Airco D.H.9

The Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco) D.H.9 was intended as a replacement for the successful D.H.4, but it was limited by a bad engine: the 230hp Siddeley Puma, which was based on the B.H.P. Galloway Adriadic. It was originally designed to deliver a robust 300hp, but production flaws limited its performance. The engine left the D.H.9 with less horsepower than its predecessor and left it with a poor climb rate and shedding speed and altitude in maneuver. By November 1917 Gen. Trenchard was raising serious concerns about the DH9 as a day bomber, but the production of DH9s was by that time "too far advanced for there to be any going back." "It was a choice of having the D.H.9 with the B.H.P. engine, or of having nothing at all."

Not to worry, though -- there was a backup plan to use up to 2000 Fiat A-12 engines, with a rating of 260-285hp. Unfortunately the Fiat also under-performed and only one order was fulfilled with Fiat engines: an order for 100 DH9s from Short Brothers. Production of the Fiats also lagged and by August 1917 only 58 had been delivered. As a result only a few Fiat-engined DH9s made their way to France.

Even with its serious limitations, 3,890 DH9s were produced and it served with about 30 squadrons on the western front starting in February 1918. The true character of the DH9 was not revealed until it was re-engined with the 400hp Liberty V12 in the form of the DH9A. Once it shed its bomb load, it was said to be fairly nimble and could "tight-turn a Fokker D.VII into a full power stall, also the 9 could be looped quite well -- and tightly."

The D.H.9 was used in Palestine, Macedonia, the Aegean and Mediterranean as well as the Western Front with the RAF, Belgium (18 planes), and the US Naval Northern Bombing Group. After the war DH9s were plentiful and cheap, and they were bought and used by many country's fledgling air forces.

Aircraft Chart

1:144 Scale

 * Shapeways: Decapod, Kampfflieger, Reduced Aircraft Factory
 * Metal kit:

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory
 * Cast Metal:

1:350 Scale

 * Shapeways: Kampfflieger

1:600 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory

1:700 Scale

 * Shapeways: Reduced Aircraft Factory