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In early October Martin was in New York on business and Bragg returned with him to Los Angeles to complete his flight training. By late November Bragg was flying well and did considerable flying before he returned East. Due to delays the Martin factory, Bragg did not get his new plane in New York until April, 1916.

For some time Bragg and Martin had been working on an aircraft engine which was unveiled in May, 1916. Known as the Martin Engine, it was a Vee-8, 190-h. p., direct-drive unit weighing 484 pounds complete; but nothing came of this venture.

At that time Bragg was evidently busy with the initial planning of what was soon to be the Writht-Martin Corporation. As co-founder of that merger, he brought several aviation and automotive companies together into one large combine, which proved a helpful factor to America in World War I aviation. This combine obtained the license to construct the French Hispano-Suiza engine, and these were built in quantity at the former Crane-Simplex Motor Company, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

In January, 1917, Bragg was connected with the National Aerial Coast Patrol, enlisting men in New York and Palm Beach, Florida, and reportedly trained a unit in Florida using a Curtiss flying boat. On July 24th Bragg flew his tests for a pilot license at Port Washington, Long Island, with a 100-h.p. Curtiss flying boat, and on August 1st was granted F.A.I. Hydro Certificate No. 70. On August 25th, carrying two passengers, he set a new United States altitude record of 12,900 feet at Port Washington flying a foreign-built F.B.A. flying boat with a 150-h.p. Hispano engine. At that time he was engaged in numerous altitude tests and during these activities set another new United States altitude record of 22,000 feet, using a Wright-Martin Model V plane with a 150-h.p. Hispano engine, becoming the first pilot to exceed 20,000 feet in the United States. On September 12th he set a new altitude record for pilot and passenger of 13,950 feet, using an F.B.A. flying