The US National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was founded as an emergency measure during WWI.
NACA played a crucial role in aeronautics development worldwide due to several critical design features thought up by NACA scientists and engineers. It also helped give US aircraft the edge they needed during WWII. In 1958 NACA was dissolved to create the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), with all NACA personnel and assets transferred to the new organization.