The Lewis and Vought Corporation was founded in 1917 and was soon succeeded by the Chance Vought Corporation in 1922 when Birdseye Lewis retired. A former chief engineer of the Wright Company, Chance M. Vought, founded the company to take advantage of the growing field of military and civilian aviation after World War I. Operations began in Astoria, New York, and, in 1919, were moved to Long Island City, New York.