172

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

1948-Contin ued

The

P4M

Mercat01;

a long-

range patrol

plane 1053755

required to serve on active duty for four years after

which they would be returned to inactive duty as

members of the Reserve, but a limited number were to

be given the opportunity to remain on active duty

with possibilities for transferring to the regular Navy.

First of the new Aviation Cadets under this program

reported for training in the latter part of August.

29 June Development of TACAN (tactical air naviga-

tion system) was initiated by a Bureau of Ships con-

tract to the Federal Telecommunications Laboratory for

development of a surface beacon and airborne receiv-

er that were capable of determining the direction of

the aircraft from the surface station. Stringent accuracy

requirements were based upon needs growing out of

World War II carrier operational experience. A year

later, following tests of the initial model, contracts

were issued to the same company for development of

equipment that would also measure distance.

1 July The Naval Air Transport Service, which had

remained in being after the establishment of MATS to

assist in the transfer of Navy units to the new organi-

zation, was disestablished after 6Y2 years of distin-

guished service.

1 July The importance of rockets in the future of

Naval Aviation was emphasized by the establishment

of the U.S. Naval Aeronautical Rocket Laboratory, Lake

Denmark, N.J. It provided a rocket testing facility on

the east coast, similar in function to the Air Force

Rocket Test Facility at Muroc, Calif.

3 July Ordnance aspects of the low drag bomb

development were initiated as the Chief of Naval

Operations requested the Bureau of Ordnance to

develop a 250-pound bomb on the lines of the

Douglas shape and a container to the same lines that

could carry a number of conventional 250-pound

bombs.

6 July VAW-1 and VAW-2, were established in the

Pacific and Atlantic Fleets with responsibilities for

organizing and training AEW teams for carrier opera-

tions. Although AEW aircraft had operated from carri-

ers at an earlier date and a land based squadron,