106

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

1941-Continued

amphibian gliders to be constructed of wood or plastic

by firms not already engaged in building military air-

craft.

30 April Commanding Officer, NAS Lakehurst, N.J.,

directed that the metal-clad airship, ZMC-2, be sal-

vaged and the car complete with engines, instruments

and appurtenances be assigned to the Lighter- Than-Air

Ground School at Lakehurst. The ZMC-2, completed in

August 1929, had been flown over 2,250 hours.

2 May Fleet Air Photographic Unit, Pacific, was

established under Commander, Aircraft Battle Force,

preceding by one day the establishment of a similar

unit in the Atlantic Fleet under Commander, Patrol

Wings Atlantic.

3 May Project Roger was established at the Naval

Aircraft Factory to install and test airborne radar equip-

ment. Its principal assignment involved support of the

Radiation Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology and the Naval Research Laboratory in vari-

ous radar applications including search and blind

bombing and in radio control of aircraft.

8 May The establishment of Aviation Repair Units 1

and 2 was directed to provide a nucleus of aircraft

repair and maintenance personnel ready for overseas

deployment as advanced bases were established.

10 May The Naval Aircraft Factory reported that it

was negotiating with the Radio Corporation of

America for the development of a radio altimeter suit-

able for use in radio-controlled assault drones.

15 May The seaplane tender Albemarle arrived at

Argentia, Newfoundland, to establish a base for Patrol

Wing, Support Force operations and to prepare for the

imminent arrival of VP-52, the first squadron to fly

patrols over the North Atlantic convoy routes.

21 May The Bureau of Aeronautics requested the

Engineering Experiment Station, Annapolis, Md., to

undertake development of a liquid-fueled assisted

takeoff unit for use on patrol planes. This marked the

Navy's entry into the field that later came to be called

jet assisted takeoff (JATO), and was the Navy's first

,

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-

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Launching a PBM Mariner, a dramatic demonstration of the utility

of newly developed jet-assisted takeoff (JATO) 415346

development program, other than jet exhaust from

reciprocating engines, directed towards utilizing jet

reaction for aircraft propulsion.

27 May The president proclaimed that an unlimited

national emergency confronted the country, requiring

that its military, naval, air, and civilian defenses be put

on the basis of readiness to repel any and all acts or

threats of aggression directed toward any part of the

Western Hemisphere.

2 June Long Island, first escort carrier of the U.S.

Navy, was commissioned at Newport News, Va.,

Commander Donald B. Duncan commanding.

Originally designated AVG 1, Long Island was a flush-

Long l,land,

first escort

carner of the

U.S. Navy,

was convert-

ed from the

cargo ship

Mormacmail

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