Gallaudet DB-1

The Gallaudet DB-1 was designed as a day bomber and was the only Air Service aircraft to be assigned a DB (Day
Bombardment) Type XI designation.

Two aircraft were built for testing; the first was delivered in late 1921.

Ground tests revealed problems with the flight control system and serious structural problems with the wings.

Adding to the DB-1's problems was its excessive weight -- more than a ton over its design gross weight.

The aircraft never advanced past the ground test phase and never flew.

The DB-1B was a redesign of the basic DB-1, lighter and more structurally sound.

The DB-1B flew a few times beginning on Aug. 1, 1923.

The DB-1, although unsuccessful, was quite advanced for its time.

The wing had no external bracing -- wires or struts -- but structural design knowledge at the time was not sufficiently advanced to prevent problems like skin buckling from the stress of control surface movements.

The single wing bomber design would not be tried again for about five years and not used on a production aircraft for another 10 years.

The design speed of 144 mph would have made the DB-1 as fast as the pursuit aircraft in service at the time.

The Gallaudet DB-1B was a redesign of the DB-1, an excessively heavy and structurally unsound aircraft that never got past the ground test phase.

The DB-1B, which had a new and stronger wing and was substantially lighter than its predecessor, first flew on Aug. 1, 1923.

Its performance was discouraging, and after a few flights, the program was discontinued.

Like the DB-1, the DB-1B was very advanced for its time.

In fact, some of the ideas incorporated into the aircraft would take another 10 years to perfect for use on production bombers.

Although the DB-1B was about the same size as the attack aircraft of the early 1920s, it was a bomber -- the first type designed specifically for daytime bombing.

TECHNICAL NOTES:
Armament: Four .30-cal. machine guns and 600 lbs. of bombs
Engine: Engineering Division W-1-A of 700 hp
Maximum speed: 127 mph at sea level
Service ceiling: 13,400 ft.
Span: 66 ft. 4.5 in.
Length: 42 ft. 0 in.
Height: 11 ft. 10 in.
Weight: 8,600 lbs. gross
Crew: Two
Serial numbers: DB-1 AS 64238, DB-1B AS 64239