Home About Us Companies/Markets News Careers Investors
Curtiss-Wright Corporate History
  On the path to continued innovation and growth

Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW) has a long history with its roots dating back to the Wright brothers' first flight in 1903. Curtiss-Wright has continued on the path innovation and advanced engineering, and have applied that expertise to a number of critical applications in high performance markets. Our success has resulted in a world-renowned reputation for performance, long-standing customer relationships and significant growth and profitability in the markets in which we compete.

Timeline (mouse-over event for historic photos)

1903
1907
1908
1910
1911
1912
1914
1916
1917
1920
1923
1927
1929
1930
1935
1937
1940
1941
1942
1945
1948
1960
1968
1978
1990
1997
2002
2006

First Flight: December 17, 1903, amid the dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieve one of civilized man's fondest dreams - flight. Also occurring that year, Glenn Curtiss sets a world land speed record of 64 miles per hour with a 40HP V8 powered motorcycle of his own design.

Alexander Graham Bell persuades Glenn Curtiss to join his Aerial Experiment Association.

Glenn Curtiss builds his own aircraft and in 1908 the AEA "June Bug" takes to the air as the first "official" airplane flight.

Glenn Curtiss flies from Albany, New York, along the Hudson River, to New York City, a feat of 137 mph in just less than 153 minutes, averaging 55mph and winning the $10,000 purse prize posted by publisher Joseph Pulitzer. He then flew over Manhattan Island and circled the Statue of Liberty. Also in 1910, the U.S. Navy expresses interest in military aircraft and Curtiss sets up shop in San Diego to work with U.S. Navy to develop naval aircraft requirements for his Model D biplane to be launched from the USS Birmingham, the first carrier launch of an airplane.


January 18, sees the first carrier landing,
Curtiss produces the Triad A-1 seaplane with both wheels and pontoons for purchase by the U.S. Navy and a number of other governments around the world. Glenn Curtiss becomes the first person to receive air pilot license. License #1 is issued by the Aero Club of America on June 9, 1911. (Wright Brothers license were numbers 4 and 5.)


Glenn Curtiss produces the two seat "Flying Fish" aircraft. Wilbur Wright dies at age 45, of Typhoid fever, on May 12, 1912.


Glenn Curtiss produces the larger H-4 "America" flying boat with two engines, with several models purchased by the Royal Navy at the outset of World War One.


Glenn Curtiss begins manufacturing of the JN-4 "Jenny",
the most famous North American Aircraft in WWI, for the U.S. Army with thousands sold to the United States, Britain and Canada. Curtiss employs more than 21,000 workers in Buffalo and Hammondsport, New York, producing more than 10,000 aircraft.


U.S. Navy requisitions NC-4 long-range four engine flying boat
to hold crew of five.


Curtiss Factory in Garden City, Long Island is opened



Curtiss Seaplanes win the Schneider Cup
with speeds approaching 180 mph.


Wright Aeronautical introduces the Cyclone engine.


Orville Wright sells Wright Aeronautical Company to Curtiss
Aeroplane and Motor Company on July 5. Curtiss-Wright Corporation was formed with the merger of 12 Wright and Curtiss affiliated companies on July 5, 1929. On August 22nd of that same year, Curtiss-Wright Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.


Glenn Curtiss dies at the age of 52, following complications from appendix surgery and is buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Hammondsport, New York.

The redesigned Wright cyclone is released as the 14 cylinder Wright R-2600, and becomes the most dominating aircraft engine then and into WWII.

Curtiss-Wright develops the Curtiss P-36 Hawk Fighter Plane, tested and accepted by the U. S. Army. It results in the largest peacetime aircraft order ever given by the Army Air Corps. The Wright R-2250 18 cylinder engine is released and dominated WWII allied airplane engine installations.


Curtiss-Wright opens state-of-the-art research laboratory with pioneering high velocity wind tunnel and large altitude chamber (lab later donated to Cornell University).


WWII: Curtiss-Wright leads the world in the production of aircraft engines, producing 142,840 engines for 13,789 P-40 Warhawk airplanes, with a complement of 146,468 propellers, while employing more than 43,000 employees. Curtiss-Wright constructed more than 29,000 airplanes during WWII, including the Curtiss Commando transport and the Navy dive bomber, the Helldiver.


Work begins on the Wright R-3350,
18 cylinder "Duplex-Cyclone" turbo-compound radial piston engines, with 16 foot propeller, for the Boeing B-29 Super fortress.


War's End: By the end of WWII, Curtiss-Wright becomes the second largest U.S. company (General Motors remains first), with production facilities in Buffalo NY, St. Louis MO, Indianapolis IN, Louisville KY, Columbus and Cincinnati OH, Patterson, Woodridge, Clifton and Caldwell, NJ.


Orville Wright dies of heart failure, at age 76, on January 30, 1948. 1953: Douglas DC-7 is introduced in May of that year with now fully perfected Wright R-3350, one of the post powerful radial aircraft engines ever produced in the United States, delivering up to 3,700 HP.


With the demise of the large production piston aircraft engine, Curtiss-Wright explores new industries to expand and replace products and services.


Curtiss-Wright expands into metal improvements markets with "MI" Metal Improvements business segment.


Curtiss-Wright refocuses on aviation business, within aircraft component maintenance, repair, overhaul, refurbishment and re-engineering.
.

Glenn Curtiss inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
.

Curtiss-Wright forms Curtiss-Wright Flow Control around Target Rock acquisition (see below panel for details). Curtiss-Wright celebrates 75th anniversary.


Curtiss-Wright Controls expands into embedded computing market,
with acquisition of Vista Controls, Penny & Giles and Autronics,


2006 Glenn Curtiss is inducted into Long Island Technology hall of Fame
(click here for more).



Our History
  From aviation leader to global supplier to the defense, power, Process and industrial markets
 

From piston engines to critical needs: After the end of WWII (click above fold for Curtiss Wright corporate history), Curtiss-Wright began to move away from its piston-based airplane engine manufacturing and started expanding into other markets to support the United State's Navy's nuclear program, beginning with the purchase of Target Rock.

Timeline (mouse-over event for historic photos, click logos to view company web sites)

1961
1997
1998
1999
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

Curtiss-Wright acquires and expands into the flow control market, supporting U.S. Naval nuclear program.


Curtiss-Wright Flow Control business segment is formed
around the original Target Rock company.


First acquisition is completed: . The company is a major supplier of valves, actuators, pumps, motors, snubbers, instrumentation, diagnostic and test equipment, service and repair, and engineering services to the nuclear power industry.


Engineering andare acquired. Farris is a world leader in the design and production of a wide range of spring-loaded and pilot-operated pressure relief valves. They are used as safety devices to prevent over-pressurization of vessels, pipelines, and equipment. Sprague Products provides a variety of air-operated, high pressure pumps and boosters and pneumatic and hydraulic valves.


In a busy year, four new companies join the Curtiss-Wright Flow Control family.
(Solent & Pratt), based in the U.K., is a world leader in manufacturing high performance butterfly valves. is a provider of state-of-the-art electronic components, systems and software used in U.S. Navy nuclear propulsion plant systems for both submarines and aircraft carriers. specializes in the design, engineering, and manufacture of critical-service industrial valves and related equipment, including the DeltaGuardŽ series of delayed coking unheading systems. Finally, Curtiss-Wright Flow Control forms a joint venture with SPLAV of Russia to become (Solenoid Valve), a recognized leader in supplying valves to the commercial nuclear power, power and Process markets in Eastern Europe. SV supplies solenoid and relief valves designed by Target Rock.


Curtiss-Wright Flow Control and of Korea launch a joint venture forming a Curtiss-Wright Korea KPS business unit. (Electro-Mechanical Division) is acquired. It manufactures and designs the most advanced pumps, motors, generators, propulsors, mechanical seals, control rod drive mechanisms and power conditioning electronics available to the U.S. Navy, commercial nuclear power markets and Process industries. Also this same year, is acquired. The company designs and manufactures highly engineered, critical function electro-mechanical solutions for the U.S. Navy, commercial nuclear power utilities, petrochemical, and hazardous waste industries. Finally, International is purchased to expand presence in the petrochemical/refinery industry with its metal seated industrial gate valves, butterfly valves, flapper valves, actuators, and internal components.


begins to be developed (from Imes Engineering acquisition). It offers integrated solutions for all phases of process safety management compliance programs, including iPRSMŽ for Process Safety Management Software for oil and gas as well as all other processing industries.


(Engineered Pump Division) is purchased to provide technologically advanced, highly engineered pumping solutions to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, commercial marine, and foreign military programs. Three other acquisitions that same year include Machine Products, and . Nova Machine Products is a major supplier of nuclear quality and bolting solutions to nuclear power plants, the Department of Energy, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Accessory and Equipment (A&E) firms that support the nuclear power industry. TRENTEC is an internationally recognized leader in nuclear facility replacement parts, diamond wire concrete cutting services, airlocks, hatches and specialty doors, electrical control systems and custom fabrication. They are the leading providers of equipment qualification and dedication services, operating the leading seismic lab in the nation with a one-of-a-kind-tri-axial shaker table. GROQUIP is the only single source provider of pressure process solutions for the petrochemical, Process processing, power, paper, food/beverage and pharmaceutical industries.


The HydaNut™ Technology bolting solution and its proprietary technologies are acquired and become part of the Machine product line. This advanced bolding technology offers superior joint integrity in critical high temperature applications while reducing outage time and personnel radiation exposure time.


Four months after the acquisition ofSystems, it merges with TAPCO International (acquired in 2002) to become International. The merger expands the company's presence in the global oil and gas industry. It provides high performance, severe service metal seated industrial gate valves, butterfly valves, flapper valves, actuators, and internal components. Later in the year, , an advanced technology company that manufacturers patented machine condition monitoring based on ultrasonic "stress wave" measurement was acquired.


New acquisitions include Advanced Controls and Drives, and (Valve Systems and Controls). Benshaw is a leading electrical engineering and manufacturing company, Benshaw provides turnkey motor and machine control and protection solutions for OEM customers. Scientech is a global providers utilities (nuclear and fossil) with hardware, technology, risk and reliability information and process solutions aimed at improving safety and plant performance, efficiency, reliability, and reducing costs. VSC (Valve Systems and Controls) specializes in critical valve, automation, and controls solutions for all facets of flow control operations to the oil and gas market.


To request additional or more specific information, please click here to use the Request Info Form, or phone us at (631) 293-3800 , Fax: (631) 293-6144.
 
Defense | Power | Process | Industrial | Contact Us | Site Map