Verville-Sperry M-1 Messenger

The diminutive M-1 "Messenger" was designed in 1919-20 at McCook Field under the direction of Mr. Alfred Verville. It was intended to serve as an aerial dispatch carrier and to maintain liaison between field units. Forty-two Messengers were built by Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Company for the Army, some of which were tested as radio-controlled aerial torpedoes.

The hook mounted above the upper wing is the one used in the first successful contact between an airplane and an airship while in flight. This occurred on September 18, 1923 over Langley Field, Virginia, when a Sperry Messenger piloted by Lt. Rex K. Stoner, "landed" on a trapeze suspended from the D-3 Army Air Service airship.

Tell A Friend About World-War-1.info

The contents of this web site are Copyright © 2003 Otherground, LLC and World-War-1.info.
All Rights Reserved. Please review our Privacy Policy.

World War 1 is the best World War 1 information resource on the Internet. We offer information on World War 1 History, World War 1 Timeline, World War 1 Facts, World War 1 Quotes, World War 1 Poems, World War 1 Pictures, World War 1 Posters, World War 1 Propaganda, World War 1 Aircraft, World War 1 Weapons, World War 1 Battles, World War 1 Memorial, World War 1 Links, and more.

Help us make this site better - and have fun! Take our quick survey. Click here!