Description

    W. Laurence LePage was an important American pioneer in vertical flight and the first to receive a contract from the US Military for a helicopter. We are offering Platt-Lepage Aircraft Coveralls, that may have belonged to LePage himelf,  and a diploma-like certifcate ,dated October 15, 1940, appointing W. Laurence LePage  a member of the Subcommittee on Rotating Wing Aircraft of the Committee on Aerodynamics of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, that is signed by Vannevar Bush as Chairman and J.F. Victory as Secretary of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The coveralls are in good condtion with no tears or holes but there is some staining as the images make evident. The certificate is mounted on paper board that is orginal to it. 

From Vertipidia:

Dr. W. Laurence LePage received the Society’s [Vertical Flight Society] Honorary Fellowship in 1980 in recognition of his over thirty-five years of contributions to the helicopter field. A true pioneer, Dr. LePage aggressively campaigned with the U. S. Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and the Postal Service for support of the Dorsey Bill (HR-8143) to provide funding for helicopter development.

In his early career, LePage helped form Kellett Autogiro Corporation where he was Vice President and Chief Engineer until 1933. At Keflett, LePage became acquainted with Haviland Platt during development of his Cyclogiro.

LePage formed Platt-LePage Aircraft Company in 1939, combining the talents and abilities of LePage, Platt, Laurence Rockefeller, and Grover Loaning. He formed the company specifically to design and build the PL-3 twin-rotored helicopter, later designated by the Army as the XR-1.

Under his leadership as President and Chief Engineer, the company was awarded the U. S. Army contract for the XR-1 in July 1940, with the first flight taking place in April, 1941, and the first delivery to the U. S. Army in 1944.