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intentionally made very flexible, it being Christmas' idea that the would flex in flight promoting a smoother ride. The plane was a single-seat conventional fuselage machine with 2-wheel landing gear and was powered by a 6-cylinder 185 H.P. Hall Scott engine. The first flight test of this plane was made on December 3d, 1918 at Central Park, Long Island, flown by aviator Cuthbert Mills. Tests continued on following days and the plane did 170 M.P.H. before Government officials. This performance created quite a stir in aviation circles at that time. Shortly after this Mills was killed flying the Bullet when a wing came off. Burnelli left the firm, but Christmas rebuilt the plane, then had R.A.F. pilot Captain A. Jolly, fly it and he, too, was killed, which ended the Bullet project.

In 1918 Christmas brought suit against the United States Government for infringement of his aileron patent on all World War I military planes. After a thorough investigation of his claim and its application the Government settled and bought his patent for $100,000, then in 1923 made it available to all plane builders, gratis.

Christmas appears to have disappeared from aviation after World War I, but continued to live in the New York area where he reportedly was a consultant in research work. In the late 1940's he was working on insulating materials. Christmas died of pneumonia in New York Bellevue Hospital on April 14th, 1960 at age 94, survived by a son. Burial was at Croom, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. He was a member of the Early Bird organization.

Flying Pioneer, Early Bird Dr. William W. Christmas was a true American aviation pioneer of the very earliest period. Plane builder and self-taught pilot, he became a very controversial figure and promotor with a great interest in new ideas and inventions, reportedly holding many patents in various fields. His name must be recorded in the early history of American aviation development.