Naval Aviation
In 1911 he was selected as one of the first four Royal Navy officers to receive pilot training, obtaining his Royal Aero Club certificate on 25 April 1911 after completing only 71 minutes in the air. He completed flying training at navy's school at Eastchurch before being appointed Officer Commanding of Naval Air Station Eastchurch in October 1911. In January 1912 he was promoted to acting Commander. The following April he was appointed Officer Commanding the Naval Flying School, still at Eastchurch. Samson took part in various early naval aviation experiments, including the development of navigation lights and bomb sights. He was the first British pilot to take off from a ship, on 10 January 1912, from a foredeck ramp mounted on the battleship HMS Africa, which was anchored in the river Medway, flying a Short S.27. On 9 May 1912, using the same ramp and aircraft, he became the first pilot to take off from a moving ship, the battleship HMS Hibernia in Weymouth Bay. He repeated this feat on 4 July 1912 from the battleship HMS London while London was under way, using the same ramp and aircraft.
When the Royal Flying Corps was formed in May 1912, Samson took command of its Naval Wing, and led the development of aerial wireless communications, bomb- and torpedo-dropping, navigational techniques, and night flying.
In 1914 the Royal Navy separated the Naval Wing from the Royal Flying Corps, naming it the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). In July Samson was appointed Officer Commanding the Eastchurch (Mobile) Squadron which was renamed No. 3 Squadron RNAS by September 1914.
In 1914, while Samson was in command of the Royal Naval Air Station at Eastchurch, he led a flight in the Naval Review at Spithead. In an effort to increase the popularity of flying in the navy, Samson had his pilots offer rides to anyone who was interested.
Read more about this topic: Charles Rumney Samson
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