Time Period: World War I
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Biplane, Bomber Aircraft
Manufacturer: Airco
Airco DH.9 Aircraft Overview
The Airco DH.9 was a British single-engine biplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft designed by Geoffrey de Havilland for the Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco) during World War I. It was introduced in 1917 and saw extensive service in the latter stages of the war.
The DH.9 featured a wooden frame and was powered by a 230-horsepower Siddeley Puma engine. It was armed with a single .303 inch (7.7 mm) Lewis machine gun mounted on the rear cockpit, and could carry up to 500 lb (230 kg) of bombs or other equipment.
The DH.9 had a top speed of around 121 mph (195 km/h) and a range of over 400 miles (640 km). It was widely used by the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force for bombing and reconnaissance missions, and played a significant role in the final months of World War I.
After the war, the DH.9 was used by a number of other countries, including the United States, which built its own version of the aircraft under license. The DH.9 was also used for a variety of roles, including as a mail plane and a civilian airliner.
A total of around 2,900 DH.9 aircraft were built, with production continuing until 1919. Although it was not without its flaws, the DH.9 represented an important step forward in aircraft design and technology, and helped pave the way for the development of more advanced bombers and other aircraft in the years to come.
Airco DH.9 Specifications
- Crew: two
- Length: 30 ft 5 in (9.27 m)
- Wingspan: 42 ft 4+5⁄8 in (12.919 m)
- Height: 11 ft 3+1⁄2 in (3.442 m)
- Wing area: 434 sq ft (40.3 m2)
- Airfoil: RAF-16
- Empty weight: 2,360 lb (1,070 kg)
- Gross weight: 3,790 lb (1,719 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Armstrong Siddeley Puma 6-cylinder inline piston engine, 230 hp (170 kW).
Airco DH.9 Performance
- Maximum speed: 113 mph (182 km/h, 98 kn)
- Endurance: 4+1/2 hours
- Service ceiling: 15,500 ft (4,700 m)
- Time to altitude: 18 min 30 sec to 10,000 ft (3,000 m).
Airco DH.9 Armament
- Guns: Forward firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and 1 or 2 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on Scarff ring in the rear cockpit
- Bombs: Up to 460 lb (210 kg) bombs.
