Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Experimental Research Station

This post examines photographs of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Experimental Research hangars built on Colonel E. A. Deed's property. A total of eight hangars were constructed at this east end of South Field, D0, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, and P8, and together, they were known at the Experimental Station. Hangars D1 through D6 were built first, then D0, and finally P-8, as evidenced from dated photographs. This construction sequence is therefore useful in dating undated photographs where a view of the hangars in the background can be seen. 

 

Image of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Experimental Station, courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries, ms152_200. Description given as "The photograph shows the exterior view of the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Experimental Station, circa 1918. Hangars marked with D1, D2, D3, and D4 are the main buildings in the image. To the far right another building is being erected and Dayton-Wright employees and military personnel can be seen throughout the image..."  This view is looking south-east from the field, with elevation slowly rising to Deed's home, not visible in this image. Hangars from left to right are D0, D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5, and under construction is D6. The D3 hangar is easily identified by it's high pitched roof, in comparison to the other hangars. As hangar P-8 has not been constructed yet, this photograph would date between April and August of 1918.

 

 

Hangars D0, D1, and D2 are visible in this April 27, 1918 image, courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries, ms152_024. Description states, "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 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...."

 

From Author's John Sheats photo archive, May 14, 1918. Rear of photo identifies the three pilots (left to right) as Benny Whelan, Howard Rinehart, and Art Freeman. The fourth man identified as Money Man. Note the camera mounted on the DH-4. Hangars D0, D1, D2, and partial of D3 can be seen right center.

 

Associated with the photo above, here, Howard Rinehart is in the pilot position, and individual identified above as Money Man is positioned to take aerial movies. Image courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries, ms152_034. Description of photo, "Howard Rinehart sits in the cockpit of a De Havilland DH-4 with a cine camera mounted to the Scarff ring. The camera operator sitting in the second cockpit is unidentified..."

 

From Author's John Sheats photo above, hangars DO, D1, D2, and partial of D3 are visible. 

From Author's John Sheats photo archive, August 14, 1918. On rear of picture, noted as "1st D. H. assembled in Dayton, now in Smithsonian Institute. Howard Rinehart man flying ship equipped with Bug engine 4 cylinder 2 cycle air cooled, tested about 40 H.P. @ 2000 R.P.M."  As mentioned in the post "Orville Wright and the Kettering Bug", the ship with the Bug engine was the first Messenger plane made.  

 

In this close-up view of the photo above, hangar P-8 can be seen at the north end of the hangars, next to hangar D0. This photo is dated August 14, 1918. In the earlier May 14, 1918 photo above with the three pilots and "Money Man", hangar P-8 had yet to be constructed.

From photo above, hangars D3, D4, and partial of D5 is visible. Howard Rinehart tested the Bug engine installed in this prototype of what became The Messenger aircraft. 

From Author's John Sheats photo archive, The Messenger, based on prototype above utilized originally to test the Bug engine.

On display at the National Air and Space Museum, is the DH-4 pictured in the August 14, 1918 photo shown earlier identifying the plane as the first D.H. assembled in Dayton. Smithsonian site describes as "The DH-4 in the NASM collection was the prototype American built DH-4, manufactured by the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company. This airplane was used in more than 2,600 experiments until its retirement in April 1919. On May 13, 1918, Orville Wright made his last flight as a pilot in a 191l Wright Model B alongside this DH-4, flown by Howard Max Rinehart. He then made a flight as a passenger in the DH-4 with Rinehart." Photo courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum.

Hangar P-8 has been constructed near hangar D0, seen in the image, courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Wright State University Libraries, ms-152_038. Description reads, "The photograph shows a completed De Havilland DH-4 at the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company South Field Plant.....The DH-4 has the later version of the closer cockpits to increase safety for the pilot. The image was taken circa 1918." Photo would date to no earlier than August 1918, as hangar P-8 was the last of the hangars constructed.

From Author's John Sheats photo archive, hangar dedicated to work on the Kettering Bug. The high, multi-pained windows do not match any of the windows of hangars D0 through D5 (D6 windows are likely similar to those of D5). They do appear to match the windows in hangar P-8. If work on the Kettering Bugs was performed at the Experimental Station hangars, it would have been within P-8. This makes sense, as the hangar door had less height and width as the other hangars (planes larger than the Bug could not have been stored in this hangar), and the windows located high would provide better security from prying eyes outside the building.

Hangar P-8 was constructed sometime after May 14, and before August 14, 1918. As shared in the post Orville Wright and the Kettering Bug, the first test of the Kettering Bug performed before the Signal Corp was on October 2, 1918. 

  

To put in to perspective of where the Experimental Research Station was located in relation to the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company Plant #1 building (formally the DELCO building), the next photograph is helpful, taken from the roof of Plant #1, looking eastward. Beyond the circle of DH-4s, in the distance, the Experimental Research Station is visible.

From Author's John Sheats photo archive, August 24, 1918. From Plant #1 northern edge rooftop, looking toward the east, beyond the circle of DH-4s ready for shipment, the Experimental Research Station is visible. Note on rear of photo reads, "Fusilage already tested and wings removed ready to be crated for France."

Close-up of photo above, horizon view eastward of the Experimental Research Station hangars D0, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6, from left to right (north to south). D3 has the higher pitched roof. The relative positioning of the other buildings, specifically the barn with the Lowes Bros Paints message is difficult to ascertain from just one photograph, as the telephoto effect of the image gives the illusion of lesser distance between objects before and behind in the field of view.  

The next photograph from the Smithsonian  George Grantham Bain Collection helps tremendously in providing perspective of orientation of the buildings on the site. Taken looking westward from Col. Deeds Moraine Farm, the Dayton-Wright South Field vastness becomes clear. The distance from the Experimental Research Station to the north edge of Plant #1 was roughly 5175 feet, or nearly 1 mile.

Image courtesy of the Smithsonian Library of Congress, view from Moraine Farm looking westward, showing backside of the Experimental Station hangars, and beyond, Plant #1 north rooftop area from where the previous photograph was taken looking eastward. The Barn with the Lowes Bros painting can be seen, and the relative distances begin to take their place. Hangars D1 through D5 are visible; D0, D6, and P-8 yet to be built. The Smithsonian lists the date of the image between 1915 and 1920. Based on just five of the eight hangars constructed here, the photograph would date between Summer of 1917 to April of 1918.

Close-up from image above. South Dixie Drive running across image just above "Barn with Lowes" text separates South Field closest to Deed's Moraine Farm and South Field closest to Plant #1. 

Zion Memorial Church still stands today, and therefore can be utilized as a point of reference for comparison of historical image to modern view. Adjacent to the Experimental Station hangars, just to the left (south), Col. Deed's vegetable garden can be seen. 

Another interesting feature visible in this photograph is the Miami-Erie Canal. The canal system no longer exists, it's usefulness having ended even in the era of this photograph.

The entire area in the above image has been developed over the past 108 years. The former location of the Experimental Station hangars was within the area of what is now Tait Park. 

 

Tait Park, former location of The Experimental Station hangars.

 

2026 image from Google Earth showing Moraine Farm, and Tait Park. The remaining area of South Field has been since fully developed into residential and business use. View is facing east, with Stroop Road to the right running east/west, and Tait Road running north/south, separating Moraine Farm from the residential area.

Copyright 2026-Getting the Story Wright 

 

For related info, see posts-

Orville Wright and the Kettering Bug 

Orville Wright- Until the Cows Come Home