John M. Miller III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John M. Miller III
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John Matthew Miller III posed standing in front of Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro
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John Matthew Miller III
June 3, 1896 |
| Died | circa 1980's |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Naval aviator and aircraft manufacturer |
John Matthew Miller III (born 1896, died around the 1980s) was an amazing American pilot and aircraft builder. He flew many different types of planes, like those for the Navy, airmail, and even helicopters! He also started his own airplane company. He worked for the United States Navy, the US Aerial Mail Service, Pitcairn Aircraft Company, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Contents
Early Life and Flying Adventures
John Matthew Miller III was born on June 3, 1896, in Tacoma, Washington. He went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). During his summers, he worked at an airplane factory called the Burgess Company.
When World War I was happening in 1917, Miller joined the Navy's aviation program at MIT. He learned to fly for the United States Navy in Virginia and Florida. On March 16, 1918, he became an Ensign and a United States Naval Aviator. He helped patrol the waters near New York. After the war ended in December 1918, he went on inactive duty.
Flying the Mail
Miller then became an airmail pilot for two years. He trained to fly the Wright DH-4 plane. He became the station manager in Bustleton, Pennsylvania. On May 22, 1919, he flew the first non-stop mail route between Cleveland and Chicago.
In 1920, he worked for a company called America Trans Oceanic. Miller also flew survey flights in Quebec, Canada, in 1922. Later, he managed operations for Pitcairn Aeronautical Corporation in New Jersey.
Miller Aviation Corporation
On August 2, 1927, Miller started his own company, the Miller Aviation Corporation. It was based at New Brunswick Airport, also known as "Miller Field." His company taught people how to fly. They also offered fun sightseeing flights and charter flights for passengers.
In 1928, Harlan D. Fowler, who invented the Fowler flap for airplane wings, worked for Miller. Later that year, Miller Aviation Corporation designed and built a special plane. It was called the Miller MCA-1, a twin-engine amphibian biplane. This plane could land on both water and land.
A Tricky Landing
The MCA-1 plane had successful water landings. However, during its first landing on the ground, it flipped over! The plane was badly damaged, but luckily, Miller was not hurt. Soon after this accident, his company closed down.
Miller then went back to work for Pitcairn. He flew the Pitcairn PCA-2 autogiro, which is a type of aircraft that looks like a helicopter but flies more like a plane. He then flew for the United States Department of Agriculture until World War II.
War Service and Retirement
During World War II, Miller rejoined the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander. He became a helicopter test pilot in Maryland. After the war, he returned to the Department of Agriculture. He finally retired in 1956.
Planes John Miller Flew
John Miller flew many different kinds of aircraft during his career:
- The Wright DH-4
- The Curtis Seagull
- The Pitcairn PA-3 Orowing
- His own Miller Corporation MCA-1 Amphibian Biplane
- The autogiro Pitcairn PCA-2
Documents about Miller's life from 1914 to 1939 are kept in the National Air and Space Museum Archives.
Images for kids
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John Matthew Miller III posed standing in front of Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro
