When Airship No. 1, which had been built at Barrow, was finally abandoned in 1912, her officers were sent to Farnborough as “The Naval Wing” to gain experience of the military airships and of the Royal Aircraft Factory where they were built. A German Parsival Airship, No. 4, and a French Astra Airship, No. 3, were bought by the Admiralty for the Naval Wing.

In 1913 I succeeded in getting transferred to the Naval Wing and I found in the Naval Mess a most inspiring community. Lieut. Commander N. F. Usborne was the dominant spirit.