What Was America’s First Fighter Aircraft?

[@robertmacpherson9044]

In the 1980s, the factory in Ithaca NY where the Thomas-Morse scout was built was a furniture store and warehouse. I bought a mattress there. The proprietor showed me how there were ramps between floors so airplanes could be moved within the factory.

[@420JackG]

Oh yeah, I've been there too as a kid. I think my dad took me out there when he was looking at pump components from a local machine outfit... one of the machinists he had beers with told him about the old aircraft workshop and being that we were out from Seattle (Boeing country) that Dad should get me out there to check it out.

[@markrowland1366]

Uh j

[@jonathansteadman7935]

Have you had dreams of flying since you've bought your mattress...... sorry... I'll leave the stage.

[@williammitchell4417]

The Thomas-Morse craft was my cousin's and namesake's plane. Billy Mitchell...

[@danamunkelt3276]

The Burgess float plane was designed by Starling Burgess. He got his flying license from the Wrights, built planes, his factory burned after the war and he went back to designing yachts. For Vanderbilt and friends, winning 3 America's Cups. As his father had done. Quite a history.

[@swenhtet2861]

The last one in this list was used in the first aviation movie called Wings (1928) where they were used as a stand-in for the SPADs.

[@tomt373]

The last what?

[@z3r0_35]

@@tomt373 The last plane in the video

[@stug41]

Just saw a restored Nieuport 28, and Spad 7, flying around last weekend at the American Heritage Museum.

[@jaanikaapa6925]

I love the bullet holes in the Curtis triplane's propellers.

[@rickb1973]

Yeah....and some of the holes aren't even near the point of aim of the MGs!

[@Farweasel]

You can just visualise the salesman 'Oh no General - *Those* are a cooling feature to cool the prop because the airplane's just so dang fast sir'. Sotto voce 'Jim yer clod varmint I done tole yer - raise the goddam gun platform *above* the prop arc'.

[@wingmanjim6]

I'm not so sure they are bullet holes - most of them aren't even in line with the gun bores. I suspect they are specks or deterioration on the photograph or its negative ?

[@tomt373]

1. A triplane 2. Two unsynchronized guns placed far outside of the pilot's line of sight. How do you get stupider then that?

[@jaanikaapa6925]

@@wingmanjim6 Most likely. Also having seen what a machine gun out of sync does... Still prefer my original explanation. ;)

[@IndianaDel1]

I had always thought that the USAAS adopted the Nieuport 28 as its "standard" fighter in the early Summer of 1918. Nice to get some additional information about the LUSAAC and Thomas-Morse here . Thank you

[@brom1857]

That's right - used until the Spad became available.

[@Paladin1873]

I know the 94th "Hat in the Ring" Sqn flew them, but they had a nasty habit of shedding wing skin and they could be tricky to fly. Eddie Rickenbacker used them before his squadron switched to the more robust SPAD XIII.

[@sim.frischh9781]

Ok, this was... interesting. I knew the few fighters that are widely known couldn´t be the only ones, usually it´s several failures for a mere success story, but the sheer amound of planes shown here just as the "first" is really impressive.

[@Paladin1873]

When I was in AFROTC during the Jurassic Age we were taught that the Thomas-Morse Scout (S-4) was the first American designed and built fighter. The only problems were it was actually designed by an Englishman and was relegated to stateside advanced flight training during WWI.

[@edwardmorriale9358]

You save me writing a comment. I was thinking the same thing.

[@dennismason3740]

I've been a prop warbird fanatic for sixty years. I knew none of this. Thank you, Ed.

[@grahamnash9981]

The first image shown of the LUSAC 11 was actually a Breguet 14, which was of course used by the USAAS as a bomber.🙂

[@yes_head]

I could swear Curtiss Jennys were used in combat in WWI, but apparently not. I've got an old book called "U.S. Fighters" and it also lists the MB-3 as the starting point for indigenous American pursuit types in full scale deployment.

[@markbartlett6287]

The Jenny was an exceptionally popular trainer during the war, and some were even equipped with weapons for gunnery training, but they weren't combat aircraft.

[@Paladin1873]

I think some were used in the 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico where they saw some limited combat use.

[@twddersharkmarine7774]

I almost called that "MB-3" as the Martin-Baker MB.3, sunday morning wake up is truly interesting

[@z3r0_35]

It should be noted that one of the major issues stymieing the early American aviation industry had nothing to do with not being at war, but with legal disputes. The Wright Brothers jealously guarded their invention, to the point that few people in America could even propose building an aircraft without running afoul of them; to be fair, the US government, bitter that the private sector had outdone their own (very expensive) project under Samuel Langley, was trying to screw the Wrights over too, and for a while would claim that their design, not the Flyer, was the first successful heavier-than-air aircraft (while concealing the fact that the design had been so heavily modified by Glenn Curtiss that it was effectively a whole new aircraft, and in any even this post-dated the Wrights' first flight in 1903). The disputes with the Wrights were eventually resolved by a merger between their company and Curtiss' to create Curtiss-Wright (which is still around, but they stopped making aircraft in the late 1940s), but this set back the development of the American aviation industry by almost a decade. Of course, in Europe, where IP laws are different, and cooperation among the early pioneers was common, this wasn't an issue.

[@crabby7668]

There is a Curtis Wright factory locally in UK, which surprised me when I saw it. Not sure what they do, possibly specialist metals. There is a Rolls Royce factory in the area so maybe connected with that.

[@charlessmith280]

One of the major blocks to early US innovation was, ironically, the Wright brothers themselves. After establishing their patent they aggressively pursued any competitors and stifled any development of new technology in order to maintain their absolute dominance.

[@iffracem]

Now now, that doesn't sound like anything an American company would do.... (to be read with liberal doses of sarcasm)

[@danweyant707]

That wouldn't have had anything to do with the US Government in the form of the Patent office and the Smithsonian institution trying to discredit them for embarrassing the establishment by achieving what Langley couldn't with the backing of significant public funding, could it?

[@Tom-jw7ii]

To be fair, there were powerful forces trying with all their might to steal or circumvent their patent. If they wanted their rightful compensation for their invention, they had to fight incessant legal battles, which didn’t leave much time to further develop the technology.

[@alessiodecarolis]

And this at end was harmful for Wright 's affairs, at the end the surviving brother had to sell his company to Glenn Curtiss' one, also if officially it was a merger.

[@melsilvestre8049]

I agree--the Thomas Morse/Boeing MB-3 actually got all the way to my homeland, the Philippines!

[@jjromeoeod2765]

I love that you get spicier with each video. Keep up the great work! Your research and presentation are excellent.

[@harrycarter1722]

My great uncles family were Norweigen shipwrights. They built a prototype float plane in postwar 1 years. It didnt make the cut, but interesting to me, a group of carpenters made a true flying machine on short notice.

[@peterwesthe-his5508]

Well done. Amazing photographs and great research.

[@6thmichcav262]

2:10, just wanted to point out Eddie Rickenbacker, the USA’s top ace at 26 victories, and leader of “The Flying Circus.” One jaunty top-hat on the plane for illustration.

[@jamesbugbee9026]

Tophat is the 'Hat-in-the-Ring' squadron's (96th?) emblem

[@bigblue6917]

Where would we be without the man in his shed.

[@tallthinkev]

Also needed a flat cap and pipe

[@imadrifter]

Men in Sheds have built great things around the world for centuries now

[@derrickstorm6976]

Best man was the one who invented the shed, though

[@slartybarfastb3648]

@@derrickstorm6976 You beat me to it! You know there was some skilled craftsman carpenter saying "Well I built the shed dammit," every time he saw an airplane fly over.😂

[@bigblue6917]

@@derrickstorm6976 Actually the first 'shed' was probably a converted cow shed which was being used to store stuff in, sounds familiar. Some man on seeing the frame the family used for weaving clothe which was being stored there realised he could make improvements to it and suddenly invented the weaving industry. That was one thousand years ago.

[@aaronlopez492]

I could just see the salesman celebrating the sale of 3,500 aircraft. But then to find out they cut the order to 30 🤯 What about the house I ordered in Palm springs !!!Nooooo!! Thanks Ed!!

[@voiceofraisin3778]

30 might just get you an apartment in New Jersey and a fold down bed

[@zubiez.524]

Think about what happened to Thomas-Morse and Orenco, who effectively win the government design contract, but loose the production contract to the competition.

[@crabby7668]

By the sound of it, the US government had a habit of awarding a winning design production to the opposition. It makes you wonder how history could have changed if they hadn't done that, and the companies that went bust survived and vice versa.

[@Chiller01]

Nice episode. I was ignorant of this time in US aviation history.

[@johnforsyth7987]

Thank you for another very informative video. Definitely food for thought.

[@mpetersen6]

And in the early 1920s the Curtis D-12 came onto the scene. Burying the Hisso and leaving the Liberty to die a lingering death. Of course after that came the Whirlwind and the Wasp. The 20s and 30s are actually very interesting in terms of the various engine designs that at least reached the test stage. As usual Old Machine Press is a great source.

[@jbloir]

Hello Ed, I was at the Evergreen Air and Space Museum (the one with the Spruce Goose) and I came across an aircraft that was completely unfamiliar - the Hispano HA-200 Saeta. The display had an interesting story regarding it's use against the Polisario Front in the 1970s in Western Sahara War.

[@PeteSampson-qu7qb]

I have a couple quibbles, Ed. The first US fighter squadrons were called "pusuit", not "scout", and their first combat was with Nieuport 28s. Officially, SPAD XIIIs were issued to active squadrons and some VIIs might, or might not, have been used for training but not combat. Now back to your excellent presentation. Cheers!

[@kitbag9033]

Cracking presentation

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

You mentioned Thomas Morse, but completely missed the S-4 Scout.

[@adamkuykendall]

My grandfather was an aerial gunner for the US Navy in WWI. I really want know what he flew in. I know he saw combat, and had PTSD.

[@johnhagemeyer8578]

In the 7o's I was stationed at Langley AFB VA. The first Tac fighter wing is as old Or older than any fighters because we borrowed aircraft during wwI. But I am frequently wrong.

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

You also borrowed the steel helmets, tanks, machine guns and field artillery (not 100% sure about the MGs). I'm surprised the boys came dressed ... 🙂 According to my mother (86), I'm always wrong, so ...

[@allendyer5359]

This gets tricky like Ed said even on 1st Squadrons. The 1st Aero Squadron was not same as the 1st Pursuit Group. 1st Aero was in the 1916 Punitive Action in Mexico, then became a Photo Recon squad in WWI. The 95th Aero Squad flew their first mission "escorting" the 1st Aero 15 May 1918, 10 days after had formed the 1st Pursuit group along with the 94th. But you also have the 17th Aero that were flying Sopwith Camels "with-in" the Brits units back in Feb 1918. They became part of 1st Pursuit later when at Selfridge Field in 20s. But "First" there's those rich "volunteer" Fly-boy guys in the Lafayette Escadrille flying French Nieuport 17s back to 1916? Wasn't till late July 1918 they formed US 3rd Pursuit Group (the 103, 93rd, & 28th) BUT that was under the 1st Pursuit WING (which included the 1st & 2nd Bomber Groups & Recon units). Who's on first? 1st TFW at Langley in 70s/80s think had 94th, 71st (a just prior WWII Selfridge add), & Frank Lukes 27th Pursuit/Fighter Squadron. First isn't always first, and then there is that funny deal where to "fool" them Huns we added some 80 unit numbers after first wave of squads sent over in fall of 1917. They then jumped it up to used 200, 300, or 600, with think less than 100 sent. What's in a number?

[@johnhagemeyer8578]

@@allendyer5359 Thank you. I was a parachute rigger packing ACE II in F15, , It was the patchs with the logos I remember best. So cool, but as a youngsters I was too busy with life to care about "old stuff like this". Now it's didn't.

[@allendyer5359]

@@johnhagemeyer8578 Hey Way Back in them 80s, I was over the west gate side with the Tazlangleyian Devil squadron. F-15s & T-33s...but did get a "Hat in the Ring" & Black Falcon Patch in trade. Built plenty of model kits as a kid, read books and guess info still up there in noggin somehow. Can't race ya round the mile-long anymore..but have a good one eh.

[@scoopmcg]

I've never seen a Heinrich Pursuit aircraft - a very handsome airplane and thanks again for another great video!

[@randyjennings3075]

Ed I always love your stuff. Though at about 57 seconds when you mention the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, you show a mystery glider that which is not the Wright Flyer. Plus having been to Kitty Hawk multiple times, the image is way to close to the beach. I forgive thee, as you rock my casbah.

[@alexanderguesthistorical7842]

From those to the superb North American Mustang in less than 20 years! WOW!

[@tonyennis1787]

I think your choices were pretty solid. What's the first indigenous fighter aircraft that fired its guns in anger?

[@julesjames593]

First US fighter aircraft in combat with US military pilot. Probably the Boeing-built DH-4 in Nicaragua 1927. Yes -- the DeHavilland DH-4 was a British design, but 9 years of American improvements is enough to qualify as American in my book.

[@sealove79able]

Can you make a video about the early US tv guided weapons of the WWII vintage please?

[@imadrifter]

Thats a great idea for a video 👍🏻

[@sealove79able]

@@imadrifter Did the UK have something alike except the radar and bouncing bomb?

[@imadrifter]

@@sealove79able well I know the Allies ( US & Britain + the rest) captured a bunch of V-1 and V-2 intact that failed to detonate and thats what led to the whole guided missile programs after the war but I don't know the specifics of what they worked on during the war or what they tested, prototypes, etc., but I've always wondered and your comment got me thinking about it. I'll do some digging to see what I can find out.

[@sealove79able]

@@imadrifter Thank you. So the Allies copied the guidance systems from the v1/v2 not only the ballistic missiles and their components engines aerodynamics etc.?

[@imadrifter]

@@sealove79able I don't know if they directly copied it but they studied them for sure, and implemented some of the designs. The Germans have always over engineered things, so I assume the Allies disassembled them and studied and possibly reverse engineered them, but I would guess that they (the Allies) simplified the designs to ease with production.

[@stevenleek1254]

Delightful

[@cfox7811]

If it did not have a gun, it could not fight, therefore not a fighter. This eliminates many of the first contenders yet I am glad they were included so so we could see them.

[@jb6027]

Great video!

[@pastorrich7436]

Speaking of Boeing, a look at the lineage of the Eagle that goes through the Silent Eagle and foreign Eagles to the EX could be an interesting study! Oh, and the only indigenous type I recognized from your list was the Thomas Morris. Good show, thank you!

[@Achates72]

The first "Fighter" was the F-51 Mustang. Before that they were "Pursuit" aircraft.

[@Simon_Nonymous]

that is a very good comment, mainly because you are right.

[@tutekohe1361]

The Wright Brothers were not the first to take to the air in a heavier than air vehicle. Otto Lilienthal in Europe flew a Glider approximately 100 years before the Wrights. The ‘Wright Flyer’ was the first self-propelled heavier than air vehicle to fly.

[@Snobiker13]

More like ten years, not a hundred. The major pioneering contribution by the Wright brothers was control, they could actually steer their aircraft effectively.

[@johnshufflebottom7907]

Otto Lilienthal was not a 100 years before the Wrights but at most 12 years being active between 1891 to 1896 Sir George Cayley built a man carrying glider which made hops with his coachman on board in 1853, said to be the first man carrying machine to fly 50 years before them.

[@michaelcatherwood4088]

Richard Pearse of South Canterbury in New Zealand flew a powered heavier than air machine before the Wright Brothers. Pearse considered it a failure because it only flew 600 yards and when he turned to return to where he took off from he failed to clear a gorse hedge and crashed. My Grandfather who lived in the area at the time referred to Pearse as Mad Pearse, He didn't personally witness the flight but knew many that did. Nobody in South Canterbury was very excited when the news of Wright's flight came because they knew Pearse had done it a couple of years before.

[@michaelcatherwood4088]

@Cancer McAids An accurate reproduction of the aircraft has been built and resides at the Timaru Airport ( Richard Pearse Airport) this aircraft has been flown. If you have the opportunity, visit the airport and check it out for yourself. It was an amazing feat of engineering for the time and the place.

[@OneHitWonder383]

Officially, America's first fighter aircraft was the P-1 Curtis Hawk.

[@oml81mm]

Or perhaps the F-1 Fury 😎

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

That Curtiss S-6 triplane has a rather intersting armament. According to the photos, the MGs would clearly cut through the propeller blade. It also looks as if the pilot has to stand up to reach the trigger mechanism. I'm 100% sure that besides Germany nobody else cared for synchronized MGs in WW1 and I'm hard pressed to think of any British or US fighter in WW2 that had it (sure P-40, but what else ?). Edit: 2 minutes later and I stand corrected ... ok, no synchonized MGs in frontline aircraft. 🙂

[@grizwoldphantasia5005]

Pretty sure everybody relied on synchronized machine guns after the first few experiments.

[@wingmanjim6]

In WW2 several other a/c had synchronized guns, one that comes to mind is the early production P51A. Quite a few of the German fighters had trough most of the war., but obviously the concept fell out of favor quite quickly. The Luftwaffe retained synchronized cowl guns throughout most of the conflict.

[@ollimoore]

Germany got there first at least in terms of frontline combat aircraft with synchronization, but by the end of the war they certainly didn’t have a monopoly on it. The famous late war French and British fighters (SPAD, Sopwith, S.E.5) had synchronization. As for US WW2 aircraft with synchronization, the P-39 had it as well.

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

@@wingmanjim6 P-51A or Apache ?

[@ollimoore]

@@wingmanjim6 I can’t think of a major production (piston powered, tractor configuration) WW2 German fighter that DIDN’T have synchronization, correct me if I’m wrong. Also, most or all of the main Soviet and Italian types had it, as well as the more famous Japanese fighters (Zero, Ki-43, Ki-61) although I think I remember that some of the other types (J2M?) had only wing mounted armament. The Soviets were still doing it postwar with the La-9 and La-11, so I’d say the concept stuck around pretty much for as long as there was a propellor in the way.

[@vbart1776]

Like your Harry Potter glasses. Great video

[@babboon5764]

A *very* under-rated comment. (Which tactfully avoided mention of Ed's the 'Young Ones' surpluss 'Neil' wig)

[@imadrifter]

My vote is for the HTB or the HT2

[@Whitpusmc]

Our first fighter was the Nieuport 28. The pilots who first got kills when serving with an American Squadron flew N28s.

[@BogeyTheBear]

In World War One parlance, a scout was a single-seat airplane with an air-to-air role... ...'Fighters' did exist at the tine, though, as it was the term used for _two_ seat air-to-air combat. If you had a gunner, you flew a fighter. If you were all alone, you flew a scout.

[@Paladin1873]

That must have been revised at some point. My old neighbor flew French Salmons, which had a single forward firing gun and twin guns in back for the observer, but they were classified as reconnaissance aircraft. It was a unique design in that it incorporated a true radial engine (not rotary), which was a very advanced concept for the time.

[@BogeyTheBear]

@@Paladin1873 Many of the two-seaters had an air-to-ground role, whether directly (bomber or ground attack) or indirectly (reconaissance or artillery spotting). Two-seat aircraft with a primary role in attacking other aircraft, such as the F.E.2 or the Bristol F.2 were 'fighters'. Single-seat planes like the S.E.5 or Sopwith Camel were 'scouts'.

[@shero113]

The US was planning in 1918 to build in America the Martinsyde Buzzard. That would have complicated matters more!

[@williamfawkes8379]

When I see the war planes of this Era, I always wonder if the next scene will have Benny Hill ringing a bell to get the fire truck rolling out. Maybe that's just me though.

[@iffracem]

@4:00, That "Heinrch (sp?) Pursuit" is a clean, good looking plane for it's time, might have to do some more digging into it, if I can. Looked to have a skinned fuselage, wood or metal I wonder?

[@loddude5706]

But for a few years in time's vast arc, the First American fighters could well have been flown by 'Geronimo's Flying Circus'. (Anyone calling Mel Brooks & suggesting he should make 'The Ballad of Von Ten Bears' - do it now, he's getting on a bit : )

[@ThanhVu-mw8xb]

As if you don’t know or remeber that Vietnam Z-153 factory are starding a Major upgrade for the T-54/55 and Type-59 and star to usding STV ausalt rifle to repace the Ak

[@chuckp8705]

Well done.

[@jeffsmith2022]

If I had to guess, without seeing any of this video, I would answer the French, Spad, which was flown by American, Eddie Rickenbacker and many others...

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

@04:50, look at the bullet holes in the propeller! What about the planes the US and Pershing used in Mexico before WW1 for the USA? I guess they didn't have guns.

[@mred3525]

What's the bint for?

[@luislealsantos]

String bags, lots of them. Lighter than it's pilots.

[@dragontdc]

So what was the first American built production service scout/fighter aircraft to see combat use?

[@cpocraig1]

Great Video.

[@charleyfoster7118]

The first aircraft, used by US Forces was the Nieuport 28. An obsolete machine, abandoned by the Fench.

[@vincentray5226]

What was the first all American fighter to see combat?

[@rockymac3565]

Interesting question! I know the Chinese used the Curtiss Hawk II and III as well as the Boeing Model 281 (the export version of the P-26 Peashooter) against the Japanese in 1937 and there are claims of combat kills by Hawks and Model 281s on the 15th August of that year. However, the Spanish Republican Air Force also used a single Model 281 in the Spanish Civil War and it was shot down in a dogfight with three Fiat CR.32s in October 1936. I can't think of any combat involving US designed fighters before that but as there were a LOT of conflicts between the two World Wars and countries were purchasing planes in small quantities from all over the place, it wouldn't surprise me if there was something well before 1936!

[@maxsmodels]

Thomas-Morse S4B Scout?

[@clazy8]

Love the photo of the Boeing "factory"

[@toastnjam7384]

The Heinrich Pursuit is a great looking airplane.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thanks Ed.....Shoe🇺🇸

[@jamespettit1792]

most of these would make fun Peanut scale free flight models

[@puppetguy8726]

People need mention how the Wright brothers stifeld the American aeronautics industry. Their once revolutionary design quickly became antiquated and they couldn't keep up with the developments.

[@xkgbciax5286]

dont forget they hide it and did nothing for a few years thinking some like Curtis would steal it kinda funny he looked learned made it better

[@babboon5764]

Its true they tried, but not relevant really because they failed

[@grizwoldphantasia5005]

Yes, hid all their development and basically waited for the US govt to come begging, hat in hand. They still were the best in 1908 as shown by literally flying circles around everyone else. But they just sat back and waited ... and waited ... and waited. I've often wondered what they would have done if there had been no patents to give them false hope.

[@jwrappuhn71]

Excellent.

[@charleyfoster7118]

In combat. The N28 was used in France, in combat.

[@michaelhowell2541]

If it couldn't shoot, it wasn't a fighter.

[@babboon5764]

But *the VERY earliest fighters couldn't shoot* They did innovative things like dangling grapels on cables to snag the other plane. Were they not fighters?

[@lancerevell5979]

Pistols and carbines were used, and occasionally dropped grenades onto opposing aircraft/balloons.

[@offshoretomorrow3346]

Looking good there, Ed. What conditioner are you using, Princess?

[@Tayd0g]

If we’re considering airplanes that did not serve as a fighter, what about the wright model b, which served in the military and was the first plane to have successfully fired a machine gun. Though not a fighter, no reason it couldn’t be one in its time period.

[@Theonixco]

This Curtiss S6, how exactly was the pilot supposed to shoot those Lewis Guns, stand up out of the cockpit?

[@babboon5764]

*Carefully*

[@raypurchase801]

Are we talking "Fighter" or "pursuit"?

[@CAP198462]

Me: Well, obviously the answer is the Curtiss JN-2 Ed: Nope. Sit down. Me: Wright military flyer. Ed: you’re guessing, sit down.

[@andrewtadd4373]

Well considering that all America aircraft up to 1946 were classed as pursuit aircraft, so anything after that. And officially only Bristol aircraft company has ever build an aircraft named "Fighter" or Brisfit for short.

[@skepticalbadger]

That is mindnumbingly pedantic. "Fighter" is a well-understood term for a class of aircraft and "Pursuit" was simply the period US term for it.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

The Wrights were the first to obtain powered and controlled heavier than air flight. Don't get me wrong, that's huge. But they were not 'first in flight' as they like to claim. Don't get me started on the myth of Lindbergh.

[@Mishn0]

Shut up. No one wants to hear you whine.

[@xkgbciax5286]

just go solo

[@babboon5764]

I'll see you Lindbergh *and* your Wright brothers and raise you a *George Cayley* . Despite the near insurmountable handicap of being born on the unfashionable East side of the Pennines, by 1799 he had correctly worked out the principles of aerodynamics needed by a heavier than air flying machine and in the 1840s flew a man (well, large gullible boy) over the Wyedale valley near his home. By 1853 or thereabouts he had a viable flying semi-glider powered by 'flappers'.

[@Lightningdvc]

Lindberg was about the 100th person to fly the Atlantic.

[@mikepxg6406]

There you go.

[@jonathanstein1783]

The Thomas-Morse Scout could qualify. Planes Of Fame in Chino, CA, has one hanging in the Fighter Rebuilders hangar. Or did.

[@williammitchell4417]

The first aircraft that I would think of was the Curtiss Jenny

[@gregedwards5608]

Ok, now how about the first U.S. scout/ Fighter to actually see combat?; I would go with the P-26 Peashooter, but that was I think in China. So the 1st us design to see combat for the U.S. maybe the P-40 at Pearl Harbor?. What do you think Rex?.

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

Possibly the Boeing P-12E? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJ3FeqmYibZ3i6M

[@babboon5764]

You have been watching the wrong channel This is Ed's He cuts to the chase (and doesn't sound like a dweeb with a gobful of plums) Why on earth would you think it was Rex?

[@allendyer5359]

The 1st Aero Squad with Capt Foulis, went after Pancho villa for Gen Pershing in March 1916. They had Curtiss R2s & the new JN3. Think they had like 12 pilots & 6 planes. One did a hard landing and pilot used his pistol to convince a gurilla fighter to drive him across the border. During the Banan War in 1920s the USMC aviator did some "Dive Bombing" in Nicaragua or El Salvador along with strafing runs. If recall right they used Vought "Bluebirds". But now what was first to shoot at another plane -and actually be an Air "Fighter"? Ok Navy, let us know?

[@420JackG]

Idk man, aren't mercenaries under the pay of the US and fighting for her allies essentially American proxies? Because the 'Flying Tigers' check those boxes... even aside from that, there were a handful of military expeditions to Latin America in the interwar period that typically involved the Marine Corps and since they themselves are a naval asset it wouldn't be surprising to find out that they were supported by naval aviation... the USMC itself had an aviation squadron in the Dominican Republic as early as 1920, and I believe they were flying a mix of Curtiss F6 series, Boeing FB series, and French aircraft. Some elements of this squadron was apparently deployed to Nicaragua in 1927, but much like everything about our involvement in the long series of quasi-imperial 'Banana Wars' the information is sketchy at best.

[@gregedwards5608]

@@allendyer5359 Cool info Allen, thanks.

[@elstevobevo]

Love it.

[@pavelavietor1]

AMERICA IS A CONTINENT NO A COUNTRY, SALUDOS IBEROAMERICA. great presentation

[@RemusKingOfRome]

"boulton Paul Defiant .. Good .." :D

[@NON155]

WHAT WAS THE AMERICA FIRST FIGHTER JET ?

[@mikearmstrong8483]

The Bell P59 Airacomet. But it didn't see combat service; it was armed but then only used for training. Just after it came the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, which was deployed to Italy before WWII ended, but also didn't see combat until Korea, so it sort of qualifies.

[@ABrit-bt6ce]

"except, you know, good" :)

[@Farweasel]

Well, in my experience, there aren't that many cute young women wandering around wondering which was *really* America's first fighter aircraft (Usually they just say 'Spad' give a gallic shrug and move on). But The one advising Ed here has done a superb job. I mean I'm confused, sure. But That's nothing new So I stick with the observation 'I wonder if the guys who designed the M8 had seen the high wing Fokker monoplane brought in by Germany at the tail end of the conflict'? *Woah* it suddenly dawned on me - *that was over a century ago*

[@gort8203]

People trying to pigeonhole historical aircraft into narrow categories to which they attach unwarranted meaning generates more controversy on the internet than there ever was back when these aircraft flew. This video should attract a virtual feeding frenzy.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Yeah. With automobiles and aircraft - in the beginning - everyone and their brother was taking a crack at it but over the decades these companies have become fewer and fewer ... .

[@joebutterman3084]

American is about the men. Not the machine. So the first American fighters flew the Neuiports and SPADs.

[@yoochoob1858]

Erm.. wright model B flyer, equipped with a lewis gun.. 1912.

[@Mishn0]

That never resulted in a production contract and squadron service. That's what this video is about.

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

9:24 it is pronounced Air Ronka, Ed

[@lurch8111]

Nop the US was not the first county to have Heaver than air flight we have Sir George Cayley's coach man and Otto Lilienthal. the Wright Flyer was the first repeatable, contolable and powered with an internal combustion engin heavier than air flight. It neads all four prefixes other wise some one else did it first.

[@Mishn0]

But until there was a man-carrying, heavier-than-air, controllable, I.C. powered aircraft, there was nothing practical. Stop trying to minimize the Wright brothers' accomplishments.

[@mikearmstrong8483]

If it is uncontrollable, then it isn't a flying aircraft; it is a weird shaped projectile. Caley, Langley, and Ader made manned craft that flew about as long and as well as the average Red Bull fleugtag contraption. Lilienthal, and then Chanute, made the first successful manned aircraft, which were hang gliders. The Wrights are uncontested in making the first powered aircraft. What came before them were valiant attempts only, but not aircraft. With a good start and a raised railroad crossing I can get my car airborne for several feet, but that doesn't make it an aircraft.

[@lurch8111]

@@mikearmstrong8483 No Caley plane flew furter than the Wrights . "Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft "

[@mikearmstrong8483]

@@lurch8111 Yes, running off aged memory only, I lumped Caley in with Langley and Ader for failed attempts at powered flight, when I should have included him with Lilienthal and Chanute for his contribution to gliders. For some reason I was fixated on his helicopter design that never flew, without thinking about his gliders that did.

[@Cubic5]

And if you add in only aircraft that were designed by people born in the United Stated you will have a very different list

[@Mishn0]

Did you look at the title of this video? You're describing a completely different one. But, I know, America Bad and Americans Dumb...

[@HarborLockRoad]

God bless Billy Mitchell, or we wouldnt have had anything!!!!!

[@Otokichi786]

Burgess O/Gunbus (1915) Burgess HT-2 (1917) Heinrich Pursuit (1917) Curtiss S-6 (1917) Packard-La Pere LUSAC-11 (1918) Loening M8 (1918) Ordinance Engineering Corp./Orenco Type D (1919) Curtiss-Orenco D (1921) Thomas-Morse MB-3 (1920) Boeing MB-3A (1922)

[@americanrambler4972]

Wow. A whole bunch of planes and builders I have never heard of. And it’s quite illuminating just how bad and far behind American aircraft were in the teens and twenties.

[@garynew9637]

Check out the Seimens Schuckert!

[@americanrambler4972]

@@garynew9637 I did. There were much better airplanes flying around during that period.

[@bush_wookie_9606]

Was it Italian 🤔

[@skepticalbadger]

Scouts were not fighters until designed and armed for the purpose. Hence the term "Fighting Scout".

[@bpora01]

The F-51

[@GentalmanLout]

Still think the Euro fighter would best the F-22 in a fight.