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Dayton Wright DH-4 "Liberty Plane"

Captain Kurt

Captain Kurt

Administrator
Staff member
This is what I have been working on. Gary Aumaugher - through Ravenna - was kind enough to find and provide a partially finished .fsc source file of his Airco D.H. 4 for me to convert to the American DH-4. That's more involved than it first sounds like.

The American DH-4 version used the USA V-12 400 HP Liberty L12 engine. The nose therefore different. There were differences in the landing gears, fuel aux tank, rigging, machine guns, and tail and horizontal stabilizer (the last at least according the the NASM DH-4 blueprints I used). I remapped and added to the texture files for the new version. I also need to make the crew, VC and LODs as they were not included in the source file. It's still about 85% Gary's model even so, so he gets the lion's share of the credit.

I'm still working on tweaking the painting, adding a LOD, and tweaking the air files. Should be available before too much longer.

DH4-2.jpg

DH4-1.jpg
 
Two lovely skins. Great work Kurt. :applause::applause:

Gary's comment: "I'd love a copy. I'll have to dust off a joystick!"
 
DH-4 Liberty Plane 11th AS

579816154838084445.jpg

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Aircraft - World War I

Description: Dayton-Wright DH-4 Liberty Plane


The United States possessed no combat-worthy aircraft upon entry into World War I in 1917. Several European aircraft were considered. The British DH-4 was selected because of its comparatively simple construction and its apparent adaptability to mass production. It was also well-suited to the new American 400-horsepower Liberty V-12 engine. American-built DH-4s were dubbed the "Liberty Plane."


The first American-built DH-4 reached France on May 11, 1918. However, because the arriving airplanes were not combat ready and required further preparation, the first mission was not flown until August 2. Although the American Liberty-engined DH-4s were in combat for less than four months, they proved their worth. Of the six Medals of Honor awarded to aviators during the First World War, four were received by pilots and observers flying DH-4s.


By war's end, 13 Army Air Service squadrons, five of them bomber squadrons, were equipped with them. In addition, four combined Navy-Marine squadrons were flying DH-4s along the Belgian coast. The DH-4 was the only U.S.-built airplane to fly in combat during World War I. By the end of the war, 3,431 had been delivered to the Air Service. The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company built most of these. Of these, 1,213 had been shipped to France, and 417 had seen combat.


The DH-4 had a span of 43.5 feet (13.3 meters), was 30.5 feet (9.3 meters) in length, and 10.3 feet (3.1 meters) high. It weighed 3,557 pounds (1,613 kilograms) when loaded. It carried two .30-caliber Marlin machine guns in the nose and two .30-caliber Lewis machine guns in the rear as well as 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of bombs. It used a Liberty L-12, 421-horsepower (314-kilowatt) engine and carried a two-man crew.


Following World War I, the DH-4 continued in use with the Army for a decade. More than 1,500 were rebuilt for increased strength and some were modified for carrying airmail in the 1920s.


The original Airco D.H.4 model and air files are by Gary Aumaugher.


With Gary's kind permission it is the base for the further development by Captain Kurt into the American Dayton Wright DH-4 Liberty Plane version. The nose, tail, landing gear, machine guns, cockpit, propeller and rigging were different from the Airco British version. The textures were remapped for the Dayton Wright version and textures are by Captain Kurt. The aircraft.cfg and .air files modified for the new aircraft, plus a new .dp and 2d panel are also by Captain Kurt.


The crew figures were developed from Wolfi's free source Japanese pilot figure. Spinning prop texture is by Kelticheart.


The bombs are from the 'WW1 Weapons Pack' by John Fortin
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/freeflight/WWI_Bombs.zip

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit DH-4 Liberty Plane 11th AS
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.
 
DH-4 Liberty Plane 50th AS

319716154839854193.jpg

A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category CFS 2 Aircraft - World War I

Description: Dayton-Wright DH-4 Liberty Plane


The United States possessed no combat-worthy aircraft upon entry into World War I in 1917. Several European aircraft were considered. The British DH-4 was selected because of its comparatively simple construction and its apparent adaptability to mass production. It was also well-suited to the new American 400-horsepower Liberty V-12 engine. American-built DH-4s were dubbed the "Liberty Plane."


The first American-built DH-4 reached France on May 11, 1918. However, because the arriving airplanes were not combat ready and required further preparation, the first mission was not flown until August 2. Although the American Liberty-engined DH-4s were in combat for less than four months, they proved their worth. Of the six Medals of Honor awarded to aviators during the First World War, four were received by pilots and observers flying DH-4s.


By war's end, 13 Army Air Service squadrons, five of them bomber squadrons, were equipped with them. In addition, four combined Navy-Marine squadrons were flying DH-4s along the Belgian coast. The DH-4 was the only U.S.-built airplane to fly in combat during World War I. By the end of the war, 3,431 had been delivered to the Air Service. The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company built most of these. Of these, 1,213 had been shipped to France, and 417 had seen combat.


The DH-4 had a span of 43.5 feet (13.3 meters), was 30.5 feet (9.3 meters) in length, and 10.3 feet (3.1 meters) high. It weighed 3,557 pounds (1,613 kilograms) when loaded. It carried two .30-caliber Marlin machine guns in the nose and two .30-caliber Lewis machine guns in the rear as well as 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of bombs. It used a Liberty L-12, 421-horsepower (314-kilowatt) engine and carried a two-man crew.


Following World War I, the DH-4 continued in use with the Army for a decade. More than 1,500 were rebuilt for increased strength and some were modified for carrying airmail in the 1920s.


The original Airco D.H.4 model and air files are by Gary Aumaugher.


With Gary's kind permission it is the base for the further development by Captain Kurt into the American Dayton Wright DH-4 Liberty Plane version. The nose, tail, landing gear, machine guns, cockpit, propeller and rigging were different from the Airco British version. The textures were remapped for the Dayton Wright version and textures are by Captain Kurt. The aircraft.cfg and .air files modified for the new aircraft, plus a new .dp and 2d panel are also by Captain Kurt.


The crew figures were developed from Wolfi's free source Japanese pilot figure. Spinning prop texture is by Kelticheart.


The bombs are from the 'WW1 Weapons Pack' by John Fortin
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/freeflight/WWI_Bombs.zip

To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit DH-4 Liberty Plane 50th AS
The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.
 
Excellent aircraft, both of them. DeHavilland-Airco at their best. Well done gentlemen and thank you. Graham.
 
Thanky you Capt'. Always nice with new WW1 planes. Just out of curiosity: Where on earth did you find the Marlin guns?
Finn
 
Lovely work. Thanks Kurt. This should have Gary dusting off his joystick!
:applause::applause::encouragement::encouragement::ernaehrung004::ernaehrung004:

Is the next project a Rickenbacker campaign?
 
Thanks guys. To answer a couple of questions:

Finn, I modeled the Marlins if that's what you are asking, or did you mean where did I get the info to work from? World Wide Web to the rescue there.

Ravenna, Yes, for now. I think it's time to get back to working on the Rickenbacker campaign. The reason I built these planes in the first place was to have the missing aircraft I needed for the campaign. Besides, 6 new aircraft models in 4 months has me needing a bit of a break from FSDS. :a1089:
 
Kurt, thanks very much. You've done a beautiful job on this classic aeroplane. She flies very well too! :applause::ernaehrung004:
 
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