Viewing page 11 of 21

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

work at the Thomas flying field. He continued flying practice and a few months later the company assigned him to experimental test flying. This started a most noteworthy career of several years with the Thomas organization, during which time he acted as company test pilot, at intervals including demonstration flying of new experimental [[strikethrough]] model [[/strikethrough]] type planes at Government flying fields before aviation officers, as Assistant Production Manager at the factory and other staff executive assignments. During that time he flight-tested many varied types and classifications of new experimental planes, from trainers to special race machines, which attested to his exceptional ability as an all-around test pilot. 

During 1916 the firm also started in the aircraft engine busines and had formed the Thomas Aeromotor Company, then in January, 1917 the original Thomas Company and the Aeromotor Company were merged into one firm, known as the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation, through a connection with the Morse Chain Company. Expansion was rapid and soon a sizeable force of workmen was employed. Mr. F. L. Morse objected to continuing the flying school so W. T. Thomas did so on his own and scores of World War-I pilots were trained. 

The firm [[strikethrough]] hurriedly [[/strikethrough]] soon brought out several new types of military aircraft, both experimentally and in production. Best known was the S-4 series, or "Tommy" as it was popularly called, which were produced in sizable quantities in several succeeding model developments. At that time 1,400 workmen were employed and the firm had just started on an order for 500 additional "Tommy" planes at the time of the Armistice. This was followed by the well known "MB" series of pursuit planes which were highly successful and later generally credited with being the real forerunner of [[strikethrough]] all [[/strikethrough]] U.S. Air Service fighter aircraft. Throughout that entire critical period Wilson [[strikethrough]] actively [[/strikethrough]] contributed much to the Thomas-Morse aircraft program. In March, 1919 Wilson and "Tex" Marshall flew "FM" scout planes from the Hazelhurst Field, Mineola, Long Island, New York to Ithaca, New York, landing at Binghamton, New York for fuel. Wilson carried a New York [[strikethrough]] TIMES [[/strikethrough]] Times News Reporter as a passenger.

Following World War I the firm continued an active military aircraft experimental development program in an effort to remain in business in spire of a marked slump in procurement of Government aircraft. Several varying models of planes

2