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Meeting	ACGS Committee Meeting 92 - Dayton - October 2003
Agenda Location	8 SUBCOMMITTEE E – FLIGHT AND PROPULSION CONTROL SYSTEMS 8.3 History of Naval Aviation, Part II
Title	History of Naval Aviation, Part II
Presenter	Tom Lawrence
Affiliation	Naval Air Systems Command
Available Downloads*	presentation bonus presentation: Part I
	Downloads are available to members who are logged in and either Active* or attended this meeting.
Abstract	Eugene Ely’s demonstrations of take-off and landing from ships was followed closely by Glenn Curtiss demonstrating seaplane take-off and landing on water, and the beginning of catapult development for surface warships. However, U.S. Naval Aviation until after World War I centered on flying boats operating from coastal bases. By the 1920’s, catapults for surface ships and an experimental aircraft carrier received considerable attention, and a role for Naval Aviation in fleet operations was solidified. For surface ships the compressed air catapult gave way to the powder catapult which remained in use through World War II. Meanwhile, compressed air catapults on Langley were followed by fly wheel catapults on Lexington and Saratoga, and these in turn gave way to hydraulic catapults in the mid 1930s. During World War II the necessity of using catapults on Escort Carriers (CVEs), as well as the need for larger deck parks and night operations on the fleet carriers (CVs) made the catapult essential in all carrier operations. With the introduction of jet aircraft to carriers, and the experience of the war in Korea, the hydraulic catapult was reaching its limits. The UK Royal Navy developed the steam catapult in the early 1950s which is still in use today. A discussion of the Flexdeck program in the mid 1950s, and a summary of combatants and losses in the Five Great Carrier Battles of World War II are also included.