Aircraft Carrier USS Langley (CV-1) Action in 1923-24

Picture a U.S. Navy with only one aircraft carrier, a converted collier renamed USS Langley. The time is the early 1920s, and methodology for aircraft carrier operations is being hammered out by the pioneering aviators and deck handlers seen in these films.
For analyzing the performance of aircraft and pilots, the Navy sometimes used high-speed cameras to give slow-motion film results.
Watch for things like the sled-mounted Douglas DT seaplane torpedo bombers catapulted from Langley's deck. A mechanical block is hit by the sled to release the airplane which sails forward at the end of the sled's travel on the catapult.
The biplane with an underslung lower wing is the TS-1, designed by the Naval Aircraft factory and also built by Curtiss. It was the Navy's first new fighter after World War I. See a row of vertical spines beneath the landing gear spreader bar on the TS-1? Those were innovated to provide tracking stability with longitudinal deck cables intended to keep the aircraft moving parallel along the ship's deck.
Biplanes with double-bay wings include the Vought VE-7 with a liquid-cooled Wright-Hispano engine. Interesting that the aircraft have tailskids instead of tailwheels, in an era when land-based airfields were typically grass strips.
Occasionally an old-style biplane design with a narrow liquid-cooled engine is filmed; these are Aeromarine Model 39s. One of these was the first aircraft to land aboard Langley in October 1922. Some of the Aeromarines have a ditching plane mounted to the landing gear, designed to prevent abrupt noseovers in the event of a water landing.
Lieutenant Commander V.C. Griffin is credited with making the first takeoff from Langley in a Vought VE-7 on October 11, 1922. He served throughout World War II, retiring from the Navy in 1947.
Lieutenant Frederick Pennoyer is credited with helping develop and improve the system of landing wires to engage a tailhook.
Lieutenant W.M. Dillon went on to an illustrious World War II carrier aviation career, retiring from the Navy in 1946 as a rear admiral.
Lieutenant S.H. Wooster died on April 26, 1927 along with Lieutenant Commander N.G. Davis when their civilian Keystone Pathfinder crashed during test flying for a transatlantic flight attempt.
Commander Kenneth Whiting is often credited as the father of carrier aviation. He was an enthusiastic advocate and practitioner of aircraft carrier rationale.
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[@airailimages]

And here's a look at pre-war activity aboard USS Ranger from the Airailimages Channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6nLi5durLp7Y6M

[@scottbuildsthemall5124]

It really is fascinating watching these pioneers of Naval Aviation! I do not recall ever seeing a photo, let alone a movie, of a float plane taking off from an aircraft carrier. Awesome find!

[@rickdavis3593]

You gotta wonder what the pilot's pucker factor was at?...lol

[@70stunes71]

Only half a century after these videos, I would be on an aircraft carrier with F14 Tomcats. What a transformation... Now it's been nearly 100 years ago that these pioneers of Naval Aviation, made these incredible Landings and videos. Nice to see them!

[@donaldkeller1388]

Thanks for this historic find. I really enjoyed it, and learned more about early carrier operations. I had a friend who was a pilot on the Langley, during this period.

[@airailimages]

Thanks, Don. It is illuminating to see archived films from an era that gets overlooked.

[@nikonmark37814]

And I thought the flight deck was a tough place to work back in the mid 70's when I worked on the flight deck of the USS Independence, CV-62!

[@70stunes71]

Mark, I was on the Independence also, during the bombings in Lebanon, 1981 thru 1984. Salute to you brother!!!

[@TheopolisQSmith]

Loved the one that swerved to the right on takeoff and just kept going. Talk about early VTOL.

[@martinpennock9430]

Thanks for the great video! Seems sort of simple back in the early days of Naval Aviation. By the time my dad served in WWII, it was much more complicated. And now, well, you've posted the videos. Can't thank you enough for all you do! As always God bless you and yours! 🇺🇸👍😊

[@airailimages]

Thanks! It is interesting to watch these pioneering carrier aviators, knowing what would come in the future.

[@user-eh1td8xg4v]

On March 22, 1922, the "first American", converted from the Jupiter collier, was adopted by the fleet under the name CV-1 "Langley" A storage facility for aviation gasoline was equipped in the bow coal hold, and an ammunition cellar was placed in the fourth. The other four holds were used for storing aircraft. A dovecote was arranged at the stern of the ship, where carrier pigeons lived, intended for communication between aircraft and an aircraft carrier. Over time, the dovecote was rebuilt into the chief mate's cabin. The hangar deck was the cover of the coal holds, and the ceiling was the flight deck. The procedure for lifting one aircraft from the hold onto the flight deck took tens of minutes. Only one transfer of the aircraft from the hangar deck to the platform of the aircraft lift could take up to 12 minutes. It was necessary to come up with and work out complex algorithms for moving aircraft on the hangar deck, but they gave impetus to the development of a unique American technology of deck operations, which provided serious advantages to the aircraft carriers of the US Navy during the World War II.

[@kevincoulombe6742]

Excellent video. I really enjoyed the soundtrack and informative narrative!

[@airailimages]

Thank you very much!

[@joeschenk8400]

Great footage of the early navy's first carrier. Thanks for posting.

[@jasonshull3106]

Love the float planes, thanks for the great video.JDS

[@airailimages]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@thoughtfulhistorytoday7214]

Can't fathom that these images are almost a century old. Thanks for your efforts.

[@ChiefAUS]

You have don it again, Fred. These are fantastic films of early carrier operations. Thanks.

[@donaldwatson3801]

Thanks! This was a remarkable watch!

[@airailimages]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@farklefuster6876]

Would have been awesome to have had some sound, but this was even before the talkies. These planes look so fragile

[@SkyhawkSteve]

very interesting! Never heard of catapulting float planes before. I guess they landed next to the ship and a crane retrieved them?

[@craigfazekas3923]

💯 years ago !! Amazing footage; thank you for the uploads !! BTW, I am about to start a 1:700 scale model kit of LANGLEY. That you're aware of ? Is there a USN list of the different types of aircraft assigned to her on a year by year basis ? I want to depict my model of LANGLEY & it's attendant aircraft as accurately as possible.... Again, thank you !! 🚬😎👍

[@airailimages]

Will see what I can learn...

[@airailimages]

The book US Navy Aircraft 1921-1941 / US Marine Corps Aircraft 1914-1959 by William T. Larkins has been suggested; I haven't seen it, but hopefully you can check it out to see if it answers your question.

[@CFG-eb3my]

thanks for that

[@anibalcesarnishizk2205]

Sunk by the Japanese.

[@70stunes71]

Was attacked by Japanese bombers and so badly damaged that it was forced to be scuttled.