Thomas-Morse Aircraft
Encyclopedia
The Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation was an American
aircraft manufacturer, until it was taken over by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
in 1929.
Founded by English expatriates William T. and his brother Oliver W. Thomas http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/Aircraft/Thomas-Morse.html in 1910 as Thomas Brothers Company in Hammondsport, New York
, New York, the company moved to Hornell, New York
, New York and later Bath, New York
, New York, the same year, remaining in Bath until 1915, During 1912 and 1913, the company operated the affiliated Thomas School of Aviation in Cayuga Lake, New York, New York (taking a page from Glenn Curtiss
, who did much the same). In 1913, the name became Thomas Brothers Aeroplane Company, the home Ithaca, New York
, New York, and in 1915, Thomas Aeromotor Company was added. The firm merged with the Morse Chain Company (headed by Frank L. Morse), and recapitalized, in 1917, becoming Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation, still based in Ithaca. It became the Thomas-Morse Division of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in 1929, and ceased business in 1934.
In 1915, Thomas Brothers built T-2
tractor
biplane
s (designed by Benjamin D. Thomas, no relation to the brothers and also an Englishman, formerly of Vickers
, Sopwith
, and Curtiss
, http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/Aircraft/Thomas-Morse.html and later the company's chief designer) for the Royal Naval Air Service
. and (fitted with float
s in place of wheels) to the United States Navy
as the SH-4
. In 1916, the company won a contract from the United States Army Signal Corps
for two aircraft for evaluation, the D-5.
In January 1917, the company merged with the Morse-Chain Company and was renamed the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation. The company then made an attempt at selling training biplanes to the United States Army and was successful with the S-4 trainer (which included a handful of S-5 floatplane
s and a single S-4E) and MB series of fighters. The last company design was the O-19
observation biplane. In 1929 the company was taken over by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aircraft manufacturer, until it was taken over by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
Consolidated Aircraft
The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors. Consolidated became...
in 1929.
Founded by English expatriates William T. and his brother Oliver W. Thomas http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/Aircraft/Thomas-Morse.html in 1910 as Thomas Brothers Company in Hammondsport, New York
Hammondsport, New York
Hammondsport is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 731 at the 2000 census. The village is named after its founding father.The Village of Hammondsport is in the Town of Urbana and is northeast of Bath, New York....
, New York, the company moved to Hornell, New York
Hornell, New York
Hornell is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 9,019 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Hornell family, early settlers. Its current population has not yet been released by the new census....
, New York and later Bath, New York
Bath (village), New York
Bath is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 5,641 at the 2000 census. Bath is the county seat of Steuben County. The community was named either for the English city or for Lady Bath, daughter of William Pulteney, one of the original landowners.The Village of...
, New York, the same year, remaining in Bath until 1915, During 1912 and 1913, the company operated the affiliated Thomas School of Aviation in Cayuga Lake, New York, New York (taking a page from Glenn Curtiss
Glenn Curtiss
Glenn Hammond Curtiss was an American aviation pioneer and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle then motorcycle builder and racer, later also manufacturing engines for airships as early as 1906...
, who did much the same). In 1913, the name became Thomas Brothers Aeroplane Company, the home Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, New York, and in 1915, Thomas Aeromotor Company was added. The firm merged with the Morse Chain Company (headed by Frank L. Morse), and recapitalized, in 1917, becoming Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation, still based in Ithaca. It became the Thomas-Morse Division of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in 1929, and ceased business in 1934.
In 1915, Thomas Brothers built T-2
Thomas Brothers T-2
The Thomas Brothers T-2 was an American-built biplane which served with the Royal Navy.Built by Thomas-Morse Aircraft in Bath, New York, in 1914, it was the creation of Benjamin D...
tractor
Tractor configuration
thumb|right|[[Evektor-Aerotechnik|Aerotechnik EV97A Eurostar]], a tractor configuration aircraft, being pulled into position by its pilot for refuelling....
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s (designed by Benjamin D. Thomas, no relation to the brothers and also an Englishman, formerly of Vickers
Vickers Armstrong
Vickers-Armstrongs Limited was a British engineering conglomerate formed by the merger of the assets of Vickers Limited and Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Company in 1927...
, Sopwith
Sopwith Aviation Company
The Sopwith Aviation Company was a British aircraft company that designed and manufactured aeroplanes mainly for the British Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force in the First World War, most famously the Sopwith Camel...
, and Curtiss
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was an American aircraft manufacturer that went public in 1916 with Glenn Hammond Curtiss as president. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the company was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States...
, http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/Aircraft/Thomas-Morse.html and later the company's chief designer) for the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
. and (fitted with float
Floats (nautical)
Floats are airtight hollow structures, similar to pressure vessels, whose air-filled interior makes them buoyant in water. They are most often used to make up the multipart hulls of trimarans, small open catamarans, and floatplanes . Their main purpose is to supply buoyancy, not storage space...
s in place of wheels) to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as the SH-4
Thomas Brothers T-2
The Thomas Brothers T-2 was an American-built biplane which served with the Royal Navy.Built by Thomas-Morse Aircraft in Bath, New York, in 1914, it was the creation of Benjamin D...
. In 1916, the company won a contract from the United States Army Signal Corps
United States Army Signal Corps
The United States Army Signal Corps develops, tests, provides, and manages communications and information systems support for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, and has had an important role from...
for two aircraft for evaluation, the D-5.
In January 1917, the company merged with the Morse-Chain Company and was renamed the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation. The company then made an attempt at selling training biplanes to the United States Army and was successful with the S-4 trainer (which included a handful of S-5 floatplane
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
s and a single S-4E) and MB series of fighters. The last company design was the O-19
Thomas-Morse O-19
|-See also:-References:* John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0-904597-22-9...
observation biplane. In 1929 the company was taken over by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
Consolidated Aircraft
The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors. Consolidated became...
.
Aircraft
- Thomas Brothers D-2
- Thomas Brothers D-5
- Thomas Brothers HS
- Thomas Brothers T-2Thomas Brothers T-2The Thomas Brothers T-2 was an American-built biplane which served with the Royal Navy.Built by Thomas-Morse Aircraft in Bath, New York, in 1914, it was the creation of Benjamin D...
- Thomas Brothers S-4
- Thomas Brothers SH-4Thomas Brothers T-2The Thomas Brothers T-2 was an American-built biplane which served with the Royal Navy.Built by Thomas-Morse Aircraft in Bath, New York, in 1914, it was the creation of Benjamin D...
- Thomas-Morse MB-1
- Thomas-Morse MB-2
- Thomas-Morse MB-3
- Thomas-Morse MB-4Thomas-Morse MB-4-References:*Eberspacher, Warren. . Excerpts from AAHS Journal, Vol. 46, No. 3 - Fall 2001.*. Flight, 1 April 1920, pp. 370–373.*Wegg, John. General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors. London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-833-X.-External links:...
- Thomas-Morse MB-6
- Thomas-Morse MB-7
- Thomas-Morse MB-9Thomas-Morse MB-9|-See also:-References:*Angelucci, Enzo and Peter Bowers. The American Fighter. Yeovil, UK:Haynes Publishing, 1987. ISBN 0-85429-635-2.*Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York:Smithmark, 1994. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8....
- Thomas-Morse MB-10
- Thomas-Morse O-19Thomas-Morse O-19|-See also:-References:* John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0-904597-22-9...
- Thomas-Morse XP-13XP-13 Viper|- References :NotesBibliography* Dorr, Robert F. and David Donald. Fighters of the United States Air Force. London:Temple, 1990. ISBN 0 600 55094 X.* Gunston, Bill, World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. London: Guild Publishing, 1986.-External links:*...