1986-Contin ued

5 May A reenactment flight of the original NC-4's

transatlantic crossing took place as one of the 75th

Anniversary commemorative events. The flight was

made with two privately owned PBY Catalina flying

boats, one painted with the original NC-4 colors, as a

reenactment of the original NC-4's trans-Atlantic cross-

ing that began on 8 May 1919. The flight originated

from NAS Pensacola, Fla., and commenced the original

route from NAS Rockaway Beach, N.Y., and ended in

Lisbon, Portugal. The flight was one of the events com-

memorating the 75th Anniversary of Naval Aviation.

-1_,

. 'T'

-.." -

-- ."

- ill-

One of the PBY Catalinas that participated in the NC-4 reenactment flight.

13 May The first Shrike launch by a Navy EA-6A

was completed by VAQ-209 when Lieutenant

Commanders E. L. Brandt and M. J. Corcoran conduct-

ed a live firing of an AGM-45 Shrike missile at Naval

Weapons Center, China Lake, Calif. The launch

occurred during the reserve squadron's annual two

weeks of active duty for training.

27 May The helicopter landing trainer IX-514 was

approved for use by student Naval Aviators after test-

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

351

ing was conducted using UH-IN, SH-3H, SH-60B, and

TH-57 aircraft. The training craft provided a platform

to shipboard-qualify student helicopter pilots before

they joined the fleet.

1 June MAWSPac, previously composed of person-

nel from VA-128, was officially designated as a sepa-

rate shore command. During an establishment ceremo-

ny on 16 June at NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.,

Commander Richard P. Dodd was designated as the

first commanding officer of the combat readiness train-

ing school, which was under the operational and

administrative control of Commander, Medium Attack

Tactical Electronic Warfare Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

6 June The first Naval Aviation Cadet in 17 years

began active duty when Captain Bobby C. Farrar,

deputy commander of the Navy Recruiting Command,

swore in his son, Sean. The program, which allows

personnel to enter aviation officer candidate school

and eventually flight training without a college degree,

had been suspended in 1969.

28 June As a tribute to the 75th Anniversary of

Naval Aviation and Glenn H. Curtiss, a week of festivi-

ties began at Hammondsport, N.Y. Events included a

reenactment of the Navy's first flight of the A-I and a

permanently mounted scale model of the aircraft,

which was unveiled at dedication ceremonies on the

shore of Keuka Lake on 29 June.

1 July The Helistat, a flight demonstrator lighter-

than-air craft under development by Piasecki Aircraft

Company for use by the Forestry Service, crashed at

NAEC Lakehurst, N.J., during flight tests. The Helistat

was powered by the engines and rotor systems of four

SH-34J Seabat helicopters attached to a ZPG-2 airship

envelope.

1 July A formal airship development program was

approved for the U.S. Navy by Secretary of the Navy

The IX 514, a new training deck

for student helicopter pilots.