1879-1913 |
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via email from Dave Lam, 11-15-04 One of your correspondents asked for information on the Burgess Model J aircraft. The Burgess Company bought rights to make versions of both the Curtiss and the Wright Aircraft, and at various times was called the Burgess-Curtiss and the Burgess-Wright company. The Model J was a modified Wright Design (which probably caused the confusion as to which kind of aircraft Love died in). The Model J is described by F.G. Swanborough ("United States Military Aircraft Since 1909-- Putnam, London, 1963) as an "unimportant type", which was a "Wright Design Modified". Sorry, but I have no other information on it. I seriously doubt it was a seaplane of any type-- Some of the Burgess H models (first tractor propeller types for the Army, still used wing-warping and Wright Model B type landing Gear) were converted to Seaplanes, but I have found no mention of the J being so converted. Although most references I find say that Love died in the Crash of a Wright Model C, I can't believe this-- These only had aircraft numbers 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14--- Thus, if the number given by your correspondent is correct (#18), it could not have been a Wright. Checking Army Air Service numbers, I find that the #18 was assigned to what appears to be the only Burgess Type J in the inventory, and it crashed on 4 September 1913. Thus, I think we can safely say that in fact Love did not crash in a Wright "C", but in a very similar modification called the Burgess "J". Love Field, near Dallas Texas, was named after Love in the expansion of the US Army Air Service Training programs during WWI. It was opened 19 October 1917. |
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via email from Mike Miller, 9-28-04 The first sentence of the Love paragraph begins: "Lt. Love took off at 7:26 a.m. on Thursday morning in the Burgess J, number 18, to practice for his Military Aviator rating. He circled the island several times and climbed to about 2000 feet, then flew at that altitude for twenty minutes. Then he began volplaning to a landing. His form in the seat in front of the wings was clearly visible. Witnesses watched his movements. After completing a right turn at 1000 feet he continued the straightaway glide. At an altitude of 300 feet, he was observed to put on power. He continued gliding at the same angle as before for quite a perceptible period of time. The angle of the glide became steeper and steeper into a vertical glide. The crash occurred close to the South end of North Island where Williams had lost his life in 1912. Love was the third Military Aviator to be killed in the local [San Diego] area; the 348th fatality in world aviation since 1908. He was 32, single and respected for his polo skills [!]....the only reasons that could be given for the accident were either that Love became unconscious in the air or the dive was caused by bad air." |
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HISTORY "On September 4, 1913, First Lieutenant Moss Lee Love, 11th Cavalry was killed in a Type C Wright pusher bi-plane at North Island, San Diego, California, practicing for his Military Aviator Test. He had been under the instruction of Lt. Frank P. Lahm in the Philippines in the Spring of 1912. Lt. Love was born on born September 16, 1879 in Fairfax, Va. He was appointed to the Army from civil life and received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant on December 1, 1910." You can access the site by clicking on the title above. |
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Personal communication from Mike Miller, 10-2-04. If you have any information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper |
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