The first successful shipboard launch of an airplane from a Navy warship was financed by a civilian aviation enthusiast. This was pioneer aircraft manufacturer Glenn Curtiss. This took place on November 14, 1910, when Eugene Ely guided a Pusher biplane off the deck of the <em>USS Birmingham</em>. The event was very significant in the history of naval aviation.
The first successful shipboard launch of an airplane from a Navy warship occurred on November 14th 1910 from the Navy cruiser Birmingham. The pilot was a civilian named Eugene Ely.
