Airco DH.14 Okapi
Airco (Aircraft Manufacturing Company) · United Kingdom · first flew 1919 · bomber
The Airco DH.14 Okapi was a British long-range single-engine bomber biplane designed during the First World War but not completed until after the Armistice. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland for strategic bombing missions.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.34 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Post-WWI British single-engine long-range bomber biplane — arrived after the Armistice
- Large sesquiplane biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland for long-range bombing
- Single Napier Lion inline engine in a broad-chord cowling
A large single-engine biplane of conventional WWI bomber layout, somewhat oversized for its single engine. The Napier Lion inline engine in a broad cowling and a mid-fuselage observer/gunner position are characteristic.
Specifications
- The Airco DH.14 Okapi has a length of 10.34 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.37 m (50 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 196 km/h (122 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed in 1917–1918 to meet a requirement for a long-range bomber capable of attacking targets deep in Germany, the DH.14 first flew in 1919 after the war had ended. With the immediate military need gone, it was not ordered for service. The company Airco (Aircraft Manufacturing Company) closed soon after, and de Havilland founded his own company.
Variants
Only prototypes; no production series was established.
Where you'll see it
Never entered operational service. Prototype evaluation only, post-Armistice.
Related aircraft
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