Public domain photos (WWI)

I am under the impression that photos of WWI aircraft are in the public domain. American aircraft photography was done by the Signal Corps, a government agency, and these pix are usable. I assume that the photos of english aircraft were made by a similar branch and are usable.

I don't think that Danielle Durkin needs permission to use the photo of the FE2b.
Is there anyone out there who can confirm my statement?
I am not talking about paintings or drawings of these aircraft, which I believe have copywrite prrotect for 75 years. 5/30/00.

Depends.....technically... reprinting, copying, or otherwise duplicating documented info (photographic or otherwise) for purposes other than for your own person requires written permission from the copyrite holder regardless if it's public domain. The material may be used in texts or documents if proper disclaimers are used otherwise the reader assumes that the author is the copyrite holder (illegal). I would suggest checking any disclaimer associated with the public domain stuff which may state something like.."this material is NOT copyrite protected and may be reprinted for public or private use". Just to be safe I mean.

Greetings Tom: My reference was to works for which the copyright has expired and are in the public domain and usable without permission; this certainly applies to works published before 1918. My second reference was to aviation photography provided by government agencies, which can not copyright their publications, which are automatically in the public domain.
I consulted a book called "Hirsh's Handbook of Publishing Law'. On page 144 Hirsh states: "by definition, an author or publisher cannot be liable for copyright infringement by copying words or images that are in the public domain. Indeed, the very phrase "public domain" is best defined as images, words and other expressions that are not subject to copyright law."
Consider further that most if not all of the pictures of military aircraft of WWI found in books published in the 1920s-1930s used pictures taken by military photography and that there is usually no attribution line under these graphics. Even the great book: "Jane's Fighting Aircraft of WWI" does not attribute the photographers; my assumption is that civilians were not allowed to take pictures of military aircraft for security reasons.
This topic could use some more input. Billy H, 5/31/00.

Greetings Tom: My reference was to works for which the copyright has expired and are in the public domain and usable without permission; this certainly applies to works published before 1918. My second reference was to aviation photography provided by government agencies, which can not copyright their publications, which are automatically in the public domain.
I consulted a book called "Hirsh's Handbook of Publishing Law'. On page 144 Hirsh states: "by definition, an author or publisher cannot be liable for copyright infringement by copying words or images that are in the public domain. Indeed, the very phrase "public domain" is best defined as images, words and other expressions that are not subject to copyright law."
Consider further that most if not all of the pictures of military aircraft of WWI found in books published in the 1920s-1930s used pictures taken by military photography and that there is usually no attribution line under these graphics. Even the great book: "Jane's Fighting Aircraft of WWI" does not attribute the photographers; my assumption is that civilians were not allowed to take pictures of military aircraft for security reasons.
This topic could use some more input. Billy H, 5/31/00.