Airco D.H.10

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Airco D.H.10
Role Bomber
Manufacturer Airco
First flight 4 Mar 1918 [1][2]
Primary user U.K. (RFC/RAF)
Number built 8 [note 1] [note 2]
Variants Airco D.H.10A
Wingspan 20.0 m (65 ft 6 in)[4]
Propeller Diam. 3.05 m (10 ft)[4]-3.12 m (10 ft 3 in)[4]
Engine 2×396hp Liberty vees
Armament 1-2× front flexible Lewis
1-2× rear flexible Lewis
6×100 kg (230 lb) bombs
Crew 3
Max Speed 200 km/h (124 mph) [5]
Climb 2,000 m (6,500 ft) in 9:20[5][3]
3,000 m (10,000 ft) in 16:35[5][3]
4,600 m (15,000 ft) in 35:20[5][3][note 3]
Service Ceiling 4,900 m (16,000 ft) [5][3][note 4]
Endurance 4:00 [5][3]

The Airco DH.10 Amiens was a twin-engine bomber derived from the D.H.3 prototype. The first prototype D.H.10 used the same ill-fated 230hp Siddeley Puma engines as the Airco D.H.9, the second Rolls-Royce Eagle VIIIs. The third used American Liberty V-12s and appeared in June 1918 and the fourth high-compression versions of the Liberty. Optimistic contracts for about a thousand were issued and in 1919 a full eight squadrons were to be flying the DH10, but delays and shortages of the Liberty engine pushed the DH10 out further and further. (Especially since the Liberty was in high demand for the Airco D.H.9A.)[6]

A crew of three was carried: front gunner, pilot, and rear gunner, and the rear gunner had full dual controls.[1]

After the war DH10s were used for air mail service in Britain, India, and the U.S.[7]

For more information, see Wikipedia:Airco DH.10.

References

Notes
  1. Many were ordered, but only eight had been delivered by the Armistice.[1]
  2. Four prototypes and 1291 were ordered (Types A, B, and C.) Serial number analysis suggests perhaps 223 were built (of all types) in addition to the four prototypes.[3]
  3. Climb numbers with reduced load. With normal load, 2,000 m (6,500 ft) in 10:05 and 3,000 m (10,000 ft) in 18:30.[3]
  4. 4,600 m (15,000 ft) with a full bomb load.[3]
Citations
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Owers, p.47.
  2. Bruce'67, p.4.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Bruce'67, p.12.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bruce'67, p.10.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Bruce'69, p.211.
  6. Bruce'67, pp.4-8.
  7. Bruce'67, pp.8-12.
Bibliography
  • J.M. Bruce. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. Great Britain: Funk & Wagnalls, 1957, 1969. ISBN 0370000382
  • J.M. Bruce, Profile Publications 145: The de Havilland D.H.10. Great Britain: Profile Publications, Ltd., 1967.
  • Colin Owers, Great War Aircraft in Profile 6: De Havilland Aircraft of World War I; Volume 2: D.H.5 - D.H.15. Boulder, Colorado: Flying Machines Press, 2001. ISBN 1-891268-18-X