Oliver Swann

Air Vice Marshal Sir Oliver Swann, (born Schwann; 18 November 1878 – 7 March 1948) was a British military commander who was a leading figure in the Royal Naval Air Service and senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century. Early years Schwann joined the Royal Navy in 1892, and was a lieutenant when in July 1902 he was posted as junior staff to , naval torpedo school ship at Chatham dockyard. Early naval aviation In 1910 Schwann was selected to assist Captain Murray Sueter who was conducting pioneering naval aviation work with airships. Later, Schwann bought an Avro Type D landplane (at his own expense with support from friends) for £700 and fitted floats to it. Despite not having qualified as a pilot, Schwann managed to fly it off the water. Although Schwann crashed the aircraft, this was the first aircraft take off by a British pilot from salt water. In November 1912, after Schwann had qualified as a pilot, he was appointed assistant director of the Air Department at the Admiralty, making him deputy to Murray Sueter. Over the next two years Sueter and Schwann worked to establish the Royal Naval Air Service.