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    San Diego's North Island: 1911-1941
    San Diego's North Island: 1911-1941
    San Diego's North Island: 1911-1941
    Ebook150 pages45 minutes

    San Diego's North Island: 1911-1941

    By Katrina Pescador, Mark Aldrich and San Diego Air and Space Museum

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    About this ebook

    San Diego s North Island is one of the most significant venues of aviation in the world. Starting in 1911, it was the home to one of the nation s first aviation schools, founded by Glenn Curtiss, who pioneered seaplane flight. He trained the nucleus of America s future air forces there, including Lt. Theodore Ellyson, the first naval aviator. When the United States entered World War I, the government took over the island with plans to build a training center for the nation s armed forces. The new army base was named Rockwell Field, and the navy portion was named Naval Air Station San Diego. By 1937, the army had moved out, and the navy became the sole tenant. Today NAS North Island is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the navy and is headquarters for the Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 5, 2007
    ISBN9781439634202
    San Diego's North Island: 1911-1941
    Author

    Katrina Pescador

    For more than 40 years, the San Diego Air and Space Museum has preserved the nation�s aerospace history and technology. In this unique publication, head archivist Katrina Pescador and historian Mark Aldrich selected photographs from the museum�s extensive collection to highlight the story of this major aircraft company and the people who contributed to its success.

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    • 5/5
      A very nice pictorial history of NAS North Island, when it was known as NAS San Diego before the War.

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    San Diego's North Island - Katrina Pescador

    Museum.

    INTRODUCTION

    Located in the middle of scenic San Diego Harbor, North Island was once a pair of islands known as North and South Coronado. In 1886, the area was purchased by a developer for a residential resort, and South Coronado became the city of Coronado, while the north portion of the island remained undeveloped. When renowned aviator Glenn Curtiss visited San Diego in 1910, he was immediately attracted to North Island. The island’s size, flatness, and year-round ideal climate appeared to Curtiss to be the optimal place for a flying school. A year later, he opened a flying school on the island and held a three-year lease to the property. Soon Curtiss was teaching both military and civilian pilots how to fly. Many of his students would go on to become famous.

    In 1914, another famous aviator, Glenn Martin, demonstrated his pusher aircraft over the island. This flight included the first parachute jump in the San Diego area, made by a 90­-pound civilian woman named Tiny Broadwick. Many other firsts occurred at North Island, including the first seaplane flight in 1911, the first midair refueling on June 27, 1923, and the first nonstop transcontinental flight in 1923.

    In 1917, Congress appropriated the land of North Island and commissioned two airfields, Rockwell Field (army) and Naval Air Station (NAS) San Diego (navy). The navy started with a tent-covered city known as Camp Trouble, but both bases grew quickly, as permanent buildings were soon constructed. By 1918, the army at Rockwell Field had 497 airplanes and over 100 officers. NAS San Diego boasted 76 officers, 110 student officers, and 1,571 enlisted men. The navy shared the island with the army until 1937.

    During World War II, North Island was one of the major continental American bases supporting the operating forces in the Pacific. Those forces included over a dozen aircraft carriers, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, and U.S. Marines. The city of Coronado became home to most of the aircraft factory workers and dependents of the mammoth base, which was operating around the clock. On August 15, 1963, North Island was granted official recognition as the Birthplace of Naval Aviation by resolution of the House Armed Services Committee.

    One

    FIRST FLIGHTS 1911—1917

    If there is anyone who would bring notoriety to North Island in the early days of aviation it would be Glenn Curtiss. He would be the first to impact North Island during these years but not the last. Glenn Curtiss first learned of San Diego while participating in the 1910 Air Meet in Los Angeles. Curtiss had been conducting his aviation experiments and flight instruction at Hammondsport, New York, but the winters there made it impossible to fly year-round. Word of North Island’s ideal climate and isolated location attracted Curtiss. In early 1911, Harry Harkness, a wealthy New York businessman, formed the Aero Club of San Diego and sponsored an aviation venture with Curtiss. Together they signed a three-year lease agreement, at no cost, with the Coronado Beach Company for the use of North Island. Curtiss is seen sitting in one of his early pusher designs soon after building his first North Island hangar.

    Harry Harkness housed three French-built Antoinette airplanes on North Island. The image below is of two of the unique monoplanes next to Walsh and Curtiss biplanes. The image was taken by Waldo Watermann from the roof of Harkness’s hangar.

    In an attempt to interest the military in aviation, Glenn Curtiss extended an offer to both the navy and army for free flight instruction. The navy was the first to respond, sending submarine officer Lt. T. G. Ellyson to the Curtiss Aviation camp at North Island on January 17, 1911. He became the first naval aviator.

    The flight scnoot s first Class consisted or three army officers, one naval officer, and two civilians. Seen here are military students at the Curtiss Aviation School in March 1911. From left to right are Theodore Ellyson, navy; Capt. Paul W. Beck, army; Glenn Curtiss; Lt. G. E. Kelly, army; and Lt. John C. Walker, army.

    In addition to flight training, Curtiss also conducted numerous aerial experiments. On January 26, 1911, Curtiss accomplished the first successful

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