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


CHANCE M. VOUGHT
Early Wright Pilot - Designer - Engineer - Manufacturer

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Chance M. Vought was born in New York City February 26, 1888, son of a well known boat builder. He attended public schools and Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, then entered New York University in Engineering, later transferring to the University of Pennsylvania.

After completing college in 1910 Vought became employed as a consulting engineer by Harold F. McCormick, of the Chicago McCormick Harvester firm, in charge of various experimental development projects. There he had his first association with aviation.

McCormick had become interested in and was financially assisting William S. Romme, a New York inventer, who was promoting a very unusual aeroplane of circular configuration called the Romme Umbrellaplane. This project started in New York, then during the winter months of 1910-1911 was moved to San Antonio, Texas where experiments continued.

During the late spring of 1911 the equipment and work was moved to the new Cicero Flying Field at Chicago where operations were resumed. There is evidence that Vought did considerable work on this project, at times assisted by Sidney V. James, another young college man on the McCormick staff. It appears that three of these McCormick-Romme planes were made during the

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