Aviation in World War II were struggling to re-equip with similarly modern types and to train up aircrew. Early German successes, with the notable assistance of the Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive-bomber, overran Europe and left Britain open to attack. During the ensuing Battle of Britain, the British fighter squadrons had to quickly relearn the old tactical lessons from the first war. Initially the RAF fighters flew in a tight three-fighter arrowhead formation, soon changing to the looser four-aircraft arrangement which the Germans called the "finger-four." They soon also relearned the value of climbing above your opponent before attacking. At the same time, the development
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company doing what we can to help one another." In 1909, the AEA was disbanded and Curtiss formed the Herring-Curtiss Company with Augustus Moore Herring on March 20, 1909, which was renamed the Curtiss Aeroplane Company in 1910. The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was created on January 13, 1916 from the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York and Curtiss Motor Company of Bath, New York. Burgess Company of Marblehead, Massachusetts, became a subsidiary in February 1916. With the onset of World War I, military orders rose sharply, and Curtiss needed to expand quickly. In 1916, the company moved its