Airco DH.4 Biplane Day Bomber / Multi-Role Platform (1917)
The Airco DH.4 was a highly-produced day bomber for Allied forces in the First World War.
The DH.4 was designed to meet a specialized War Office specification and classified as a light daytime bomber. Though listed in this entry with "Airco" as the manufacturer, the aircraft was in fact produced by a variety of sub-contractors in England and the United States - with the United States accounting for nearly 5,000 units of the overall production total. British-produced units were often fielded with the Rolls-Royce brand engine generating 250hp whilst American models would feature the more powerful Liberty 12 400hp engine for use by the United States Army Air Service.
Crew accommodations for the DH.4 amounted to seating for two - the pilot and an observer/rear gunner. Seating, it should be noted, placed the pilot and rear gunner in distanced cockpits and as such, communications would have suffered somewhat in the midst of a firefight. The DH.9 series would remedy this by placing the pilot and rear gunner back to back, cockpits placed closer together. The pilot had access to twin Lewis-type 7.62mm machine guns in a forward fixed firing position. Additionally, the rear cockpit was fitted with twin 7.62mm Lewis machine guns as well, though these were trainable. External bomb provisions were limited to 460 lbs of ordnance. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Airco DH.4
Biplane Day Bomber / Multi-Role Platform
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Airco / de Havilland - United Kingdom
Initial Year of Service: 1917
Production: 6,295
Focus Model: Airco DH.4
Crew: 2
Length: 30.68ft (9.35m)
Width: 42.39ft (12.92m)
Height: 10.99ft (3.35m)
Weight (Empty): 2,392lbs (1,085kg)
Weight (MTOW): 3,479lbs (1,578kg)
Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce Eagle VI inline engine generating 250hp.
Maximum Speed: 143mph (230kmh; 124kts)
Maximum Range: 478miles (770km)
Service Ceiling: 21,998ft (6,705m; 4.2miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 1,000 feet per minute (305m/min)
Hardpoints: 2
Armament Suite:
STANDARD:
2 x 7.62mm Vickers machine guns (fixed, forward-firing).
2 x 7.62mm Vickers machine guns on trainable mount in rear cockpit.
OPTIONAL:
Maximum External Bomb Loadout of 460 lbs.
Variants:
DH.4 - Base Series Designationl produced in UK and US.
DH.4A - Civil Passenger Model; seating for two in glazed cabin aft of pilot.
DH.4B - US Air Service model; fitted with Liberty engine; pilot's seat relocated aft of fuel tank and adjacent to rear cockpit.
DH.4 B-1 - Increased Fuel Capacity to 110 US gallons.
DH.4 B-2 - Trainer Variant
DH.4 B-3 - Increased Fuel Capacity to 135 US gallons.
DH.4 B-4 - Civilian Variant
DH.4 B-5 - Experimental Civilian Variant with enclosed cabin area.
DH.4BD - Crop-dusting model based on the DH.4B.
DH.4BG - Specialized variant fitting smoke generators.
DH.4BK - Specialized night flying model.
DH.4BM - Communications Variant; single-seat.
DH.4BM-1 - Dual-control DH.4BM model
DH.4BM-2 - Dual-control DH.4BM model
DH.4BP - Experimental Photo-Reconnaissance Platform.
DH.4BP-1 - Survey Platform
DH.4BS - Developmental Platform fitting a Liberty (supercharged) engine.
DH.4BT - Dual control trainer variant
DH.4BW - Developmental Platform fitting a Wright H engine.
DH.4C - Fitting a Packard engine of 300 horsepower.
DH.4L - Civilian Model
DH.4M - Rebuilt DH.4s utilizing steel tubing for fuselage.
DH.4Amb - Airborne Ambulance
DH.4M-1 (Boeing Model 16) - Post-War Production models; all-new fuselage.
DH.4M-1T - Dual control trainer version of the DH.4M production models.
DH.4M-1K - Target Tug Conversion Models
O2B-1 - US Navy designation of DH.4M-1 models.
O2B-2 - US Navy designation of night-flying/cross-country conversion models.
DH.4M-2 - Atlantic-produced post-war models
LWF J-2 ("Twin DH") - Developmental two-engine, long-range model; fitted with 2 x Hall-Scott-Liberty 6 series engines of 200 horsepower each; 30 examples produced.
DH.4R - Racer Model; single seat; fitted with Napier Lion engine of 450 horsepower.
XCO-7 (Boeing Model 42) - Observation Platform by Boeing with new wings, revised tail fin and split landing gear arrangement.
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