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FRANCIS A. "DOC" WILDMAN
Early Curtiss Engine Expert - Pilot - Instructor

Francis A. Wildman was born on a farm near Pulteney, Steuben County, New York, on November 4, 1882. Later the family moved to Hammondsport, New York, where Francis attended high school and did odd jobs about the village for about two years following graduation. He then obtained employment as a steel worker with the ElmiraBridge Works for approximately one year, later becoming lineman with the Bell Telephone Company. He remained with them for about three years, during which time he advanced to foreman on a new trunk line project from New York State to New Orleans, Louisiana.
   When this was completed Wildman returned to Hammondsport, bought a boat and started a passenger and delivery service for the shore residents of Lake Keuka. this venture was not successful, and Wildman started working as a mechanic for Glenn Curtiss in his cycle shop. Curtiss was making motorcycles and Wildman developed a real interest in building and testing engines.
   Capt. T. S. Baldwin had been using Curtiss motorcycle engines in his first dirigibles and in 1907 bid on a contract to build a larger one for the U. S. Army. Baldwin moved his operations to Hammondsport and a dirigible hangar was erected. In view of these activities Curtiss started working on larger engines for aircraft, and Capt. Baldwin proceeded to build and test this new Army airship there. Curtiss had gone up with Baldwin as engine man on test flights and eventually began flying an airship himself. As a mechanic for Curtiss, Wildman's work soon turned into quite an aeronautical venture.
   That summer Curtiss also made trips to Nova Scotia to discuss installation of a Curtiss engine in one of Dr. Alexander Graham bell's tetrahedral kites. this led to the forming of the Aerial Experiment Association in October, 1907, to experiment with flying machines. Wildman soonfound himself in the midst of those now historic activities and assisted in the building and testing of the planes and engines made by that notable organization in 1908. Late that fall,