1922

16 January Parachutes issued for heavier-than-air

use-The Bureau of Aeronautics directed that Army-

type seat pack parachutes be shipped to Marine Corps

aviation units in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Guam

and Quantico, Va.

6 February The Washington Treaty, limiting naval

armament, was signed in Washington, D.C., by repre-

sentatives of the British Empire, France, Italy, Japan

and the United States. The treaty established a tonnage

ratio of 5-5-3 for capital ships of Great Britain, the

United States and Japan respectively, and a lesser fig-

ure for France and Italy. The same ratio for aircraft

carrier tonnage set overall limits at 135,000-135,000-

81,000 tons. The treaty also limited any new carrier to

27,000 tons with a provision that, if total carrier ton-

nage were not exceeded thereby, nations could build

two carriers of not more than 33,000 tons each or

obtain them by converting existing or partially con-

structed ships which would otherwise be scrapped by

this treaty.

7 February The completion of a 50-hour test run of

the Lawrance J-1, 200-hp, radial aircooled engine by

the Aeronautical Engine Laboratory, Washington Navy

Yard, D.C., foreshadowed the successful use of radial

engines in naval aircraft.

2 March Experimental investigation and develop-

ment of catapults using gunpowder was initiated,

eventually producing a new type catapult for use in

launching aircraft from capital ships.

20 March Langley, converted from the collier Jupiter

(AC 3) as the first carrier of the U.S. Navy, was com-

missioned at Norfolk, Va., under command of her

Executive Officer, Commander Kenneth Whiting.

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

51

25 March Research Laboratory as had been provid-

ed for in a public law passed in August 1916.

Following the construction of necessary buildings at

Bellevue, D.C., the Aircraft Radio Laboratory from NAS

Anacostia, D.C., the Naval Radio Research Laboratory

from the Bureau of Standards and the Sound Research

Section of the Engineering Experiment Station were

consolidated at the new organization prior to its estab-

lishment in July 1923. In view of the research orienta-

tion of this facility, it was generally called the Naval

Research Laboratory, and its name was officially

changed to that by the Naval Appropriations Act of

1926.

27 March To comply with a provision of the law

establishing the Bureau of Aeronautics that its chief

and at least 70 percent of its officers be either pilots or

observers, the Bureau of Aeronautics defined the func-

tions and qualifications of Naval Aviation Observers,

and recommended a course of study for their training.

Upon its approval by the Bureau of Navigation, Rear

Admiral William A. Moffett reported for training, and

on 17 June 1922 qualified as the first Naval Aviation

Observer.

29 March A change in the aircraft designation sys-

tem was promulgated which added the identity of the

manufacturer to the model designation. Symbols con-

sisted of a combination of letters and numbers in

which the first letter identified the manufacturer and

the second, the class (or mission) of the aircraft. Thus

MO was a Martin observation plane. Numbers appear-

ing between letters indicated the series of designs

within the class built by the same manufacturer (the 1

being omitted) and numbers following a dash after the

class letter indicated modifications of the basic model.

Thus, the second modification of the MO became MO-

2, while the second-design observation plane built by

Martin became M20.

The fil:5t Camel; Langley,

converted from the col-

lier, Jupiter, with fighters

and tOlpedo planes

aboard 185915