The Thomas Brothers T-2 was a tractor biplane developed in 1915 by the Thomas Brothers Aeroplane Company. Based in Ithaca, New York, the company operated out of a plant located on Brindley Street. The firm had been established in 1910 by brothers William T. Thomas and Oliver W. Thomas, initially operating in Hammondsport before moving through Hornell and Bath prior to establishing their Ithaca operations. The company eventually evolved into the Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation, which was acquired by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in 1929 and ceased all operations by 1934.
Design responsibilities for the T-2 were held by Benjamin D. Thomas, an Englishman who was not related to the company's founders. Benjamin D. Thomas brought significant industry experience to the role, having previously worked for prominent aviation firms including Curtiss, Sopwith, and Vickers. Under his direction as chief designer, the T-2 was developed as a two-seat, two-bay equal-span biplane. The aircraft utilized a traditional fabric-covered wooden construction, a design philosophy that would later be mirrored in the D-2 and D-5 aircraft families. While a specific first-flight date for the T-2 is not recorded, a comparable aircraft was flown in the spring of 1915 by Frank Burnside.
Historically, the T-2 is significant as an early example of the company's efforts to meet international military procurement needs during the early years of the First World War. This export focus is evidenced by a substantial order of 24 T-2 aircraft placed by the British for use within the Royal Naval Air Service. Beyond British service, the aircraft saw utility with the United States Navy; when configured with floats, the aircraft was designated as the SH-4. While the T-2 served these naval roles, the provided records do not specify particular combat units or individual pilots associated with the model, nor do they provide specific engine performance data or total production figures beyond the British order.