2014-2019 marks the centennial Anniversary of World War I. To commemorate this event the Special Collections and Archives of Wright State University has gathered materials related to World War I from its collections. This series contains many letters, diaries, photographs, and other ephemera from Ohio natives. The creators of these materials give the user a glimpse at the impact of World War I from a unique and individual perspective. Though these materials often record factual data, a closer inspection will often reveal content of a more personal nature.
The World War I Collections include materials from the following series:
Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Photographs (MS-152)
The 91st Observation Squadron Photographs (MS-293)
Palmer Coombs WWI Materials: Diaries and Papers (MS-293)
Fred F. Marshall Papers (MS-53)
World War I Glass Plate Stereoviews (MS-457)
War Camp Community Service Song Sheet (SC-174)
For more information on these collections, please visit Wright State University Special Collections and Archives. For more information about the Centennial Anniversary of World War I please visit The United States World War One Centennial Commission.
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Construction of Plant 1 of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Exterior view of the construction of a part of Plant 1 of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company, circa 1918. The photograph shows railroad tracks and building materials in front of a building with a large chimney. The ground has been overturned around the building. To the side of the building construction workers are seen placing the piping for water and sewage to the plant. The title of the negative is "The Dayton Wright Airplane Co. Dayton, Ohio. Plant No. 1."
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Construction of the De Havilland DH-4 fuselage at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photographic print shows the left side fuselage panel from the rear of the second cockpit to the front at the back of the radiator of the De Havilland DH-4 in a Dayton-Wright Airplane Company factory during construction. The wheel attached to the side is the pitch control in the front cockpit and it actuates a vertical jack screw at the rear stabilizer spar connected by a cable loop. The small piece above the wheel and to the right is the fuel control valve unit. The negative is titled "Dayton Wright Airplane and numbered 7." This image was taken circa 1918.
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Construction of the De Havilland DH-4 Fuselage at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Plant 1, February 23, 1918
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company work on building the fuselage of the De Havilland DH-4 at Plant 1. The engine mount is open and visible and one fuselage has a hood attached. In the background a few of the aircraft have the Scarff rings installed. The title of the negative is "Dayton Wright Airplane Co. Dayton, Ohio. Plant 1. Feb. 23-18" and is labeled as D30.
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Construction work being done at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Plant 1
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Construction at the back of Plant 1 of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company is the subject of the photograph taken in circa 1918. Construction workers work around the building using various pieces of equipment and tools. A team of horses pulls a cart with materials on it in the background. An early automobile and an early motorcycle can be seen parked beside the building. Building materials are scattered throughout the image.
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Cropped photograph of a De Havilland DH-4 fuselage in a Dayton-Wright Airplane Company factory
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The fuselage of the De Havilland DH-4 is visible on the floor of the factory resting on the shipping pallet. The rear fuselage section is installed as well as both cockpits. The Scarff ring is visible on the rear cockpit. Other parts of the DH-4 are visible with packing and shipping supplies in the background. The photograph is cropped from the original negative as seen in MS152_013. This image was taken circa 1918.
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Damaged aircraft parts at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photographic image shows a pile of damaged airplane parts outside of a Dayton-Wright Airplane Company factory. This image was taken circa 1918.
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Damaged De Havilland DH-4 parts in a shipping crate at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photographic print shows the tail section of a De Havilland DH-4 damaged in a shipping crate outside of a Dayton-Wright Airplane Company factory. Another damaged crate with DH-4 parts sits behind the one with the tail section. This image was taken circa 1918.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees assembling wooden parts for aircraft production
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company assemble wooden parts for the production of airplanes, circa 1918. The employees build wooden skeletons for various sections of the aircraft. Stacks of parts line the room and various supplies and tools can be seen throughout the image. The title of the negative is "The Dayton Wright Airplane Co. Dayton, Ohio. Plant No. 1" and labeled 26.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees manufacture aircraft parts
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photograph shows employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company manufacturing aircraft parts, circa 1918. Some of the men use machines and power tools such as lathes to produce the parts while a group of other men have workstations on the side of the room. Similar to image MS152_192.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees manufacture aircraft parts
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photograph shows employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company using lathes and other power tools to manufacture parts for the production of airplanes, circa 1918. The machines and power tools are run by pulleys connected to the ceiling.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees manufacture metal parts for aircraft production at Plant 3
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company manufacture metal parts for aircraft production at Plant 3, circa 1918. In the photograph men stand at a long table with a "No Smoking" sign hanging above it and use various tools to produce the parts. Other employees work at different stations throughout the room. The title of the negative is "The Dayton Wright Airplane Co. Dayton. Ohio. Plant No. 3."
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees manufacture wooden aircraft parts
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company manufacture wooden parts, circa 1918. The men use various machines and power tools throughout the room to create parts for aircraft production including a drill press and saws. Tools, supplies, and templates can be seen throughout the image.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees manufacturing aircraft parts
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
In this photograph employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company manufacture aircraft parts, circa 1918. Some of the men use machines such as lathes to manufacture the parts while a group of men have workstations on the side of the room. The machines and power tools are belt driven and run from pulleys attached to the ceiling. Various tools can be seen throughout the image. The image is similar to MS152_168.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees staining wooden parts
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photograph shows four female employees staining wooden parts for aircraft production at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company, circa 1918. A male employee in the background observes the finished products. The negative is labeled D67.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees stand at the tail of a Standard J-1 training aircraft
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
A group of female employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company stand at the tail section of a Standard J-1 training aircraft while an unidentified man uses a pointer stick to identify an item on a piece of paper. The tail of the aircraft is uncovered. This image was taken circa 1918.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees working in the Wire Department on April 3, 1918
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photograph shows employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company working in the Wire Department of Plant 2. Large bundles of wire lay on tables in the middle of the work area. Women sit to the sides of the room in front of large hoods with large pipes attached to them and the windows are open. The women wear gloves and apply a liquid to the wires with a rag. In the background employees sit in an enclosed office space. The negative is titled by the photographer "Dayton-Wright Airplane Plant 2 - Wire Dept. Apr. 3-18." and numbered 28.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees working on De Havilland DH-4s
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees work on a De Havilland DH-4 in a Dayton-Wright factory, circa 1918. The photograph shows a group of men working on the Liberty Engine of a DH-4. Other DH-4s are lined up in rows and do not have the wings attached.
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees work on assembling aircraft wing skeletons at Plant 1
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
Employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company assemble aircraft wing skeletons at Plant 1, circa 1918. Stacks of aircraft wing skeletons can be seen throughout the image and various tools are visible. The title of the negative is "The Dayton Wright Airplane Co. Dayton, Ohio. Plant No. 1."
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Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees work on the Kettering Bug
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photograph shows Dayton-Wright Airplane Company employees working on a Kettering Bug, circa 1918. The completed Bug is hanging from a harness that is attached to the ceiling of the workspace. The employees appear to be testing the engine of the Bug.
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Dayton-Wright Honeymoon Express cockpit's showing the spot for the two passengers of the modified De Havilland DH-4 at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photographic image shows the interior of the second cockpit of the Honeymoon Express at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company, circa 1918. The Honeymoon Express was a modified De Havilland DH-4 that could carry three people, one pilot and two passengers. A small canopy could be pulled over the passengers to protect them from the elements. The passenger area shown in the photograph is compact but detailed to accommodate the passengers. Small cabinets are located where the control panel normally would rest. A small mirror, clock, and airspeed gauge are attached to the cabinets. The interior of the pilot's cockpit is also visible. The negative is labeled 74. Similar image to MS152_133.
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De Havilland DH-4 airplanes packaged and ready to ship at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photograph shows crates in the foreground marked D4. The crates are labeled with directions on how to open properly and packaging lists are attached to the outsides. In the background employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company continue to dismantle completed De Havilland DH-4s and package them in crates for shipping. On the right side of the print a United States flag and a Blue Star Banner with four stars hangs over the timecard desk. A sign hangs on the Blue Star Banner that reads "This Department 100% 4th Liberty Loan." A sign above the time card desk reads "If you don't want to Close up the Shop with an epidemic of - Spanish Influenza Quit Spitting on the Floor "Quit It'". A blackboard that hangs next to the sign has a handwritten note stating "Oct 12/18 Please do not quit your work before whistle blows at noon or evenings. Please do not throw paper or other articles on the floor. -- Jeff Smith." This image was taken circa 1918.
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De Havilland DH-4 at South Field, Dayton-Wright Airplane Company April 27, 1918
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
A De Havilland DH-4 sits in front of the buildings of the South Field Experimental Plant of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company in this photograph. An unidentified pilot and unidentified gunner can be seen in the two cockpits of the airplane. A twin fixed Marlin machine gun is mounted in front of the pilot and the tail and wings have the red, white, and blue paint scheme finished. The tail is marked with the number 32073. A model of the aircraft sits on the ground beside the real one. In the background a soldier observes the aircraft. Three buildings are present in the background and they are labeled D-0, D-1, and D-2. The doors of the building labeled D-2 are partially open and the front of another De Havilland DH-4 can be seen. The title on the negative reads "Dayton Wright Airplane South Field Apr 27-18."
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De Havilland DH-4 at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Plant 1
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
A De Havilland DH-4 is parked behind Plant 1 of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company, circa 1918. The photograph is out of focus so the people around the aircraft are unidentified. Early automobiles are visible behind the airplane. A railroad gondola car is visible in the background with the marking of Michigan Central on the side.
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De Havilland DH-4 at the South Field Plant of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photograph shows a completed De Havilland DH-4 at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company South Field Plant. Three buildings are visible in the background marked with P-8, D0, and D1. The DH-4 has the later version of the closer cockpits to increase safety for the pilot. This image was taken circa 1918.
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De Havilland DH-4 being dismantled, packaged, and prepared for shipment from the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The Dayton-Wright Airplane Company
The photographic print shows employees of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company dismantling a De Havilland DH-4 aircraft, circa 1918. The fuselage is on a shipping pallet and the employees work to remove the tail section of the aircraft. Another DH-4 stands to the side of the first. Other DH-4s and shipping materials can be seen in the background. A United States flag and a Blue Star Banner hang from the rafters. The title of the negative is "Dayton-Wright Airplane" and labeled 45.
