A new weapon

In 1914, the first JN4 biplanes were brought to life by Mr Glenn Curtiss. He was the first American to appreciate that tractor planes were the vogue in Europe, and were being used in warfare.

He traveled to the Sopwith Air Factory in England, and got their designer, Mr Benjamin Thomas, to help him make the new Curtiss JN4.

This is the plane that Paul Becker was going to fly in "Enemy Within". Obviously those of you who have read the book will appreciate what that statement really means!

Of course, Becker, being German, was trained at the Gotha Flying School, where the fearsome Gotha bomber planes were made. Those German planes, along with British Sopwith and Avro`s were the real fighters of WW1.

The "Jenny", as she became affectionately known, became the main training plane for all US Navy and Air Force servicemen. 95% of American, and many British crew learnt how to fly in the JN4.

A heavier model called the JN-4H was also made that saw action as a fighter plane.

Between 1920 and 1926, the Jenny`s found new fame in Flying Circuses, when ex servicemen formed highly successful commercial shows by walking along the widespan wings while in full flight.

1927 was the last time that the JN4`s saw commercial use. By that time, more than 10,000 of these aircrafts had been made, and they had trained the first generation of American and British pilots.

Paul Becker used it too.

Happy New Year to everyone. May 2017 soar high in the clouds for you!