Ralph Barnaby Glider Launch from Dirigible

Born in 1893, Ralph Barnaby was the first American to Break Orville Wright's 1911 Soaring Record.  In 1909 at age 16, he designed, built and flew his first glider. 

He enlisted in the Navy in 1917 and received orders to MIT for ground school. He hoped for flying duty but instead spent WW I as a Naval aircraft inspector. He transferred to the regular Navy in 1920.

Barnaby qualified for United States Soaring Certificate #1 - his C badge on August 18, 1929 at South Wellfleet, Cape Cod, MA. This flight, in a Prufling glider, lasted 15 minutes and 6 seconds and exceeded Orville Wright's record of 9 minutes and 45 seconds. Orville Wright signed the certificate.

Barnaby received international attention in 1930 when he was dropped and flew from the derigible USS Los Angeles over Lakehurst, NJ, in the same German-manufactured Prufling glider in which he had earned US C badge #1.  He said the scariest part of the flight was climbing down from the derigible to get into the glider.

Barnaby was a co-founder of the Soaring Society of America and served as its president and vice-president.  He was also a trustee of the National Soaring Museum.