Airco DH.9A
Airco · United Kingdom · first flew 1918 · bomber
The Airco DH.9A was a British two-seat light bomber of the First World War, developed from the DH.9 and powered by the American Liberty 12 engine. It became the standard RAF light bomber of the early 1920s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.22 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat biplane bomber with a single V-12 engine in the nose
- Longer-span wings than the earlier DH.9
- Pilot and observer-gunner seated in tandem
An open-cockpit two-seat biplane bomber with a Liberty engine at the nose, distinguished from the DH.9 by its longer wings.
Specifications
- The Airco DH.9A has a length of 9.22 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.01 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 198 km/h (123 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The DH.9 was disappointing because of its engines, so the DH.9A was given a Liberty engine, longer-span wings and a strengthened fuselage. Westland carried out the detailed design, and the prototype first flew in March 1918 with a Rolls-Royce Eagle.
Variants
The USD-9A was an American version, and only nine were built. The Soviet Union built a large number of unlicensed copies as the Polikarpov R-1.
Where you'll see it
It entered service with No. 110 Squadron in July 1918 and flew long-range bombing missions into Germany. It then equipped 24 RAF squadrons between 1920 and 1931, including squadrons in the Middle East.
Related aircraft
- Airco DH.10 Amiens
- Airco DH.11 Oxford
- de Havilland DH.16
- Airco DH.3
- AEG G.V
- AEG R.I
- Blackburn Blackburd
- Blackburn Kangaroo
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