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FROM THE D 
FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHY 
OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE 

WILLIAM E. "GINK" DOHERTY
Early Curitss Exhibition and Test Pilot - Instructor

William E. "Gink" Doherty was born at Buffalo, New York, December 7, 1886.
A natural born mechanic, he was quite an expert with automobiles. While attending the University of Toronto, he met and became well acquainted with fellow students J.A.D McCurdy and F.W.Baldwin, who were later to become members of Dr. Bell's famed early Aerial Experiment Association.
Through this friendship Doherty became interested in aviation and was persuaded to go to Hammondsport,New York and take up flying. As a result he entered the Curtiss Flying School, spring class of 1911, and was taught to fly by Glenn Curtiss and Hugh Robinson, Assistant Instructor at that time. Doherty's Curtiss Flying Diploma was dated July 7, 1911, and signed by Glenn Curtiss. He soloed on land planes, then took instruction on seaplanes but did not take his license tests at that time.
Doherty joined the Curtiss Exhibition Team and filled some engagements during the fall of 1991. In September he did some test flying on a new plane built by Charles Willard and J.A.D McCurdy at Nassau Blvd.,Long Island. 
In the spring of 1912 Doherty was back in Hammondsport for the summer season where he took additional instruction on seaplanes and assisted with development and test work. He also filled some exhibition engagements for the Curtiss Company that year. 
In April, 1913, Doherty returned to Hammondsport for the flying season and