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biplane powered by a Curtiss OX engine. During tests Lawrence had many an exciting ride over their secret test range at Great South Bay, Long Island.

In late 1917 he enlisted as an Ensign in the Navy, later advancing to Lieutenant in March, 1918, and was granted a Naval Aviators License. While engaged in aerial torpedo development test and accident put him in the hospital and we was later released from active service.

In March, 1919, the Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company was formed at Farmingdale, Long Island, with Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company was formed at Farmingdale, Long Island, with Lawrence Sperry, President and Theodore Arter, General Manager. At first the firm bought and sold government surplus planes and engines, but soon they started developing military and private airplane. During the year, announcement was made of a new Sperry amphibian triplane. Having a 48-foot span, with a boat hull and a retractable land gear, it was powered by a pusher Liberty engine mounted on top of the middle wing. Lawrence conducted land flight tests of this machine at Mitchel Field and water tests at Rockaway Beach. The Navy made flight tests of it at Norfolk, Virginia, but the design did not develop further.

That fall and into 1920 Sperry was also experimenting with the Lawrence Sperry Sport Monoplane. This was a high-wing, externally strut-braced plane, using a standard "jenny" fuselage, engine and landing gear. With a 38-foot span and a modern high-lift airfoil it had a vastly improved performance. Sperry had erected a small factory building and did his flying from an adjoining pasture.

During November, 1920, the new Verville-Sperry Army Air Service "Messenger" plane was flying. This plane was designed at McCook Field, Dayton, Ohio, by Fred Verville's engineering group and Sperry took the contract to build them. Intended for military communication service, it was a small stagger-winged tractor biplane of 20-foot span, 2-wheel landing gear, and using a 3-cylinder, 60 [[strikethrough]] horsepower [[/strikethrough]] h.p., Lawrence radial engine. Sperry loved this little plane and