Douglas DT

The Douglas DT was a single‑engine torpedo bomber and reconnaissance biplane produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company in the early 1920s for the United States Navy. First flown in 1921, the DT was developed from the earlier DT‑1 prototype, which evolved from the World War I‑era DT‑1 boat‑plane series. Powered by the 450‑horsepower Liberty V‑12 engine, the aircraft featured a two‑bay, equal‑span biplane wing configuration, a central fuselage pod with open cockpit for a pilot and observer, and provisions for carrying a single Mk 13 torpedo or up to 500 lb of bombs beneath the lower wing. Its rugged steel‑tube frame and fabric‑covered surfaces gave it the durability needed for carrier operations, and a detachable under‑carriage allowed conversion between land‑plane and seaplane roles.

Between 1922 and 1925 the Navy ordered 144 DTs, which served aboard early carriers such as USS Langley and USS Saratoga. The type played a crucial role in establishing carrier‑based torpedo tactics and demonstrated the feasibility of operating twin‑seat attack aircraft from flight decks. Though quickly superseded by more advanced monoplanes, the Douglas DT’s service marked an important transitional step in naval aviation, paving the way for the iconic Douglas TBD Devastator of the late 1930s.

Douglas

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