The Douglas DT
bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an air ...
was the
Douglas Aircraft Company's first military contract, forging a link between the company and the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
. Navy Contract No. 53305 of April 1, 1921, required only 18 pages to set out the specifications that resulted in the purchase of three DT (D for Douglas, T for
torpedo
A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, s ...
) folding-wing
aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engine ...
.
The DT used a welded steel fuselage with aluminum covering the forward and center sections and fabric covering the rear section. Douglas built 46 DT-1 and DT-2 torpedo bombers for the U.S. Navy, Norwegian Navy, and
Peruvian Navy. 20 DT-2 aircraft were built under license by the
L-W-F Engineering Company Inc., six by the
Naval Aircraft Factory
The Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF) was established by the United States Navy in 1918 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was created to help solve aircraft supply issues which faced the Navy Department upon the entry of the U.S. into World War I. ...
(NAF), and 11 by the
Dayton-Wright Company
The Dayton-Wright Company was formed in 1917, on the declaration of war between the United States and Germany, by a group of Ohio investors that included Charles F. Kettering and Edward A. Deeds of Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company ( DELCO) ...
. Another seven were built for
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
under license by
Marinens FlyvebÄtfabrik. Although still in service
when the Germans invaded Norway, the Norwegian DTs did not see action in the
Norwegian Campaign. The DT could be fitted either with pontoons or wheeled
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
and could carry a torpedo.
The first flight was in November
1921 and production continued until
1929
This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholic ...
. The DT operated off the U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier, , from land bases, and from
seaplane tenders. Several were flown by the
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...
.
Variations of the DT-2 aircraft were designated DT-4, DT-5, DT-6, and DTB. Machines licence-built by
Dayton-Wright
The Dayton-Wright Company was formed in 1917, on the declaration of war between the United States and Germany, by a group of Ohio investors that included Charles F. Kettering and Edward A. Deeds of Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (Delco E ...
were internally designated SDW by that company. The type became the basis for the
Douglas World Cruiser
The Douglas World Cruiser (DWC) was developed to meet a requirement from the United States Army Air Service for an aircraft suitable for an attempt at the first flight around the world. The Douglas Aircraft Company responded with a modified varia ...
.
Variants
;DT-1: Preproduction prototypes; three built.
![EL-2002-00568](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/EL-2002-00568.jpg)
;DT-2: Two-seat torpedo-bomber biplane, powered by a Liberty V-12 piston engine; 64 built.
;DT-3: Proposed version of the DT-2. Not built.
;DT-4: Four DT-2s converted into bomber aircraft by the Naval Aircraft Factory. The aircraft were fitted with direct-drive Wright T-2 V-12 engines.
;DT-5: Redesignation of two DT-4s fitted with a geared Wright T-2B V-12 engine.
;DT-6: One DT-2 aircraft fitted with a Wright P-1 radial piston engine.
;DT-2B: This designation was given to one DT-2 aircraft supplied to the Norwegian government. Seven similar aircraft were built under licence in Norway.
;DTB: Export version for Peru. Four aircraft built for the Peruvian navy, fitted with Wright Typhoon V-12 piston engines.
;SDW-1: Redesignation of three DT-2s modified by the Dayton-Wright company.
Operators
![Douglas DT dropping torpedo NAN6-75](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Douglas_DT_dropping_torpedo_NAN6-75.jpg)
;
*
Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service
The Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service ( no, Marinens flyvevesen) was alongside the Norwegian Army Air Service the forerunner to the modern-day Royal Norwegian Air Force.
History
The RNNAS was established on 1 June 1912,Official Norwegian Defence ...
;
*
Peruvian Navy
;
*
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
*
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
Specifications (DT-2 floatplane)
See also
References
External links
{{USN torpedo aircraft
Douglas DT
The Douglas DT bomber was the Douglas Aircraft Company's first military contract, forging a link between the company and the United States Navy. Navy Contract No. 53305 of April 1, 1921, required only 18 pages to set out the specifications that r ...
Biplanes
DT
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1921