number of aeroplanes could be disposed of caused great hesitation. It was felt by the Curtiss Companies, however, that the benefits bound to accrue to the industry through the proper preparation for the market of these planes and motors by some one responsible, and the establishment of aeronautical trade on a sound basis, outweighed the difficulties to be encountered.

FOUR AEROPLANES FOR PEACE TIME FLYING

During the summer of 1919 the transfer of a number of planes was completed, but it was not until well into the fall that the government property as a whole may be said to have been put at the disposal of the Curtiss selling organization.

These army training planes, for the most past Curtiss J. N.'s, were by their design adapted to peace service. Built to withstand the hard knocks of training, they were calculated to meet the wear and tear of daily business or pleasure service. Their engines represented fuel economy. The cost price was considerably lower than that of any other high class machines put upon the aeronautical market. They offered the returning military aviator an opportunity to own and fly an aeroplane which he had grown to trust and appreciate during a period of stress.

With Orioles, Seagulls, Curtiss J. N.-4's, and J.-1's with Curtiss O. X.-5 motors available, the Sales Department now had four distinct aeronautical types to offer the public for commercial use.

ACTIVITY OF CURTISS PLANES

It is impossible here to trace in detail the activity of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation between March and December, 1919, embracing as it does the many records established by Curtiss dealers and distributors. On March 12th, 1919, Roland Rohlfs made for Lord and Taylor of New York City, the first commercial delivery of dry goods, transporting 150 pounds of merchandise from Roosevelt Field, Mineola, to Pelham Bay, New York, in 15 minutes. Under Lieutenant-Commander Scofield of the Third Naval District the practicability of the aerial ambulance was shown when a Curtiss flying boat transported a wounded officer from Far Rockaway to St. Luke's hospital, 113th Street and North River. Such demonstrations as the first aerial delivery of typewriters (Atlantic City, April 30th) by a Curtiss Seagull, the first regular clothing deliveries (Alfred Decker and Cohn, Chicago, June 3rd following) in Curtiss J. N.'s, the first

The Curtiss Oriole 1. Oriole passenger compartments and side entrance door. 2. Upper center Oriole in flight. 3. Oriole at Washington - Pilot Paul Collins and the Cuban representatives. 4. Mrs. S. E. J. Cox and her Curtiss Oriole. 5. Lower center J. A. Morrell. 6. Pilot W. H. McMullen. 7. View showing seating of pilot and passenger, Curtiss Oriole.

flight of surgeon to patient in the same machine by Dr. F. A. Brewster of Beaver City, Iowa, May 24th, and the intercity flight of Mrs. S. E. J. Cox and her son in a Curtiss Oriole from Houston, Texas, to New York City, completed October 7th without plane or motor difficulty of any sort, are typical of what has been occurring.

In the Aeronautical Convention tests at Atlantic City in May, 1919, the Oriole won first prizes for speed and reliability. Participating in the New York-Toronto reliability race, August 25th-29th, a Curtiss K-6 Oriole, piloted by Roland Rohlfs, took first prize for both reliability and speed among civilian types. Second, fourth, sixth, and eighth prizes were taken by Curtiss J. N.'s, O. X.-Orioles, and a Curtiss-motored J.-1 for reliability, and second and third prizes for speed by a Curtiss O. X.-Oriole and a Curtiss J. N.-4-D.

FIRST DAILY PASSENGER-CARRYING SERVICE

Between San Pedro and Catalina Island the Chaplin-Curtiss Aircraft Corporation initiated on July 15th the first daily aerial passenger carrying service. The Curtiss Seagull was the plane employed. During September the delivery of a complete moving picture outfit from Los Angeles to the ranch of W. R. Hearst was made from Los Angeles by the Chaplin-Curtiss Aircraft Corporation for the Los Angeles Examiner. The Wrigley Spearmint Company has used a number of Curtiss J. N.'s for advertising and sales purposes. Oil men in Texas and Oklahoma, ranchers in Montana and Iowa, theatrical circuits, movie players, news and photo services in New York have used Curtiss machines during the past year for inspection, administration, and publicity purposes. Well-known exhibition flyers such as Eddie Stinson, Ormer Locklear, and Ruth Law, have been using machines of the Curtiss J. N. type for exhibition and passenger carrying work, while others, such as Major S. E. Parker and Captain H. T. Wilcox, have used the Curtiss Seagull. Undoubtedly hundreds of thousands of people have made flights in such aeroplanes and flying boats during the last eight months. At Atlantic City alone, 2,500 ascended in two Seagulls at the Curtiss flying station.

NEW AERONAUTICAL MOTORS

In this commercial activity Curtiss planes have depended upon. Curtiss motors. The O. X.-5, 90 horse-power engine had been used with the Curtiss J. N. by the majority of army flyers in their primary training. The new Curtiss K.-6, 150 horse-power motor, had been

1. John N. Willys. 2. Glenn H. Curtiss. 3. W. W. Mountain. 4. F. H. Russell. 5. R. W. Moore.

developed during 1918, together with the 400 horse-power Curtiss K.-12 motor. On March 6th, 1919, the adaptation of these motors to standardized production for commercial use was taken up by F. R. Porter as Chief Motor Engineer for the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation. The work of the Curtiss K.-12 was done in connection with the Curtiss Wasp in speed and altitude flying. The 150 horse-power Curtiss K.-6 rendered continuous, successful service in both the Oriole and Seagull. Its run of 2,500 miles from Houston to New York in Mrs. S. E. J. Cox's Oriole without even the changing of a spark plug is unique. Other performances with which it was associated were the flight of R. W. Bubbard's Oriole through Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Tennessee of 1,200 miles of "absolutely satisfactory" flying, and the remarkable performance of a Seagull piloted by W. H. Blair for the Thompson Aircraft Company from New York to Detroit via the Hudson, Barge Canal, and Great Lakes,-700 miles in all.

II

The establishment of a new industry -as commercial aeronautics was in January, 1919 in the teeth of difficulties can not be a matter of hazard. The success of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation, the production arm, was possible only because of the efficient scientific service of the Curtiss Engineering Corporation. This experimental branch of the Curtiss organization drew up the designs for the Curtiss Oriole, Seagull, and Eagle. At the same time it was engaged in other work widely affecting peace time aviation and the progress of military and other governmental flying.

The Engineering Corporation took form under the personal direction of Mr. Curtiss. In 1918 he established laboratories and factory at Garden City, and carried on in them the building of the N. C.'s, the speed triplane and biplane, the Curtiss K.-6 and K.-12 motors, etc.

During the course of the war, the Burgess Company of Marblehead, Massachusetts, became associated with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Corporation, and some time after the Curtiss Engineering Corporation had begun its activities, Frank H. Russell, President of the Burgess Company, joined Mr. Curtiss at Garden City as Vicepresident and General Manager. During the war he was president of the Manufacturers Aircraft Association. On retiring as president

he was elected secretary of the Association.