RFC Airco DH2

RFC Airco DH2

The D.H.2 biplane was Geoffrey de Havilland's second design for the Aircraft Manufacturing Company. This highly successful pusher had good manoeuvrability with an excellent rate of climb. Mounting the engine to the rear of the fuselage permitted the use of a fixed, forward-firing machine gun before the advent of the synchronous machine gun. Superior to the Fokker E.III, the D.H.2 helped end the "Fokker Scourge".

Airco D.H.2 Specifications

Country: Great Britain Manufacturer: Aircraft Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Type: Fighter Entered Service: February 1916 Number Built: 400 Engine: Gnôme Monosoupape, 9 cylinder, air cooled rotary, 100 hp Wing Span: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m) Length: 25 ft 2½ in (7.68 m) Height: 9 ft 6½ in (2.91 m) Empty Weight: 1,356 lb (615 kg) Gross Weight: 1,441 lb (653.6 kg) Max Speed: 93 mph (150 km/h) Ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,267 m) Endurance: 2 hrs 45 mins Crew: 1 Armament: 1 machine gun

Acc/Top Speed: 5/75; Toughness: 6 (1); Crew: 1 (Pilot)

Notes: Biplane (Climb –2). Flight range of 200 miles. Flight ceiling of about 10,000 feet.

Type/Caliber Range     Damage  RoF   AP   Shots     Weight

Lewis .303    24/48/96     2d8        3       2     50/100D     30

Notes: Auto, Snapfire, Min. Str d8