dehavillanddh4b

Nice photo, but there are some problems with the Smithsonian's description and dating. There are no DH-4Bs in this photo; most of the aircraft shown are Douglas, not just the ones on the left. They all share the Douglas's distinctive vertical fin shape, quite different from the DH-4B's, and they are "single-bay" biplanes with one set of interwing struts per side; the DH-4B was a "twin-bay" biplane with two sets of interwing struts on each side. Also, the Douglas planes must be either M-3s or M-4s; the M-2 was only bought by Western Air Express, not by the Post Office. The Boeing 40 belonged to Boeing Air Transport, judging by the logo on the side. (Going by the tail number, it appears to be the one registered as NC285.) These details mean the photo must be a few years later than 1924, because at that time the Douglas and Boeing planes didn't exist. 1927 seems most likely: the Boeing 40 had entered service, but the U.S. Post Office hadn't yet stopped flying the mail itself.

Thank you, Colin! You are correct and we will redo the caption shortly.

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United States Army Air Service aviators of the 1920 Alaskan Expedition, photographed at Mitchel Field, Long Island, (L to R), St. Clair "Bill" Streett, Clifford C. Nutt, Ross C. Kirkpatrick, Erik H. Nelson, and Clarence E. Crumrine. The same photo is featured in U.S. Air Service, Vol. 4, No. 1, August 1920, Page 8. The expedition consisting of four Army Air Service de Havilland DH-4B aircraft and crew (several of which would have distinguished careers in aviation), flew round trip from Mitchel Field, Long Island to Nome, Alaska, from July 15, 1920 to October 20, 1920. For more on the expedition, see: "The Alaskan Flying Expedition - A Remarkable Achievement for the Army Air Service," Flying, Vol. IX, No. 10, November 1920, Pages 626-630.

Thank you TVL1970 for the great details about these men and the Alaska Expedition. We will add some of them to the description when we update.