Wreckage of an aircraft, Circa 1915-1918

The William H. Chisam Photograph Collection depicts Chisam’s education at the Wright School of Aviation where he flew in both Dayton, Ohio and Augusta, Georgia. The photographs show Chisam flying various types of biplanes including the Wright Flyer Model B. There are multiple photos of Chisam in the air and in cockpits. There are also a few group shots and a couple photographs of a downtown scene, possibly in Dayton, Ohio.

Over half of the photographs document Chisam’s time in the No. 3 Royal Naval Air Squadron. These photographs picture different types of aircraft lined up and in the air. The most prevalent type of aircraft appearing in this collection were manufactured by Sopwith, which produced aeroplanes mainly for the British Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. The popular Sopwith Camel is shown along with the Sopwith Pup, the Dolphin, and the 1 ½ Strutter.

A few group photographs of No. 3 Squadron are included in the collection. One photograph, number 43, lists the names of the individuals pictured in the group photo. Other photos mainly identify William Chisam and Ally Shaw. Near the end of the collection are photographs of pilots in the hospital and Chisam standing with support of a cane. There are also photographs of war damaged buildings in France.