page_title: Gallaudet D-4
section_title: Operational history
hierarchical_section_title: Gallaudet D-4 / Operational history
caption_attribution_description: PictionID:40957209 - Catalog:Array - Title:Array - Filename:16_000307 Gallaudet D-4 2654 via USN.tif - Ray Wagner was Archivist at the San Diego Air and Space Museum for several years and is an author of several books on aviation --- ---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
context_page_description: The Gallaudet D-4 was an unusual biplane designed and built by Gallaudet Aircraft Company for the United States Navy. It was powered by a Liberty L-12 engine buried within the fuselage which turned a large, four-bladed propeller attached to a ring around the center fuselage. Only two were constructed, with the second being accepted by the Navy for service as an observation aircraft.
context_section_description: Two D-4s were built, serial numbers A:2653 and A:2654. The prototype crashed as result of a failed elevator control during flight testing on 19 July 1918, killing the pilot, Lt. Arthur Souther. The second D4 first flew in October 1918 and was accepted by the U.S. Navy in April 1919. This aircraft was entered in the Curtiss Marine Trophy Race during the National Air Races in Detroit Michigan on October 8, 1922, but had to leave the race after the fifth lap because of a broken propeller. No further aircraft were built, as Gallaudet turned their attention to constructing Curtiss HS-2L flying boats.
caption: the D-4 in flight
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