US WW1 Aircraft
It’s the paradox that in the Wright Brother’s country, almost no US-built plane effectively took part in the operations against Europe, contrary to the troops, engaged en masse before completing training during the famous German spring offensive. The main reason, of course, was that between the declaration of war and effective start of the operations and the end of the war, delays were too short. Perhaps the best known and also best overall plane of that era was the Vought SE-7.
Designed as an advanced trainer, for pilots already trained on other aircrafts which needed an high-performances aircraft preparing them for fighters, the Vought SE-7 proved even better than contemporary European Entente fighter. Only the test of fire with the German Fokker VII ad VIII -less the pilot’s own skills, would have show the American competence in this area where they had an initial lead.
Centre : DH 4 Liberty
The earliest organism created was the Army Signal Corps, founded on August 2, 1909 and using Wright models for observation, which existed until April 6, 1917, when the Air Force, Navy and Marines had their own models, and of course the American Expeditionary Force (A.E.F.) which used a variety of models, mostly Europeans. There was a reason to this. When the excellent VE-7 thought for fighter conversion, the Army decided against it to the motive that for the sake of standardization and maintenance in operations it was better to stick with European planes. When later these models were ready for mass production, the armistice was signed.
MODELS
American plane Production during the war, April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918 include :-
- Boeing Model 4/Boeing EA
- Burgess H,I,J,S, Twin Hydro
- Curtiss 18-B, 18-T, JN-4/6, R-4L, SE-5
- Dayton-Wright DH-4
- Engineering Division USB/D, XB-1A
- Heinrich Pursuit Victor
- J.V. Martin Bomber
- Lewis & Vought VE-7/8/9
- L.W.F. Reconnaissance
- Martin GM series
- Motor Products SX-6
- Ordnance Engineering
- Orenco A-D
- Packard-Le Père LUSAC/LUSAGH/LUSAO-11/21
- Pigeon-Fraser Pursuit
- Pomilio Brothers BVL-8/12
- Standard H, JR, SJ, M-defence, Caproni, H.P. O/400, Twin Hydro
- Fisher Body Caproni, SJ-1
- Dayton-Wright SJ-1
- Wright-Martin SJ-1
- Thomas-Morse MB
- Wright-Martin M-8
- Hewitt-Sperry Automatic Airplane
- Dayton-Wright Kettering Bug
Markings
Most of the US produced planes were for Training and Home Defence activities (ie not used in France). There were marked with the US Star in circle design. US Aircraft deployed in France were given roundal markings (inner white, then blue and outer red).
US Aircraft of World War One
Standard H-2
Airco DH.4 Liberty
PACKARD Le Pere LUSAC 11
Burgess HT-2 Speed Scout
Curtiss JN-4
BOEING MODEL 4 (EA)
