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[[stamp]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamp]]

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ROLAND ROHLFS

Early Curtiss Test Pilot - Altitude Record Holder

Roland Rohlfs was born in Buffalo, N.Y., February 10, 1892, son of the noted fiction writer Anna Katherine (Green) Rohlfs. He attended Buffalo public schools, Nichols Private School, Lafayette High School and Technical High School. Mechanically inclined, Rohlfs designed, built and raced motorcycles before entering aviation, ad became quite an expert on [[strikethrough]] motors [[/strikethrough]] engines. 

During the fall of 1914 the Curtiss Company at Hammondsport, New York, found it necessary to expand their business and decided to move part of their operations to Buffalo. Arrangements were made to occupy some floor space in the E.R. Thomas Motor Car Company plant there and very shortly advertising appeared in the Buffalo papers for a work force to start operations. At that time Rohfls was an assistant chemist for the Lumen Bearing Company. The Curtiss ad interested him and he answered it, which resulted in his acceptance of employment with them at once as a mechanic, first at Hammondsport then transferring to Buffalo in the spring of 1915. 

The Curtiss Buffalo Division grew rapidly, first on wing and flying boat hull construction, then by May of 1915, the making of JN training planes. About

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