The Development and Emergence of the American De Havilland (DH-4) Aeroplane: Why the DH-4 and How Did It Fare in World War I

Abstract

This report contains a detailed account of the reason(s) why the United States elected to mass produce the De Havilland 4 (DH-4) aircraft as the primary American bomber and reconnaissance platform for use in World War I. Additionally, the DH-4 is compared and contrasted with other preeminent German and Allied aircraft of the era. This report also contains the views and comments of America's first combat pilots on the capabilities and limitations of the DHA. The primary methodology utilized in conducting this research included the investigation of primary sources such as the 1917-1918 editions of the New York and London Times, and documented oral histories of the young United States Air Service officers that flew the DH-4 during WWI. Additionally, many secondary sources were investigated in order to establish the performance of the DH-4 and it's impact on future of aerial combat. Lastly, many elective seminar sessions were conducted by the research advisor with the purpose of establishing the essence of America's first air war.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA397839

Entities

People

  • Michael A. Macwilliam

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Aeronautics
  • Air Force
  • Aircraft Industry
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Airplanes
  • Bombing
  • Engineers
  • First World War
  • Fuel Tanks
  • Governments
  • Mass Production
  • New York
  • Reconnaissance
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) EDI Research and Innovation.
  • Systems Analysis and Design