United States - 1918 DH-4

Never a Dull Moment

Work on the new section on the overview of American aero squadrons is going slowly but steadily. It has reminded me of the fact that nothing is simple, and each door you open is not an exit but another set of rooms and doors still unexplored.Besides laying out new pages and nailing down the navigation in a coherent manner, I am busy working on new master files and two new sets of unit insignias for this section. One insignia set is virtual decals for use on profiles, the other set is larger images to use in the articles.

Overview of the De Havilland DH-4

Designed in 1916 by Geoffrey de Havilland, the D.H.4 was the only British design manufactured by the Americans. It was easily identified by its rectangular fuselage and deep frontal radiator. Versatile, heavily armed and equipped with a powerful twelve cylinder engine. American built DH-4 used the Liberty engine. This biplane which operated as an observation aircraft and daylight bomber was fast and maneuverable. The American version was manufactured by Dayton-Wright and was called the “Liberty Plane”.

Sometimes called the “Flaming Coffin”, its huge fuel tank was dangerously positioned between the pilot and observer, hindering communication. Produced in vast numbers, 6295, of which 4846 were built in the United States, many D.H.4s were modified for civilian air service after the war.

Squadron-D Day Wing Northern Bombing Group U.S.M.C.

Dayton-Wright DH-4 Squadron-D Day Wing Northern Bombing Group U.S.M.C.

This American built Dayton-Wright DH-4 Liberty Plane flew in then Squadron-D Day Wing Northern Bombing Group of the United States Marine Corps. The profile shows the aircraft when at La-Frene, France during Oct of 1918. The white D-5 is the flight and airplane identifier. The Insignia is for the Marine Corps. The fuselage, wings and tail plane are painted olive drab on the upper surfaces and light gray on the lower areas. The wing roundels are added in the standard 4 place configuration (Upper wing top surface, Lower wing bottom surface). The landing gear struts are the newer reinforced design.

50^th Aero Squadron - 1st Observation Group U.S.A.S.

Airco D.H.4 50^th Aero Squadron - 1918

The 50^th was known as the Dutch Girl Squadron. They borrowed their squadron insignia from the label on a kitchen cleanser popular during that time. It went with their motto: “Cleaning up on Germany”. The examples I have seen have unbordered black numbers, and olive drab upper surfaces and varnished fabric on the lower surfaces. The wings on their American built DH-4 have roundels in the standard 4 spot scheme.

During Meuse-Argonne offensive the 50th Aero Squadron earned their reputation for heroism supporting the offensive by flying contact patrols where they were in constant communication with ground units and providing vital intelligence. On the 5^th of October Elements of the U.S. 77th Infantry Division (Who became known as the “Lost Battalion”) were cut off and surrounded on a heavily forested hillside northeast of the town of Binarville. The U.S. Army came up with a plan to resupply them from the air. The mission was give to the 50th. During attempts to locate the men, 1st Lt. Harold Goettler and 2nd Lt. Erwin Bleckley were brought down by ground fire on their second flight of the day Both men died and were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that was upgraded in 1922 to the Medal of Honor.

11 ^th Aero Squadron 1^st Bombardment Group U.S.A.S.

Airco D.H.4 11^th Aero Squadron - 1918

The unit insignia was taken from a cartoon character Jiggs, invented five years before by an 11^th Squadron officer, George McManus, whose comic strip, “Bringing Up Father,” was the first of its kind to attract a worldwide readership.. The positioning of it is standard for the squadron. The white identifier number does not have a border. The lower wing surfaces are varnished fabric.

The unit was first organized on June 26, 1917 as the 11^th Aero Squadron, part of the 1^st Day Bombardment Group at Camp Kelly, Texas. During the Great War the 11^th was moved from Camp Kelly, and on January 1^st 1918 was relocated to England. On August 12, 1918 it was sent to France, where it remained until April 21 1919.

United States - 1918 SPAD X.III 93rd Aero Squadron

Digging for Some Understanding

Researching history is a puzzle at times. You dig through articles, pour over photos and in the end you still have deep questions which make you wonder if you will ever have all the pieces to see a clear view of your subject. This has been the case with attempting to find enough information to bring to life an aircraft I have only seen in two pictures. When I was working on fantasy and science fiction subjects I was free to improvise to a certain amount. I was helping define what someone would see in their mind's eye. History is a harsher mistress. There is a certain amount of conjecture, however it has to be grounded in research of facts about your subject.

I want to take a moment to thank Gene Beals for his hard work building great site on the 93^rd Aero Squadron http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/93aero/index.html. It is well worth a visit.

My current cause of befuddlement started when I began research for information on the Pursuit Groups serving in the American Expeditionary Force in France. Many times I feel like it is the first day in school and I forgot my books. Slowly you pick through sources looking for elusive pieces to the puzzle. On a good day you have enough information to at least begin laying out the outline. For every hour of drawing time there is at least two hours of research. People tell me doing profiles if difficult. For me it is a relief from all the hours of studying records.

Today's puzzle began with making the initial drawing of a unit insignia to add to my "Decal" archive. I worked up two versions until I liked the results. The only problem was I did not have a source to show me any of the aircraft that carried the insignia. It was time to get my data shovel and dig around some more.

Sometimes You Have to Just Make a Best Guess

Conceptual Drawing for the 93^rd Aero Squadron's Insignia

This is the second version of the initial drawings I made for my insignia archives. I am a firm believer in working it to completion and saving it in a form where I can copy and paste it into other profiles. I see no sense in reinventing the wheel. For me the final process of making profiles is more akin to building a model kit than drawing.

Four SPAD S.XIII of the 93rd Aero Squadron U.S.A.S.

SPAD S.XIII 93^rd Aero Squadron Major John Huffer sn 1 - 7662, 1918

SPAD S.XIII 93^rd Aero Squadron Lt. Alfred B. Patterson sn 12 - 46082, 1918

SPAD S.XIII 93^rd Aero Squadron Captain Robert L. Rockwell sn 15 - 46082, 1918

SPAD S.XIII 93^rd Aero Squadron 1^st 1st Lt. Charles R. D'Olive sn 24 - S7748, 1918

The profiles are highly conjectural. The photos I have seen do not show all the details and the colors are best guess based on standard practices and comparing gray tones with known colored areas. The insignia on some examples may be a little too ornate, but I can correct that in later versions. For now I am just happy to make a first attempt at a subject I have not seen many color profiles for this squadron. If anyone has information to make it more accurate please contact me. I have the names and serial numbers for all three flight for the squadron. My main problem is I am lacking details to fill the ranks with profiles for this squadron.

References

1. 93^rd Aero Squadron - World War I Retrieved Oct 24, 2011 01:25 from http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/93aero/index.html

United States - 1918 Nieuport 28 C1

The Four American Nieuport 28 Squadrons

I took a break from the Morane-Saulniers and tackled a much needed master file for the Nieuport 28 C1. Once it was finished I was able to work up a dozen aircraft. My next step is to finish off the remainder of the examples I have found to round things out.

The Nieuport 28 was assigned to four American Aero Squadrons. The largest number were given to the 94^th Aero Squadron. Structural problems with the upper wing made American pilots wary of flying the aircraft as aggressively as they wanted. The Nieuport 28 were soon replaced by the SPAD C1 S.XIII which served the Americans well.

27^th Aero Squadron USAS

Nieuport 28 - 1918

This example served with the 27^th Aero Squadron. The fuselage is painted in the French factory camouflage pattern. The swooping Eagle is the unit insignia. The standard American scheme for placement of national markings was no roundels on the fuselage and a six roundel format. The top wing has roundels on both the top and bottom surfaces, and the lower has roundels on the lower surface only.

94^th Aero Squadron USAS

Nieuport 28 - 1918

This Nieuport was flown by Lt. James.Meissner while serving with the 94^th "Hat and Ring" Squadron. The cowling is painted in a scheme designed by the pilot. The color and type of numbers varied. In this case the numbers are black without a border.

95^th Pursuit Squadron USAS

Nieuport 28 - 1918

The paint scheme for this Nieuport is a bit flashier than some examples. The red and yellow spiral design on the cowling makes for a striking appearance. The kicking mule insignia for the 95^th Pursuit Squadron is shown as white on some profiles and blue on others.

147^th Aero Squadron USAS

Nieuport 28 147^th Aero Squadron - 1918

The basic paint scheme for this Nieuport 28 is a fairly standard French pattern. The Terrier insignia for the 147^th Aero Squadron is a whimsical touch. The numbers are the block bordered style numbers were used by many squadrons.

United States - 1918 SPAD S.XIII

The SPAD S.XIII In American Service.

Before the United States declared war in 1918, Americans had served unofficially in both French and British service. When America entered the war the pilots who had been in combat helped create a capable fighting force. Although these pilots flew many types of planes, most of them had flown the SPAD S.XIII. When they were inducted into the United States Air Service they took their aircraft to use in A.E.F.C. Aero Squadrons.

SPAD S-XIII 22nd Aero Squadron s.n. 20 1918

This is a fairly representative example of a SPAD serving in the 22 Aero Squadron. It is painted in a fairy standard 5 color scheme. The insignia is the iconic shooting stars design. The nose color varied according to the pilot's preference. Most examples have red block style numbers bordered in white.

SPAD S-XIII 27nd Aero Squadron s.n. 15 1918

The swooping eagle identifies the SPAD XIII as plane flown by the 27th Aero Squadron. Most examples have black block style numbers bordered in white. The camouflage is a variant of the 5 color scheme. The black and white checkered nose and red white and blue stripe is unusual. The wheel cover is seen on several different aircraft.

SPAD S-XIII 103rd Aero Squadron s.n. 5 1918

When America entered the war most American aviators served in the the French Escadrille SPA 124 also known as the Lafayette Escadrille. They were reassigned into the 103rd Aero Squadron. The unit insignia of an Indian in a head dress became the official insignia of the 103rd. The unit used the number forms favored by the French and not the new block style used by many U.S.A.S. Aero Squadrons. The circle Tee is most likely a pilot's personal marking. As usual the 5 color scheme is used and the nose is not given an accent color.

France - 1917 SPAD S-XIII part 2

Life as a Busy Bee

Once again I am on a roll. Today I have been busy working on SPAD profiles. I finished 6 profiles and have been working on drawing up insignias and ID numbers for the next batch in the works. During breaks from drawing I have been fleshing out new sections and tweaking navigation on my site. I wish I had a clone or two but they would be just as stubborn as I am so ordering them around would be like herding cats.

SPAD S-XIII C1 Second Ltn. Frank Luke Jr. 27th Aero Squadron

This is another new profile of a SPAD flown by the famed balloon buster Second Ltn. Frank Luke Jr. The eagle insignia was used by the 27th Aero Squadron. The side access panel is removed. The camouflage is another variation of the basic five color scheme.

SPAD S-XIII C1 Captain Eddie Richenbacker 94th Aero Squadron

This is the new profile of the SPAD X.III flown by Captain Eddie Richenbacker. The white circles are patched bullet holes. Prominent is the hat and ring insignia of the 94 Aero Squadron which was one of the original American units serving in France. It would become part of the 1st pursuit Group.

SPAD S-XIII C1 Robert Soubiran 103rd Fighter Squadron S7714

This SPAD was flown by Robert Soubrian 103rd Fighter Squadron AEFC USAS. It is painted in a five color paint job and bears a variant of the Lafayette Escadrille SPA 124 insignia featuring an Indian wearing an ornate head dress which was adopted as the 103rd's unit marking. The red white and blue diagonal stripe bears the colors shard by the French, Americans and the British allies. The rudder has many markings including one which reads SPAD Hispano-Suiza.

France - 1917 SPAD S.XIII C1

Rebuilding an Archive.

First off I apologize for not posting or commenting on the blogs I read. I have not forgotten you all, I have been forced to deal with medical and financial issues which reared their heads. My time has been taken up with seeking donations to keep the lights on, hosting fees paid, food on the table, and have the ability to continue creating reference sources which help others learn about History. Fighting a series of personal fires which needed to be put. The struggle has not been completely successful. The frustration left me drained and in need of a strategic retreat.

As I have posted recently I had a serious hardware malfunction and lost over a year's work. Slowly I am doing a new library of master drawings which I can use to create finished profiles. One of my newest was a new master for the SPAD S.XIII C1. I was never satisfied with my old master so it gave me a compelling reason to bring it up to a new standard that I can live with. While trying to figure out what I have and have not posted on this blog I discovered I had neglected one of the more important aircraft of WWI. I figure I can show my old profiles and the new ones to correct this omission and show the process of revision and refinement which goes with the territory.

SPAD S-XIII C1 "Eddie" Rickenbacker 94th Aero Squadron 1918

I may be jumping the gun but I wanted to post this as a comparison between the old and new.This profile of the iconic SPAD XIII flown by Rickenbacker during the late war was done from my old master file. I went too heavy on the lines and it calls out for a new reworked version which I will do soon and post here.

SPAD S-XIII C1 Adj. Marcel Villar Escadrille SPA23 - 1917

This is one of the new series of profiles using my new master. I liked the colors and how the color scheme harkens back to the simple varnished surfaces used on many of the SPAD VII flown in 1916. Like many SPAD XIII the side access covers are removed to improve airflow. The source I used did not show the iconic large drum ammunition magazines which fed the machine guns.

SPAD S-XIII C1 "Lulu" su. Lt. Martin Trepp SPA12 sn-S2285

This is another example of the new master file. Working up Lulu was fun. Working with one variant of french camouflage and the side markings was pleasing to the eye. This example has the standard louvered side access panels. When drawing French aircraft you have to learn to love making louvers. They take time to do properly but the end result either makes or breaks a drawing. I find making a single master louver, shading it and adding shadows, then duplicating and aligning them into a single layer makes it a manageable task. Then it is a matter of using them as a luminance layer drops them into the drawing fairly seamlessly.

SPAD S.XIII C1: Overview

Equipped with twin machine guns and a larger engine, the SPAD S.XIII was based upon the smaller SPAD S.VII. Built in large numbers, it was fast and powerful but difficult to fly. The SPAD S.XIII was flown by many of the famous aces including Georges Guynemer, Rene Fonck, and also by Italian ace Francesco Baracca. Aces of the United States Army Air Service who flew the Spad XIII include and Eddie Rickenbacker, (America's leading ace with 26 confirmed victories) and Frank Luke (18 victories). Irish ace William Cochran-Patrick scored more victories with the SPAD S.VII and SPAD S.XIII than any other ace.

The SPAD S.XIII was a French biplane fighter aircraft of World War I, developed by Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD) from the earlier highly successful SPAD S.VII. It was one of the most capable fighters of the war, and one of the most-produced, with 8,472 built and orders for around 10,000 more cancelled at the Armistice.

The S.VII had entered service in September of 1916, but by early 1917 it had been surpassed by the latest German fighters, leading French flying ace, Georges Guynemer to lobby for an improved version. SPAD designer Louis Béchereau initially produced the cannon-armed S.XII, which had limited success, and finally the S.XIII.

The S.XIII differed from its predecessor by incorporating a number of aerodynamic and other refinements, including larger wings and rudder, a more powerful Hispano-Suiza 8B engine fitted with reduction gearing, driving a larger "right-hand" propeller, and a second 0.303 Vickers machine gun for added firepower. The sum of these improvements was a notable improvement in flight and combat performance. It was faster than its main contemporaries, the British Sopwith Camel and the German Fokker D.VII, and was renowned for its ruggedness and strength in a dive. The maneuverability of the type was however relatively poor, especially at low speeds. A steep gliding angle and a very sharp stall made it a difficult aircraft for novice pilots to land safely.

It first flew on April 4, 1917, and the following month was already being delivered to the French Air Service. Other Allied forces were quick to adopt the new fighter as well, and nearly half of the 893 purchased for the United States Army Air Service were still in service in 1920. It was also exported to Japan, Poland, and Czechoslovakia after the war.

References

1. From Wikipedia SPAD S-XIII, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPAD_S.XIII"
2. Sharpe, Michael (2000). "Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes". London: Friedman/Fairfax Books, p 272. ISBN 1-58663-300-7.
3. Bruce, J.M. (1982). "The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps" (Military Wing). London: Putnam, pp. 561-564. ISBN 0 370 30084 x.
4. Winchester, Jim (2006). "Fighter - The World's Finest Combat Aircraft - 1913 to the Present Day". Barnes & Noble Publishing, Inc. and Parragon Publishing, p.18, p. 23. ISBN 0-7607-7957-0.

Austria - 1917 Aviatik-Berg D.II

A Victim of Circumstance

Aviatik-Berg (Aviatik) D.II series 39 - 1917

The serial number indicates this was the first production aircraft fitted with the Series 39 Austro-Daimler engine. Notable is the change in the wing strut layout versus the D.I. The forward strut attaches to the fuselage and not the lowet wing. The forward metal section of the fuselage is left unfinished. The finish is a 3 color spatter scheme covering everything except lower wing and tail plane surfaces.

Aviatik-Berg (Aviatik) D.II series 39 - 1917

The fuselage of this type 39 sports the iconic Austrian variegated three color camouflage pattern. Unfortunately I do not know what unit it served in or who flew it. I have found few examples of the D.II and not as much detailed information on individual aircraft. Hopefully this will change in the future.I have done a few conjectural paint schemes in the past however I retired them in favor of schemes which have been verified.

The Aviatik (Berg) D.II, also known as the Aviatik 30.22, was an Austro-Hungarian fighter prototype towards the end of the First World War. The prototype was first flown in the summer of 1917. The D.II was not built in large numbers, only 19 aircraft were completed.

The D.II's fuselage was virtually identical to that of the D.I. It was characterized, however, by its short-span cantilever lower wing. Through 1917, 19 D.IIs were built for front-line evaluation. They were either powered by the 200 hp (149 kW) Series 39 engine or the 225 hp (168 kW) Series 339 engine, both made by Austro-Daimler. The propeller was a four-bladed Jaray, and armament consisted of the usual paired 0.315 in (8 mm) Schwarzlose machine guns.

The first three series aircraft were tested in November 1917, and seven were evaluated at the front later in that year, showing good promise. but the decision that O-UF Aviatik should license-manufacture the Fokker D.VII terminated any plans to build the D.II in quantity. One D.II airframe was experimentally fitted with a 200hp Hiero engine as the Aviatik 30.38, and participated in the July 1918 D-Contest. With the 225hp Austro-Daimler engine the D.II attained 220km/h.

References

1. Aviatik (Berg) D.II. (2010, May 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:19, July 2, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aviatik_(Berg)_D.II&oldid=361799043
2. Aviatik (Berg) D.II. Virtual Aircraft Museum Retrieved 03:00, July 2, 2010, from http://www.aviastar.org/air/austria/aviatik_d-2.php
3. Green, William; Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. Godalming, UK: Salamander Books.

United States - 1918 Standard E-1

Since it is Independence Day in the United States I think a post on an American built aircraft is in order. Though the United States entered the war late America aircraft designers were developing military aircraft which could have effected the war f it had continued into 1919.

An American Advanced Fighter

Standard E-1 - 1917

The Standard E-1 was an early American Army fighter aircraft, tested in 1917. It arrived late in World War I, and as a result saw more use in the months following the Armistice than those preceding it.

Built by the Standard Aircraft Corporation, the E-1 was an open-cockpit single-place tractor biplane, powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Le Rhône or 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome or rotary engine. It proved unsuitable as a fighter, but 128 were bought as an advanced trainer. Of these, 30 were powered by the Gnone rotary engine of 100 horsepower and 98 were powered by the LeRhone C-9 rotary engine of 80 horsepower. After World War I, three were modified as RPVs.

References

1. Standard E-1. (2010, May 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:12, July 2, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Standard_E-1&oldid=360038444
2. Standard E-1 The-Blueprints.com Retrieved from http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/ww1planes/ww1-various/31403/view/standard_e-1/
3. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 839.
4. Donald, David, ed. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, p. 854, "Standard aircraft". Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero Books, 1997.
5. United States Air Force Museum. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation. 1975, p. 11.
6. aerofiles.com

U.S.A - 1918 Curtiss Model HA-2

The Flawed Dunkirk Fighter

Sometimes a design looks better on paper than in real life. This was the case with the Curtiss HA-2 float plane. This bulbous aircraft seemed to have a lot of good things going for it. A powerful Liberty V-12 engine and plenty of firepower supplied by four 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns. Stability issues and unfortunate accidents slowed development. By the time the kinks had been worked out of the design the war ended along with a need for the aircraft.

Curtiss Model HA-2 - 1918

The Curtiss HA (sometimes Dunkirk Fighter) was an American biplane seaplane designed by Captain B.L. Smith of the United States Marine Corps, and built by Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company.

The HA was a two-seat biplane with a central float and balancing floats on the wingtips. The fuselage was wood with a fabric covering. The plane was powered by a Liberty 12 engine in the nose. The prototype was ordered in December 1917, and its first flight was on 21 March 1918. During testing the aircraft proved very unstable, with an overly heavy tailplane. The aircraft was destroyed in a crash.

Two more prototypes were ordered, designated HA-1 and HA-2. the HA-1 was constructed of salvaged parts from the original, but its tailplane and radiator were redesigned, and its wings were moved further aft. The HA-1 caught fire during a flight. The HA-2 had a wider wingspan, and performed better, but as the war was almost over, no production order was received.

References

1. Curtiss HA. (2010, August 20). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:54, January 16, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_HA&oldid=380018984
2. Angelucci, Enzo (1987). The American Fighter from 1917 to the present pp 116-117. New York: Orion Books.

USA - 1914 Curtiss Model F-4

Good morning, I hope you are having a great weekend. For Americans this weekend marks a solemn observance of Memorial Day, honoring all those who fell in war defending what they held precious. Common men who through their sacrifices became heroes we should never forget. May their memory always burn bright, and may we make a better world in their honor.

Glenn Curtiss Changes the Aviation World

Glenn Curtiss was one of the most influential of all American aircraft designers. He designed many of the aircraft used by the US Air Force. His research into amphibious aircraft was a game changer. It extended air power well beyond coastal regions and created flexibility of operational roles. Flying boats would be used as fighters, reconnaissance aircraft and cargo carriers during the Great War..

The Curtiss Model F-4 flying boat came about because The Daily Mail offered a large monetary prize for an aircraft with transoceanic range in 1914 prompting a collaboration between British and American air pioneers, resulting in the highly successful Curtiss Model H.

America Develops the Curtiss Model F-4

American Curtiss Model F-4 - 1913

The Curtiss Models F made up a family of early flying boats developed in the United States in the years leading up to World War I. Widely produced, Model Fs saw service with the United States Navy under the designations C-2 through C-5, later reclassified to AB-2 through AB-5. Several examples were exported to Russia, and the type was built under license in Italy

In configuration, these were biplane flying boats powered by a single engine mounted amongst the interplane struts and driving a pusher propeller. The pilot and a single passenger sat side-by-side in an open cockpit. The wing cellule was derived from the Model E land plane and was of two-bay, unstaggered, equal-span construction with large ailerons mounted on the interplane struts and extending past the span of the wings themselves. The earliest examples of this design were built and sold by Curtiss in 1912 without any designation applied to them; the Model F name only coming into use the following year. Confusingly, Curtiss also used the designation Model E to refer to some early machines in this family, although these were quite distinct from Curtiss land planes that bore this same designation and all but identical to the Model Fs.

Model Fs built from 1918 featured a revised, unequal-span wing that incorporated the ailerons into the upper wing and sponsons on the sides of the hull to improve the aircraft's handling in water. These were known as the Model MF (for Modernized-F), and years later as the Seagull in the post-war civil market.

The US Navy initially purchased four of these aircraft in addition to the Freak Boat (C-1/AB-1) that it had already obtained and which was retrofitted to approximately the same design as the others. One of these, the C-2 became the first aircraft to fly under automatic control on 30 August 1913 when fitted with a gyroscopic stabilizer designed by Elmer Sperry. The same aircraft (by now redesignated AB-2) then became the first aircraft to be launched by catapult from a warship while underway when it took off from USS North Carolina on 5 November 1915. Her sister, AB-3, became the first US heavier-than-air aircraft to see military action when launched from USS Birmingham on 25 April 1914 on a scouting mission over Veracruz during the United States Occupation of Veracruz.

The US Navy bought another eight aircraft before the end of 1916, but orders in quantity only came following the type's selection as the Navy's standard flying-boat trainer in April 1917. An initial batch of 144 of the basic F model were ordered, followed by 22 MFs in 1918. Another 80 MFs were produced under license by the Naval Aircraft Factory. A small number of Model Es and Fs were also purchased by the US Army.

Russia Imports the Curtiss Model F-4

Russian Curtiss Model F-4 - 1913

The Russian Navy purchased two batches of Model Fs in 1913-14 and operated them as part of the Black Sea and Baltic Sea fleets until they were replaced by the Model K shortly thereafter.

Italy Begins Producing the Curtiss Model F-4

Italian Curtiss Model F-4 - 1913

In Italy, the Curtiss representative Enea Bossi secured rights for local license-production of the Type F by the Zari brothers, who built eight examples at their workshop in Bovisia, near Milan. The first of these was demonstrated to the Italian Navy on Lake Como on 22 September 1914.

References

1. Curtiss Model F. (2010, October 12). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12:59, November 1, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Curtiss_Model_F&oldid=390334667
2. The Great War Society Aircraft of the A E F Curtiss F Boat Retrieved 12:59, November 1, 2010, from http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/curtissf.htm
3. Virtual Aircraft Museum Curtiss Model F 1913 Retrieved 12:59, November 1, 2010, from http://www.aviastar.org/air/usa/curtiss_model-f.php
4. Aerofiles Those Curtiss Boats Retrieved 12:59, November 1, 2010, from http://aerofiles.com/curtiss-boats.html
5. Bowers, Peter M. (1979). Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10029 8.
6. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 193, 278.
7. The Curtiss Flyleaf. Hammondsport, New York: Glenn H. Curtiss Museum of Local History. 1987.
8. World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 891 Sheet 43.

USA - 1917 Lewis Vought VE-7

Hello and welcome to all the new followers and a heartfelt thanks to Paul and Fran for their all their support. Some have spoken loud and clear for some top views, so I am experimenting with some format changes.

The United States' Aviation Industry Grows

Lewis Vought VE-7 - 1917

 

Lewis Vought VE-7 Upper and Lower Wing Paint Scheme

The Vought VE-7 Bluebird was an early biplane of the United States. first flying in 1917, it was designed as a 2-seat trainer for the United States Army, then adopted by the United States Navy as its very first fighter aircraft. In 1922, a VE-7 became the first plane to take off from an American aircraft carrier.

The Lewis & Vought Corporation was formed just months after the US entered World War I, with the intention of servicing war needs. The company's trainer was patterned after successful European designs; for instance, the engine was a Wright Hispano Suiza of the type used by the French SPAD. In practice, the VE-7's performance was much better than usual for a trainer, and comparable to the best fighters, and the Army ordered 1,000 of an improved design called the VE-8. However, the contract was cancelled due to the end of the war.

However, the Navy was very interested in the VE-7, and received a 1st machine in May 1920. Production orders soon followed, in fact beyond what the fledgling Vought organization could handle, and the Naval Aircraft Factory was pressed into service. In all, 128 VE-7s were built.

The fighter version of the VE-7 was designated VE-7S. It was a single-seater, the front cockpit being faired over and a Vickers .30 cal. machine gun mounted over it, on the left side and synchronized to fire through the propeller. Some planes, designated VE-7SF, had flotation gear consisting of inflatable bags stowed away, available to help keep the plane afloat when ditching at sea.

The Bluebird won the 1918 Army competition for advanced training machines.

The VE-8 variant completed in July 1919, had a 340hp Wright-Hispano H engine, reduced overall dimensions, increased wing area, a shorter faired cabane, and 2 Vickers guns. 2 were completed. Flight test results were disappointing, the aircraft was overweight, with heavy controls, inadequate stability and sluggish performance.

The VE-9 variant, 1st delivered to the Navy on 24 June 1922, was essentially an improved VE-7, with most of the improvements in the fuel system area. 4 of the 21 ordered by the U.S. Navy were unarmed observation float seaplanes for battleship catapult use.

The VE-7s equipped the Navy's 1st 2 fighter squadrons VF-1 and VF-2. A VE-7 flown by Lieutenant Virgil C. Griffin made history on 17 October 1922 when it took off from the deck of the newly-commissioned Langley. The VE-7s were the Navy's front line fighters for several years, with 3 still assigned to the Langley in 1927; all were retired the following year.

References

1. Vought VE-7. (2010, December 24). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:09, January 16, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vought_VE-7&oldid=403979659
2. Vought VE-7 The-Blueprints.com Retrieved from http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/ww1planes/ww1-usa/36133/view/lewis_amp%3B_vought_ve-7_%28usa%29_%281918%29/
3. Jones, Lloyd S. U.S. Naval Fighters. (Fallbrook CA: Aero Publishers, 1977, ISBN 0-8168-9254-7)
4. Taylor, Michael John Haddrick "Janes Fighting Aircraft of World War I Random House Group Ltd. 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, 2001. ISBN 1-85170-347-0.
5. Green, William & Swanborough, Gordon (Editors). The Complete Book of Fighters. Barnes & Noble Books New York, 1998, ISBN 0760709041.

USA - 1915 Curtiss JN-4

Jenny Taught a Generation of Americans How to Fly

When we think of the rise of flight in the United States the much loved Curtiss JN-4 is at the top of the list. It ws the primary trainer aircraft and had a lifespan which extended long after the Great War ended.

Curtiss JN4d Jenny - 1915

The Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" is a series of biplane aircraft built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. The Curtiss JN series (the common nickname was derived from "JN") was produced as a training aircraft for the U.S. Army although the "Jenny" became the "backbone of American post-war aviation."

Curtiss combined the best features of the model J and model N trainers, built for the Army and Navy, and began producing the JN or "Jenny" series of aircraft in 1915. Curtiss only built a limited number of the JN-1 and JN-2 biplanes. The design was commissioned by Glenn Curtiss from Englishman Benjamin D. Thomas, formerly of the Sopwith Aviation Company.

The JN-2, was a poor performer, particularly when climbing, because of its excessive weight. The JN-2 was an equal-span biplane with ailerons controlled by a shoulder yoke located in the aft cockpit. The improved JN-3 incorporated unequal spans with ailerons only on the upper wings, controlled by a wheel. In addition, a foot bar was added to control the rudder.

The Curtiss JN-4 is possibly North America's most famous World War I aircraft. It was widely used during World War I to train beginning pilots. The Canadian version was the JN-4 (Can), also known as the "Canuck", and was built with a control stick instead of the Deperdussin control wheel used in the regular JN-4 model, as well as usually having a somewhat more rounded rudder outline than the American version. The U.S. version was called "Jenny". It was a twin-seat (student in front of instructor) dual control biplane. Its tractor prop and maneuverability made it ideal for initial pilot training with a 90 horsepower (67 kW) Curtiss OX-5 V8 engine giving a top speed of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h) and a service ceiling of 6,500 feet (2,000 m). The Curtiss factory in Buffalo, NY was the largest airplane factory in the world.

The British used the JN-4 (along with the Avro 504) for their primary World War I trainer; Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd. produced them in Canada. Many Royal Flying Corps pilots earned their wings on the JN-4, both in Ontario and in Texas.

Most of the 6,813 built were unarmed, although some had machine guns and bomb racks for advanced training. None saw active service. After World War I, hundreds were sold on the civilian market, one to Charles Lindbergh as his first aircraft. The plane's slow speed and stability made it ideal for stunt flying and aerobatic displays in the barnstorming era between the world wars, with the nearly-identical Standard J-1 aircraft often used alongside it. Some were still flying into the 1930s.

Assorted Flying Boats

Wings Over the Water

Naval aviation required unique solutions to the problem of launching and landing. Carrier launched aircraft were in their infancy. Most of the ships used to deploy aircraft were tenders which winched float planes and flying boats into and out of the water. Flying boats allowed aircraft to operate away from the tender and move on the water as if it was a boat.

Flying boats were some of the largest aircraft of the first half of the 20th century, dwarfed in size only by bombers developed during World War II. Their advantage lay in using water for take-offs and landings instead of expensive land-based runways. Several examples of flying boats could be transported and launched by the usage of specially designed separate wheeled carriages.

American Flying Boat - 1918

Curtiss NC - 1918

The Curtiss NC (Navy Curtiss, nicknamed "Nancy boat" or "Nancy") was a flying boat built by Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company and used by the United States Navy from 1918 through the early 1920s. Ten of these aircraft were built, the most famous of which is the NC-4, the first airplane to make a transatlantic flight. The NC-4 is preserved in the National Museum of Naval Aviation, at NAS Pensacola, Florida.

Austrian Flying Boat - 1918

Hansa-Brandenburg CC - 1915

The first Brandenburg flying-boat was the 3-seat flying boat developed by Ernst Heinkel from a Lohner design and built in small numbers for the German and Austro-Hungarian Navies in 1915. In 1916 Heinkel produced an original design for a single-seat wooden-hulled fighter flying-boat, which he named CC after Camillo Castiglioni, financial controller of the Brandenburg company. The CC was characterized by 'starstrut' interplane bracing like that used for the D.II.

British Flying Boat - 1918

Felixstowe F.5 - 1918

The Felixstowe F.5 was a British First World War flying boat designed by Lieutenant Commander John Cyril Porte RN of the Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe.

The Felixstowe F5 was intended to combine the good qualities of the F2 and F3, with the prototype first flying in May 1918. The prototype showed superior qualities to its predecessors but the production version was modified to make extensive use of components from the F.3, in order to ease production, giving lower performance than either the F.2a or F.3.

German Flying Boat - 1918

Hansa-Brandenburg W.20 - 1918

The Hansa-Brandenburg W.20 was a German submarine-launched reconnaissance flying boat of the World War I era, Ernst Heinkel designed and Hansa-Brandenburg began construction sometime late 1917, early 1918.Only three W.20s were built.

Due to the need to be stored in a water tight container which could be mounted on the deck of a submarine the W.20 was a small single-seat biplane flying boat that was designed to be assembled and dismantled quickly. It had a slender hull on which was mounted a biplane wing and a conventional braced tailplane.

Italian Flying Boat - 1917

Macchi M.5 - 1917

The Macchi M.5 was an Italian single-seat fighter flying boat designed and built by Macchi-Nieuport at Varese. It was extremely manoeuvrable and agile and matched the land-based aircraft it had to fight.

The production aircraft was designated the M.5 and like the prototypes were powered by a single Isotta-Fraschini V.4B engine in pusher configuration. Deliveries soon commenced in the summer of 1917 to the Aviazone per la Regia Marina (Italian Navy Aviation). Late production aircraft had a more powerful Isotta-Fraschini V.6 engine and redesigned wingtip floats, they were designated M.5 mod. Macchi produced 200 aircraft and another 44 were built by Societa Aeronautica Italiana.

Russian Flying Boat - 1915

Grigorovich M-5 - 1915

Grigorovich M-5 (alternative designation Shch M-5, sometimes also Shchetinin M-5) was a successful Russian World War I-era two-bay unequal-span biplane flying boat with a single step hull, designed by Grigorovich. It was the first mass production flying boat built in Russia.

The aircraft designer Dmitry Pavlovich Grigorovich completed his first flying boat (the model M-1) in late 1913, and produced a series of prototypes, gradually improving the design, until the M-5 appeared in the spring of 1915, which was to be his first aircraft to enter series production, with at least 100 being produced, primarily to replace foreign built aircraft, including Curtiss Model K and FBA flying boats.

Triplane Madness During 1917

A Trio of Failed Triplanes

German Empire - 1917

Albatros Dr.I - 1917

The profile started life about a year ago as a line drawing of an Albatros DVa. I used a couple of photographs to guide me when I added the wings and struts. I also saw another color profile of the Dr.I which matched my best guess on the finish.

The Albatros Dr.I is one of those planes that should have been good but wasn't. During the First World War, aviation was in its infancy and a number of interesting designs were flown, but never accepted for service. The Albatros Dr.I was one of those designs.

After the appearance of the Sopwith Triplane, manufacturers in Germany were requested to give thought to the triplane format. Built to try to improve climb performance, the Albatros Dr I had a DVa fuselage and power plant, serial D 1573/17 with wings of equal cord and span. All three wings had ailerons connected by vertical steel struts.

British Commonwealth - 1917

Blackburn Triplane - 1917

The first time I saw the Blackburn Triplane was over a year ago in a small color picture. It got me started looking for references to do a better job of it. I fund some photos and a line drawing for guidance. This current version is a year old and it is ripe for a replacement.

The Triplane was the third unsuccessful attempt at an anti-Zeppelin fighter that involved Blackburn. The first was Blackburn's own Twin Blackburn and the second the AD Scout, Blackburn building two of the four machines of this type to an Air Department of the Admiralty design. In 1916, the Scout's designer, Harris Booth moved to Blackburn where he created a heavily-revised aircraft, the Triplane.

The layout of both Scout and Triplane was determined largely by the Admiralty requirement to carry a quick-firing, recoilless Davis gun that used 2 lb (1 kg) shells. At the time, there was no way of synchronizing such a weapon with the propeller, or of mounting it elsewhere than the fuselage, so a pusher configuration was necessary, the pilot sitting in a nacelle with the gun in its nose.

United States of America - 1917

Curtiss Model S-3 - 1917

Sometimes I get in too big of a hurry. That was the case with this profile. I had the line drawings, I had the photographs, I just did not have the patience to nail it. There are a lot of parts which need refinement. The process is a matter of creating te new, and reinventing the old.

The Model S was Curtiss' first attempt at a fast and maneuverable single-seat fighter. The first variant, S-1, had disappointing performance. In March 1917, new wings were attached to the S-1 fuselage and the project was redesignated S-2. In 1917, the S-3 became the first triplane in service in the United States. In 1918 and 1919, Curtiss experimented with seaplane versions of the S-3, designated S-4 and S-5. The S-6 was intended to be an improved S-3, but performance was poor and of the 12 ordered by the USASC, only 1 was delivered.