Time Period: World War I
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Biplane, Bomber Aircraft, General Purpose Aircraft
Manufacturer: Airco
Airco DH.9A Aircraft Overview
The Airco DH.9A was a British single-engine biplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that was developed as an improved version of the earlier Airco DH.9 during the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland for the Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco), and entered service in 1918.
The DH.9A featured a wooden frame and was powered by a 400-horsepower Liberty 12A V-12 engine, which was a significant improvement over the earlier DH.9. It was armed with two .303 inch (7.7 mm) Lewis machine guns, one mounted on the front of the aircraft and the other on the rear cockpit, and could carry up to 1,650 lb (750 kg) of bombs or other equipment.
The DH.9A had a top speed of around 126 mph (203 km/h) and a range of over 400 miles (640 km). It was widely used by the Royal Air Force in the post-war period, and also saw service in a number of other countries.
A total of around 2,250 DH.9A aircraft were built, with production continuing until 1919. Although it was not without its flaws, the DH.9A was a significant improvement over the earlier DH.9, and helped pave the way for the development of more advanced bombers and other aircraft in the years to come.
Airco DH.9A Specifications
- Crew: 2
- Length: 30 ft 3 in (9.22 m)
- Wingspan: 45 ft 11+3⁄8 in (14.005 m)
- Height: 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m)
- Wing area: 486.75 sq ft (45.221 m2)
- Empty weight: 2,800 lb (1,270 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 4,645 lb (2,107 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Liberty 12A water-cooled V-12 engine, 400 hp (300 kW).
Airco DH.9A Performance
- Maximum speed: 123 mph (198 km/h, 107 kn) at sea level, 114.5 mph (184.3 km/h; 99.5 kn) at 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
- Endurance: 5 h 25 min
- Service ceiling: 16,750 ft (5,110 m)
- Time to altitude: 15 min 45 s to 10,000 ft (3,000 m).
Airco DH.9A Armament
- Guns: ** 1× forward firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun, 1 or 2 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on Scarff ring.
- Bombs: Up to 740 lb (340 kg) on underwing and fuselage racks.
