This photo was taken by my Grandfather in 1918 at Rich Field in Wako, TX. I don't think that it is a Taube because of the front structure, engine type, 4 wheels, fuselage shape, etc.
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4$\begingroup$ Welcome to aviation.SE! This type of question is definitely welcome here and I hope someone can identify it. I rearranged your question slightly but if I've changed it too much please feel free to roll back my edit or re-edit it yourself. $\endgroup$– PondlifeAug 15, 2017 at 12:23
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$\begingroup$ @PerlDuck Thanks. Perhaps. Spelling corrected. (Dreaming of wine, I guess.) $\endgroup$– W StewardAug 15, 2017 at 12:50
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1 Answer
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Well gosh, this is a rare bird! The 'DEHAN' monoplane:
From this forum:
More about Dr.Ing. Jacob Emil Noeggerath (Nöggerath ?),from the first Lange's book :
He had in 19011/12 the HUNGARIAN " DEHAN ":) monoplane designed ,wich was flown at München-Oberwiesenfeld.
There is another short passage about it in the Etrich book by Hanuš Salz.
Dr. med. Theodor Dieterle let built this monoplane in the Otto works in Munich in 1913. He was supported by J.E. Noeggerath (not Nöggerath) who corresponds with Etrich since 1911 and was probably involved in the design too.
It had an unusual longitudinal stabilisation system with a sort of tank? at the front that later was removed.
Hanuš Salz named it "Dieterle Schwalbe" or "Taube" only. I prefer the term "Schwalbe" as the wings are peaked and the tail even it is not splitted but inward curved and not Taube-like.
After this machine was tested with the swiss army, they contacted Etrich as well. Only an order for his machines was not realised.
So, it would appear that the plane was a one-off, commissioned by two medical doctors in Zurich, designed by Etrich (hence the similarity of the wings to those of the Taube), built in Munich and flown in Switzerland.
Which does, of course, leave another question: how did it turn-up in Texas in 1918? (Or did it?)
Edit:
There is quite a lot more info on this page under the name 'Dieterle Schwalbe'. In particular:
Als Besonderheit verfügte die ‚Dieterle-Schwalbe‘ vor der Rumpfnase über eine mit Bleischrot gefüllte, jederzeit verstellbare Metallkapsel von ca. 10 kg. Mit diesem Vorgewicht konnte der Aeroplan während des Fluges ausbalanciert werden. Mit der Lenkbarkeit und dem Sturzflugverhalten von Flugapparaten hat Dieterle sich intensiv beschäftigt und seine Erkenntnisse in mehreren Bulletins des Aero Clubs 1914/15 veröffentlicht. Ob das Resultat seiner Forschungsarbeit in die Entwicklung späterer Sturzkampfbomber wie der Ju 87 eingeflossen ist, kann vermutet werden.
Google translation:
As a special ordered that, Dieterle Swallow 'in front of the fuselage nose over a column filled with lead shot, at any time adjustable metal capsule of about 10 kg. With this pre-Wicht of Aeroplan could be balanced in flight. With the steerability and the nosedive of Aerial equipment Dieterle has intensively and published his findings in several bulletins of the Aeroclub 1914/15. Whether the result of his research has gone into the development of later dive bombers like the Ju 87, can be suspected.
In other words, Dieterle specially ordered that there be 'pre-weight' canister of about 10kg lead shot attached forward of the fuselage and which could be adjusted in flight to balance the aircraft.
Caption reads: "The 'Dieterle Swallow' with the characteristic Pre-weight; Oberwiesenfeld January 1913"
answered Aug 16, 2017 at 3:04
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1$\begingroup$ Thanks so much for finding this. My question is answered. Well, that ended 60 years of speculation. $\endgroup$ Aug 16, 2017 at 15:04
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1$\begingroup$ Regarding the location of the plane, they were in an album of WWI era photos. My Grandfather served in the US Army Air Service. Here is a picture of him from that album. The back is annotated "March 10, '18 Slocum & I at Anderson's farm, Speegleville, Tex." It was from that annotation that I assumed the airstrip was Rich Field. Here are the other plane pictures in the album. I'd also like the 2nd and 3rd planes identified but I assume that I will make separate posts for those? $\endgroup$ Aug 16, 2017 at 15:47
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1$\begingroup$ The second aircraft is almost certainly the (unsuccessful) Wullschleger-Peier Triplane ..another Swiss aircraft of 1913! $\endgroup$ Aug 16, 2017 at 17:26
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1$\begingroup$ Backstroke! I checked with the family. My Grandfather was in both Munich and Switzerland before the War. He was an engineer so I expect that he sought out these planes. He probably just grouped his plane pictures together. $\endgroup$ Aug 16, 2017 at 17:31
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