About
Representing 100 years of Naval Aviation, our seal of sea- and sky-blue frames key developments in naval history. From top to bottom:
The US Navy's McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet - A supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multi-role fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets.
The Chance Vought F4U Corsair - A carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War.
The Curtiss Pusher - On November 14, 1910, Eugene Ely took off in a Curtiss pusher from a temporary platform erected over the bow of the light cruiser USS Birmingham, effectively becoming the first airplane to take off from an "aircraft carrier." Two months later, on January 18, 1911, Ely landed his Curtiss pusher airplane on a platform on the armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania anchored in San Francisco Bay, the first successful shipboard landing of an aircraft.
The third USS Yorktown (CV-5) - The lead ship of her class of aircraft carriers of World War II, was sunk at the Battle of Midway. Yorktown was commissioned in April 1943, and participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.
The Centennial of Naval Aviation™ is dedicated to the preservation of our rich, naval aviation heritage.