Alfred V. Verville
Alfred Victor Verville | |
---|---|
La Jolla, California, US | |
Other names | Fred Verville |
Occupation(s) | aviation designer, aeronautic engineer |
Known for | Pioneering contributions to civil and military aviation design |
Spouse | Eva |
Parent(s) | Victor Verville Fabianna Miron |
Signature | |
Alfred Victor Verville (November 16, 1890 – March 10, 1970) was an American
Verville was a founder of three aeronautical companies, the
Verville received many honors and awards, including a selection as a fellow of the
Early life and career
Verville was born in
After graduating from Adams Township High School,
I always had that wonderful feeling in flying, no matter what kind of weather ... I just wondered why men hadn't learned to fly years ago, it was so wonderful ... It was a symphony.
— Alfred Verville describing his first flight as a passenger in a plane, c. 1913 (age 23).[4]: 6
Verville excelled as a draftsman and designer, but still wanted to attend flight school and to become an
On July 9, 1917, Verville married Bertha M. Kamrath in
U.S. Army service
In June 1918, Verville joined the
In 1919 Brigadier General Billy Mitchell requested the Engineering Division to design a light-weight "motorcycle of the air" that could operate as a liaison between Army field units. Verville completed the Messenger design in early 1920. The Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company of Farmingdale was contracted to build five Messengers in April 1920. The first Messenger flight was on November 1. Later designated the Verville-Sperry M-1 Messenger, the plane is notable for its small size, simple construction, and inexpensive cost, which made it ideal for testing and experimentation.[16] The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics used one in its pioneering aerodynamic research programs from 1923 to 1929. Sperry modified twelve into the radio-controlled Messenger Aerial Torpedo and developed the apparatus for a Messenger to make the first successful airship hook on and release in December 1924.
Following
The resulting plane, the
While at the Air Service, Verville was awarded eight aeronautical patents for technologies such as airplane truss design, radiator mounting, and an automatic gun mechanism.[27]
Buhl and Verville Aircraft Companies
In 1925, Verville left the government service to co-found the
In 1928, Verville left Buhl-Verville to establish the Verville Aircraft Company, also in Detroit. The company sought to market planes to the wealthy private owner. Verville Aircraft produced the Verville Air Coach, a four-passenger, high-wing monoplane, which made its debut at the 1929 Detroit Air Show[34] and the Verville Sport Trainer, a two-seat tandem biplane. The United States Army Air Corps purchased four Sport Trainers under the designation YPT-10. The USAAC tested with five different engine versions resulting in YPT-10 thru YPT-10D designations.
Bureau of Air Commerce and consulting
Verville joined the Aeronautics Branch of the
Verville left government service to be a consultant for companies including
In 1945, once again returning to government service, he joined as a member of the Naval Technical Mission to Europe,
Death
He died on March 10, 1970, from a heart attack at age 79.[37][1]
Honors
In 1962, Verville was selected as a fellow of the Smithsonian's National Air Museum. He was honored with ten Certificates or Letters of Commendation from the U.S. Armed Forces. He was an
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum established the Verville Fellowship in his name, which is a competitive nine-to-twelve month in-residence fellowship for researching the history of aviation.[41] Over 20 boxes of material from Verville's estate are housed at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Garber Facility.[42] A 33 cent United States Postal Service airmail stamp was issued on February 13, 1985, bearing Verville's name, picture, the text "Aviation Pioneer", and an image of his Verville-Sperry R-3 low-wing monoplane.[43]
Planes designed by Verville
Over the course of his forty-seven years in designing and building planes, Verville contributed to the design and development of nearly twenty different aircraft. A plane he designed, the Verville-Sperry M-1 Messenger is on permanent exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.[44] Another plane he designed, the Verville-Sperry R-3 won first place at the 1924 Pulitzer Trophy Races.[26][45] In June 1961, it was honored as one of the twelve most significant aircraft of all time by Popular Mechanics[26] and it was featured on a USPS airmail stamp issued in 1985.
Curtiss Aircraft Company
- famous World War I plane
- Verville contributed to design
America (1914)
- first plane of Curtiss H-2 line
- planned to be first transatlantic flight, but interrupted by WWI
- transatlantic flying boat
General Aeroplane Company
Verville Flying Boat (1916)[46]
- 2 passenger, open cockpit, biplane, flying boat
- 100 hp Curtiss OX-5 or Maximotor pusher
- Mahogany hull and wing floats constructed by Mayea Boat Company (Detroit)
Gamma S (1917)[47]
- A two-seater, open cockpit, floatplane, biplane with an 80 hp Le Rhône pusher engine.
Gamma L (1917)
- Similar to Gamma S, with wheels.
- Twin floats were replaced with wheels for winter operations off the ice of Lake St. Clair.
U.S. Military
Verville-Clark-Pursuit 1 & 2 (1920)
- Function: fighter (also known as VCP-1/2)
- Two VCP-1 and two VCP-2 built
- VCP-1 re-designated VCP-1A & R-1, VCP-2 redesignated PW-1 & PW-1A
- While at the Signal Corps – post-World War I: November 11, 1918-September 1919
Verville-Packard R-1 (1920)
- Function: racing; crew: 1; engines: 1x 638 hp Packard 1A-2025 V-12[48]
- On November 27, 1920, Captain Pulitzer Trophy Race at Mitchel Air Force Base.[49]with a maximum speed of 177 miles per hour (285 km/h).
- While in the Air Service
Verville-Sperry M-1 Messenger (1921)
- Function: messenger, manufactured by Sperry Aircraft Company
- This plane is exhibited in the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.[44]
Verville-Sperry R-3 (1922)
- Participated in the 1922 and 1924 Pulitzer Trophy Races; won first place in 1924.[45] In June 1961, it was honored as one of the twelve most significant aircraft of all time by Popular Mechanics.[26]
Engineering Division TP-1 (1923)
- Was a two-seat biplane fighter designed by Alfred V. Verville and Virginius E. Clark at the United States Army Air Corps Engineering Division.
- Prototype TP-1 was built as the XTP-1 and tested at McCook Field in 1923.
YPT-10 (1925), Primary
- Similar design to Verville Sport Trainer AT
- While at the Air Corps
Buhl-Verville
Buhl-Verville CA-3/CW-3 Airster (1925–1926)
- CA-3 Airster, 200 hp Wright J-4 engine
- CA-3A Airster, 225 hp Wright J-5 engine
- CW-3 OX5 Airster, 90 hp Curtiss OX-5 engine
- CW-3 Wright Trainer, 220 hp Wright J-5 engine (short military trial)
- Also known as: J4/J5 Airster or B-V Airster
Verville Aircraft Company
Verville Air Coach (1929)
- four passenger, high-wing cabin monoplane designed in 1927 by Verville
- Model 102 (104-W, Warner Engine)
- Model 104-C
- Model 104-P (Packard Diesel Coach)
Verville Sport Trainer (1930)
- This plane is in storage in the Smithsonian Institution system; its engine was a Packard DR-980.[50]
See also
- List of people on stamps of the United States
- List of United States airmail stamps
- Sperry Corporation
References
- ^ a b "Alfred V. Verville, Airplane Designer". The New York Times. March 14, 1970.
- ^ "Alfred Verville biography" (PDF). Michigan Aviation Magazine. 36 (4). MDOT Multi-Model Transportation Services Bureau: 5. 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
- ^ a b "Verville Family Genealogy Forum". Genforum.genealogy.com. 2007-09-08. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
- ^ )
- ^ a b c Howard Wolko (1981). "In the Cause of Flight, Technologists of Aeronautics and Astronautics (section: Alfred V. Verville biography)" (PDF). Smithsonian Studies in Air and Space. p. 84.
- ISBN 978-1-57607-345-2
- ISBN 978-0738552187.
- ^ "Tom McNeely: Alfred Verville Painting Commentary". Unicover Corporation. 1985. Archived from the original on 2018-01-18.
- ^ a b Bluth, John A. (May 1, 2001). "Detroit's first commercial airplane builder". Detroit News. Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
- ^ "Marriages 1862–1927, Escanaba, Michigan". May 1998. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2014-05-24. (Note: the name on this page is misspelled Kanmath, should be Kamrath.)
- ^ "Biographies - Letter V". Aerofiles.com. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
- ^ "Against the Wind, 90 Years of Flight Test in the Miami Valley" (PDF). History Office, Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Materiel Command. February 1994. pp. 6, 15, 129. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
- ^ "Verville-Packard Racer ... First to Win the Pulitzer Races". Flying: 71. October 1958.
- ^ Bryan Swopes (November 25, 2013). "Lieutenant Corliss C. Mosely, U.S. Army Air Service, won the first Pulitzer Trophy Race". Thisdayinaviation.com.
- ^ "Army Pilot Wins Pulitzer Air Race". The New York Times. Nov 26, 1920. p. 1.
Lieutenant Mosley, in Verville Packard, Averages Almost Three Miles a Minute
- ^ "National Aviation Hall of Fame". Nationalaviation.org. 1914-06-18. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
- ISBN 978-0-253-20180-5
- ^ "Wings of Valor: The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell". Homeofheroes.com. 2007. Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
- OCLC 44443337
- ISBN 978-1-58826-082-6
- ^ The first was the Dayton-Wright RB-1 Racer of 1920. See http://www.centennialofflight.net/essay/Evolution_of_Technology/landing_gear/Tech16.htm
- ISBN 978-1-57607-345-2.
- ^ "Verville-Sperry R-3, Famous Record Breaking and Racing Aircraft". Air Racing History (air-racing-history.com). 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-12-05. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
- ISBN 0-7385-3129-4.
On March 31, 1923, Pearson entered a 500-kilometer speed race at Wilbur Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base). Flying a Verville-Sperry monoplane over a 10-lap course, with Orville Write as an official observer, Pearson set a new world speed record of 167.73 miles per hour, wresting the title from a French pilot. (Pearson Air Museum.)
- ^ "Pulitzer Trophy | National Air and Space Museum". Airandspace.si.edu. Archived from the original on 2014-06-01. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- ^ ISSN 0032-4558.
Verville-Sperry Racer (1922). Winner of the 1924 Pulitzer Race at Dayton, Ohio, this neat ship typified an era when designers tried, with very little money, to get maximum performance from the minimum airplane. Its clean lines, thick low wing and retractable landing gear were amazingly prophetic of World War II fighters.
- ^ Patents list: Airplane-radiator mounting US 1427872 A, Ambulance aircraft fuselage US 1446528 A, Truss design for multimotored aircraft US 1498000 A, Cartridge-feeding mechanism for automatic guns US 1504393 A, Detachable gasoline tank US 1514410 A, Annular radiator mounting for airplanes US 1533284 A, Aircraft fuselage US 1533285 A, Airplane truss US 1554243 A
- ^ "Smithsonian Institution Research and Information System". Siris-thesauri.si.edu. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
- ^ "The First Federal Aircraft Type Certificate" (PDF). www.faa.gov. 1927.
- ^ "ATCs". Aerofiles.com. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
- ^ H. G. Frautschy (December 1997). "The Buhl Sport Airsedan, Ettienne Dormoy's Golden Age Sesquiplane" (PDF). Vintage Airplane. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
- ^ "Designee Newsletter, Aircraft Certification Division" (PDF). Transport Airplane Certification Directorate, US Department of Transportation, FAA. May 1, 1987. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 28, 2015.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the certification of aircraft in the United States. On March 29, 1927, Type Certificate No. 1 was issued by the newly formed Department of Commerce to the manufacturer of the Buhl-Verville J4 Airster CA-3, a 3-place open land biplane...Prior to that time, the Federal government did not regulate or monitor the design or manufacture of aircraft.
- ISBN 9780070494480.
- ISBN 978-0-8306-4368-4.
- ^ George C. Adams (May 1935). "About Those "NC" Markings". Flying: 309–310.
- ^ Records of the Naval Technical Mission in Europe, 1945-1947.
- ^ "Milestones: March 23, 1970". Time. March 23, 1970.
Died. Alfred V. Verville, 79, pioneer aircraft designer who in 1914 with Glenn Curtiss designed the famed Curtiss Jenny, and later as a U.S. Army Air Service engineer developed the nation's first welded-fuselage fighter plane with droppable fuel tanks, the PW-1 Pursuit; of a heart attack; in La Jolla, Calif.
- ^ a b "Enshrinees | Air Zoo Aviation Museum & Science Education Center of Kalamazoo, Michigan". Airzoo.org. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
- ^ "McDonald Distinguished Statesman of Aviation Award Recipients". NAA: National Aeronautic Association (Naa.aero). Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ "List of AIAA Fellows" (PDF). American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ "A. Verville Fellowship Information Page". NASM Research Fellowships, National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
- ^ "Alfred Victor Verville Papers, 1911–1968". The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
- ^ Cooper, Ralph (2004). "Alfred Verville". The Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
- ^ a b "Verville-Sperry M-1 Messenger". National Air and Space Museum Collection Database, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
Object: A19580040000
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7607-0364-9.
- ISBN 978-0-7385-5218-7.
- ^ "Verville, Verville-Packard, Verville-Sperry". Aerofiles. 2009-04-17.
- ^ "Famous record breaking aircraft, Verville-Packard R-1 air racer". Air-racing-history.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-12-05. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
- ^ "Pulitzer Trophy Air Races". Airracinghistory.freeola.com. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
- ^ "Order of Battle - United States of America". MilAvia Press. 2004. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
Further reading
- Alfred V Verville; Donald F Shaughnessy (1960), Reminiscences of Alfred V. Verville : oral history., Aviation Project, Oral History Research Office, Columbia University, )
- "Alfred Verville biography" (PDF). Michigan Aviation Magazine. 36 (4). MDOT Multi-Model Transportation Services Bureau: 5. 2003. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
- Howard Wolko (1981). "In the Cause of Flight, Technologists of Aeronautics and Astronautics (section: Alfred V. Verville biography)" (PDF). Smithsonian Studies in Air and Space. p. 84.
- Michael Gough (3 May 2013). The Pulitzer Air Races: American Aviation and Speed Supremacy, 1920–1925. McFarland. pp. 22, 77–81, 93, 120, 148. ISBN 978-0-7864-7100-3.
- International Cyclopedia of Aviation Biography (MS-167) (PDF), Special Collections and Archives, Paul Laurence Dunbar Library, Wright State University, 2006, p. 38,
Processed by Eugene J. Jergens, Jr., March 1987, Revised by Clint Clark, 2006
- "Alfred Verville interview", The Milton Lehman Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Robert H. Goddard Library, Clark University, Worcester, MA, 1917, Dr. Robert H. Goddard Collection
External links
- A. Verville Fellowship at NASM
- Early Aviators page of A Verville
- Image of Alfred Verville Airmail stamp (Smithsonian Institution website)
- AirZoo Museum Page Commemorating Alfred Verville, Kalamazoo, Michigan