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Burgess Company

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The Burgess Company was a U.S. airplane manufacturer between 1910 and 1918.

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18-484: The business was incorporated in 1910 as the "Burgess Company and Curtis, Inc." (after W. Starling Burgess and Greely S. Curtis , its co-founders with Frank Henry Russell ). The company was an offshoot of the W. Starling Burgess Shipyard, of Marblehead, Massachusetts . Burgess was the first licensed aircraft manufacturer in the United States. On February 1, 1911, it received a license to build Wright aircraft from

36-630: A flying school. The same aircraft (S.C. No. 17) in December 1914 was the first in the Army to demonstrate two-way air-to-ground radio communications. Frank Henry Russell Frank Henry Russell (July 17, 1878 – August 4, 1947) was an American aviation pioneer and the first General Manager of the Wright Brothers Company at Dayton , Ohio . He went on to co-found the Burgess Company and

54-618: The Manufacturers Aircraft Association . He was the Vice President and a director of Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company and a director of Curtiss-Wright Corporation . Russell was born on July 17, 1878, in Mansfield, Ohio, to Reverend Frank Russell, Congregationalist minister and descendant of Reverend Noadiah Russell , and Aurelia Squire Henry Russell. He was a nephew of Russell Alexander Alger and Avra P. Russell. He

72-580: The Wright Brothers , who held several key aeronautical patents . Burgess was charged licensing fees of $ 1000 per aircraft and $ 100 per exhibition flight. In 1912 Burgess fitted some of its Wright Model F airplanes with pontoons, contrary to the Wright Company's licensing provisions, which permitted only exact copies of their designs. The license agreement was terminated by mutual consent in January 1914. In

90-415: The Wright Brothers , who held several key aeronautical patents . Burgess was charged licensing fees of $ 1000 per aircraft and $ 100 per exhibition flight. In 1912 Burgess fitted some of its Wright Model F airplanes with pontoons, contrary to the Wright Company's licensing provisions, which permitted only exact copies of their designs. The license agreement was terminated by mutual consent in January 1914. In

108-604: The Wright brothers demonstrated their aeroplane in a flight over New York harbor. Russell witnessed the demonstration from the roof of his factory and sought to meet them. Russell joined the newly formed Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company as General Manager in 1910. Russell sold the first military aircraft to the US Army, and donated the prior experimental model which is now at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. In 1911, Russell joined in

126-482: The formation of the Burgess Company with his friend and Milton Academy classmate William Starling Burgess , who had been manufacturing aircraft under license from Wright. Burgess was acquired by Curtiss in 1914 and Russell became the Vice President - General Manager, and a director of the Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company . Under his direction the company developed many of the most successful military planes of

144-535: The manager of the Wright Company 's Dayton factory, managed their production operations. The Burgess Company was acquired on February 10, 1914, by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company . The Burgess Company then operated as a manufacturing subsidiary producing Curtiss's naval training aircraft in late 1916 and continued to produce these aircraft under the Burgess name during World War I until its main production facility

162-429: The manager of the Wright Company 's Dayton factory, managed their production operations. The Burgess Company was acquired on February 10, 1914, by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company . The Burgess Company then operated as a manufacturing subsidiary producing Curtiss's naval training aircraft in late 1916 and continued to produce these aircraft under the Burgess name during World War I until its main production facility

180-590: The same month, January 1914, the organization became the Burgess Company, a name change to avoid confusion with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Engine Company. Greely S. Curtis continued as Treasurer and its major shareholder. Burgess designed and flight tested most of the aircraft that were manufactured at the two plant sites in Marblehead. Curtis was the company's financial and engineering adviser and Russell, formerly

198-419: The same month, January 1914, the organization became the Burgess Company, a name change to avoid confusion with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Engine Company. Greely S. Curtis continued as Treasurer and its major shareholder. Burgess designed and flight tested most of the aircraft that were manufactured at the two plant sites in Marblehead. Curtis was the company's financial and engineering adviser and Russell, formerly

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216-649: The time, which included the NC-4 flying boat and racing planes flown by Jimmy Doolittle and Major Al Williams. Curtiss-Wright was formed in 1929 by the merger of the two formerly rival companies and Russell became a director of the combined enterprise, as well as president of Curtiss Asset Corporation and Curtiss-Caproni, Inc. Some sources credit Russell with pioneering the designs for US fighter aircraft of World War II. In 1931, Russell moved to his farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in active retirement until his death there in 1948. He

234-538: Was a director of the Budd Company and focused his efforts on applying aircraft streamlining concepts to trains. In 1917, Russell participated in the formation of the Manufacturers Aircraft Association and was elected its secretary and later its president, which he remained until his death. The industry association was created to mediate patent disputes between aircraft and component manufacturers that had been hampering American military preparedness during World War I. He

252-646: Was also a member of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics . Russell served as president of the Montauk Club and vice-commodore of the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club on Long Island. He died at his home, Tinker Farm, in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania , on August 4, 1947. Burgess Company The Burgess Company was a U.S. airplane manufacturer between 1910 and 1918. The business

270-532: Was graduated from Yale in 1900, and married Marietta Ford on December 31, 1902. He joined the Laurentide Paper Company of Quebec as Manager of Sales, but came to be recognized for ability in manufacturing management. He became president of Automatic Hook & Eye Company, a predecessor company to Talon Zipper, in Hoboken, New Jersey and held patents for processes in the manufacture of the zipper. In 1908,

288-415: Was incorporated in 1910 as the "Burgess Company and Curtis, Inc." (after W. Starling Burgess and Greely S. Curtis , its co-founders with Frank Henry Russell ). The company was an offshoot of the W. Starling Burgess Shipyard, of Marblehead, Massachusetts . Burgess was the first licensed aircraft manufacturer in the United States. On February 1, 1911, it received a license to build Wright aircraft from

306-576: Was totally destroyed by fire on November 8, 1918. The company provided seaplanes and other aircraft to the military. The first tractor configuration airplane purchased by the U.S. Army was a Burgess H (S.C. No. 9) in August 1912. In September 1913, a Burgess Model F seaplane based on a modified Wright Model B design with pontoons, was delivered to the Signal Corps for use in the Philippines to maintain

324-420: Was totally destroyed by fire on November 8, 1918. The company provided seaplanes and other aircraft to the military. The first tractor configuration airplane purchased by the U.S. Army was a Burgess H (S.C. No. 9) in August 1912. In September 1913, a Burgess Model F seaplane based on a modified Wright Model B design with pontoons, was delivered to the Signal Corps for use in the Philippines to maintain

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