wings; discontinued the use of col-

ored tail markings, fuselage bands and cowl markings;

made removal of vertical red, white and blue rudder

stripes mandatory; and changed the color of all mark-

ings, except the National Insignia, to those of least

contrast to the background.

1 March Support Force, Atlantic Fleet, was estab-

lished for operations on the convoy routes across

the North Atlantic. Its component patrol squadrons

were placed under a Patrol Wing established at the

same time.

11 March The president was empowered by an act

of Congress to provide goods and services to those

nations whose defense he deemed vital to the defense

of the United States, thus initiating a Lend-Lease pro-

gram under which large quantities of the munitions

and implements of war were delivered to our allies.

Archer (BAVG 1) was transferred on 17 November

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

105

1941, as the first of 38 escort carriers transferred to the

United Kingdom during the war.

17 March The Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics

approved a proposal for establishing a special NACA

committee to review promptly the status of jet propul-

sion and recommend plans for its application to flight

and assisted takeoff.

28 March The Commanding Officer of Yorktown

after five months operational experience with the

CXAM radar, reported that aircraft had been tracked

at a distance of 100 miles and recommended that

friendly aircraft be equipped with electronic identifi-

cation devices and carriers be equipped with sepa-

rate and complete facilities for tracking and plotting

all radar targets.

19 April Development of a Guided Glider Bomb

(Glomb) was initiated at the Naval Aircraft Factory.

The Glomb was designed to be towed long distances

by a powered aircraft, released in the vicinity of the

target, and guided by radio control in its attack. It was

equipped with a television camera to transmit a view

of the target to the control plane.

20 April The first successful test of electronic com-

ponents of a radio-proximity fuze was made at a farm

in Vienna, Va., as a radio oscillator, or sonde, which

had been fired from a 37-mm pack howitzer, made

radio transmissions during its flight. The demonstra-

tion, that radio tubes and batteries could be construct-

ed sufficiently rugged to withstand firing from a gun,

led Section T of the National Defense Research

Committee to concentrate upon the radio-proximity

fuze for anti-aircraft guns.

26 April The Naval Aircraft Factory project officer

reported that an unmanned 03U-6 airplane under

radio control had been successfully flight-tested

beyond the safe bounds of piloted flight and that the

information thus obtained had been of great value in

overcoming flutter encountered at various speeds and

accelerations.

28 April Pocomoke, first of two seaplane tenders of

her class, was commissioned at Portsmouth, Va.,

Commander John D. Price commanding.

30 April In an initial step towards establishing a

glider development program, the Naval Aircraft

Factory was requested to undertake preliminary design

of a personnel and equipment transport glider. As

work progressed and requirements were further clari-

fied, development was initiated for 12- and 24-place