02/28/2016. Remarks by Kees Kort: "The Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF) was a government owned aircraft factory in the USA. Initiated in 1917, the NAF continued producing a large number of original design till 1956. In a country highly focused on private enterprise the position of the NAF was continually debated politically. This picture shows one of the two designs produced just after WW I. Designed to test the feasibility of taking off from carrier decks or from platform mounted on the gun turrets of big battleships, these designs were identified as SA-1 and SA-2 (SA meant Ship's Airplane).

The SA-1 was a completely bare construction where the pilot was fully exposed to the air, it was fitted with skids only - no wheels. The pictured SA-2 had a completely enclosed fuselage, making life more comfortable for the pilot. Both were fitted with a Lawrence L-1 engine rated at 65 hp. Two of each type were bought by the USN, BuNos. A-5570 and A-5571 were assigned to the SA-1, A-5572 and A-5573 to the SA-2. After the delivery of two samples of each type the plan was for an initial order of twenty machines. These were never built as the USN judged the machines too low powered for the purpose."