Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration] _The Story of_ AMERICAN AVIATION _by_ JIM RAY ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR [Illustration] The thrilling story of how the airplane grew and the part it has played in the war and peace-time history of the United States of America OVER 150 ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR OF AMERICA’S MOST FAMOUS AIRPLANES--OLD AND NEW THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY PHILADELPHIA · TORONTO [Illustration] _Copyright, 1946, by_ THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY Copyright in Great Britain and in The British Dominions and Possessions Copyright in the Philippines FIRST EDITION MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOREWORD In the following pages, Jim Ray, talented in his work of presentation and a conscientious student of aviation, presents a chain of highlights in the progress of American aëronautics. The work as a whole is directed toward a sound conception of the steps which have been taken in aircraft development. In so far as possible, without being exhaustive, Mr. Ray has portrayed the engineering advancement which underlies the structure of our swiftly developing air age. The reader who thoroughly digests the text and illustrations of this book will find that it is an orderly and faithful guide. GILL ROBB WILSON _Aviation Editor, New York Herald Tribune Director of Aviation State of New Jersey_ INTRODUCTION It is difficult to believe that, just a little over thirty years ago, I was a high-school student watching the pilots at the Wright Brothers’ exhibition of the world’s first flying machine. That machine weighed about eight hundred pounds. Its engine developed thirty horsepower. It flew at the then astounding speed of forty-two miles an hour, which is equal to the landing speed of our slowest light plane today. High-school students now are accustomed to the sight of giant airplanes whose weight is measured in tons and whose horsepower mounts to the thousands. December, 1945, marks the forty-second anniversary of the first flight of an airplane. The progress of aviation since that first flight still seems unbelievable, even to one who has followed its development closely. The purpose of this book is to trace the progress of aviation in America and to tell the story of the men and machines that have given this country supremacy in the air.