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Tony:
If you want facts on the DVII, Dave Watts, a contributor at times to this Forum can give exacting information concerning the data on DVIIs in U.S. service. I am not attempting to parallel DW's great awareness of DVIIs as "war booty" but I would like to make a few generalizations re your comments: It's not my thing to contest others postings but you are making some statements that- for the sake of those interested in acquiring factual information about the personalities, equipment and issues of WWI aviation- should not be let go without some response: "Wings" was not Hughes work. It was written by John Monk Saunders and directed by William Wellman- a flyer in France in WWI. Frank Tomock was the chief pilot; crashes of a SPAD and a DVII were flown by Dick Grace. Only two DVIIs were available for the film; most other ships were supplied by the Air Corps and were mostly Thomas-Morse MB-3s and Curtis P-1s.
You are, obviously, confusing "Wings" with "Hell's Angels", which was a film, primarily written, and directed and produced by Howard Hughes. Paul Mantz was also not involved with "HA", although he always liked people to think he was. Frank Tomick flew in the role of "MvR": He is featured in a great "wingover and vertical pull through" by the way- One "Von Bruen" was played by Frank Clarke- a mortal enemy of Mantz- and against whom- he was able to have charges brought in WWII.
There were five DVIIs available for the film "Hell's Angels". One of them was the "Hisso" powered one that is featured in an old, old, photo on the recently published special edition of "Wings" Magazine, Two others were Hall-Scott powered conversions. Tomick again, was chief pilot assisted by Clarke, Leo Noomis and Roy Wilson. All the numerous "other DVIIs" were "Travelairs" built in Wichita Kansas, They were thereafter known as "Wichita Fokkers"- for their similarity to the actual DVIIs- especially after their modification by Otto and Wally Timm in Glendale.
No, there were no "squadrons of DVIIs" in the Air Service or Air Corps. The "Booty" D-VIIs came into Allied possession as a result of the Treaty of Versailles" which stipulated their surrender. Mitchell had nothing to do with this high level decision. I doubt if at some lower level he would even been involved in allocating examples of surrendered Fokkers to U.S. forces. I see nothing in his writing or in others writings concerning him, that suggest any involvement on his part along these lines. Many U.S. Squadrons in France, after the armistice, had a DVII, or two, as souvenirs. There certainly were operational uses of the DVIIs in U.S. service; the first military plane to operate off a field in Hawaii was apparently a U.S. Marine Corps DVII. I know a few others operated at Air Service staions in Texas in the early '20s. I'll venture to say no U.S. squadrons had any significant number of DVIIs- (ie. more than two or so)- in operation. The standard U.S. fighters after the Armistice in Germany during 1919 were the same SE5a, Camel and SPAD types as were in action when the conflict ended. The SE5s were on squadron strength for many years after WWI here in the U.S.- cf: "Lindy's" experiences as a young U.S. military flyer. BTW: Most of these SEs had been rebuilt with steel tube fuselages- the DVII influence possibly- although steel tube ships had been built as early as 1910 in France. Several of the major U.S. aviation firms were provided a DVII after the war for design analysis purposes. I have seen photos of one at the Boeing plant as the early Boeing pursuits were being developed. The major point of interest was the feature of the welded fuselage. The ship, rugged as it was saw use as a test platform for other types of engines at Wright-Patterson (ie. Packards) and in commercial applications: Ie. the two DVIIs as mentioned above were converted by the Hall Scott Motors Corporation, of Oakland, Calif. They'd bought two and re-engined them with their own powerplants as demonstration units.
I hope you'll accept this in the friendly sense that I convey it.. Sincerely yours.... Lee
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