Frank Wead

Frank Wilber "Spig" Wead (born October 24, 1895, in Peoria, Illinois – died November 15, 1947, in Santa Monica, California) was a U.S. Navy aviator turned screenwriter who helped promote United States Naval aviation from its inception through World War II. A 1916 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Wead began to promote Naval Aviation after World War I through air racing and speed competitions. This competition, mainly against the United... more

Frank Wilber "Spig" Wead (born October 24, 1895, in Peoria, Illinois – died November 15, 1947, in Santa Monica, California) was a U.S. Navy aviator turned screenwriter who helped promote United States Naval aviation from its inception through World War II. A 1916 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Wead began to promote Naval Aviation after World War I through air racing and speed competitions. This competition, mainly against the United States Army (and its leader Jimmy Doolittle), helped push U.S. military aviation forward. These competitions would give military aviation a much-needed spotlight in the public eye. The public attention that it generated helped push Congress to fund the advancement of military aviation. During World War I, Wead served on a minelayer in the North Sea. After World War I he was a test pilot for the Navy. In September 1923, Wead was a member of the United States Navy team that traveled to Cowes, England, to compete in the Schneider Cup Race ... less