The Airco DH.2 was a single-seat biplane "pusher" aircraft which operated as a fighter during the First World War. It was the second pusher design by aeronautical engineer Geoffrey de Havilland for Airco, based on his earlier DH.1 two-seater.
The design of DH.2 was greatly influenced by the technologies available at the time, as the Britain had not yet developed a synchronisation gear to match the German system, this had compelled British fighters to adopt the pushed configuration, such as the DH.2 and the F.E.2b. Development of the type has begun before the emergence of the German's Fokker Eindecker monoplane fighter; these two aircraft became fierce adversaries following the DH.2's introduction. During July 1915, the prototype DH.2 performed its maiden flight; it was lost during the following month on the Western Front.
Introduced to frontline service in February 1916, the DH.2 became the first effectively armed British single-seat fighter. Its availability enabled Royal Flying Corps (RFC) pilots to counter the "Fokker Scourge" that had given the Germans the advantage in the skies during late 1915. It carried the burden of fighting and escort duties for almost two years, while numerous pilots became flying aces using the type. It became outclassed by newer German fighters, contributing to the DH.2's withdrawal from first line service in France after RFC units were completely re-equipped with newer fighters, including the Airco DH.5, during June 1917.
Airco DH2[1]
By the outbreak of the First World War, aeronautical engineer Geoffrey de Havilland was already an experienced aircraft designer, being responsible for producing designs such as the experimental Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.1 and Blériot Scout B.S.1, the latter becoming the fastest British aircraft of its day.[1] In June 1914, de Havilland left the Royal Aircraft Factory for the private venture Airco, where he commenced work upon his own designs once more, the first being the Airco DH.1, which used a similar design formula to that of the earlier B.S.1. It was only the first of many designs that de Havilland would produce.[1]
Early air combat over the Western Front indicated the need for a single-seat fighter with forward-firing armament. At this point in time, there was no dominant approach to applying armaments to fighters, but a pusher configuration was an obvious answer to facilitating forward-firing guns.[2] As no means of firing forward through the propeller of a tractor aeroplane was available to the British, Geoffrey de Havilland designed the DH.2 as a smaller, single-seat development of the earlier two-seat DH.1 pusher design. Aviation author J.M Bruce speculated that, had adequate synchronisation gear been developed by early 1915, de Havilland would have been far less likely to pursue a pusher configuration.[1]
While it is popularly viewed as a response to the emergence of Germany's Fokker Eindecker monoplane fighters, its development was not specifically targeted at the type, having been commenced prior to the Eindecker's arrival.[3] During July 1915, the first prototype DH.2 performed its maiden flight.[4] Following the completion of its manufacturing trials, on 26 July 1915, the prototype was dispatched to France for operational evaluation flights.[3] This prototype was lost over the Western Front and was captured by the Germans.[5]
Despite the prototype's premature loss, the DH.2 was ordered into quantity manufacture.[6] The production aircraft was substantially similar to the prototype, the only major alterations being a refined fuel system and a revised gun mounting arrangement. Deliveries of the DH.2 commenced during the latter half of 1915; a handful of aircraft were reportedly operating in France prior to the year's end.[7] A total of 453 DH.2s were produced by Airco.[8]
The Airco DH.2 was a compact two-bay tractor biplane fighter aircraft.[3] It had a wooden airframe, which was wire-braced and covered by fabric across most areas, except for the nacelle nose and upper decking. Both the upper and lower wings had ailerons fitted; the upper ailerons were spring-loaded to automatically return them to a neutral position when the controls were centred.[3] The upper part of the nacelle was cut away so that a machine gun could be positioned there.[3] An unusual feature of the aircraft was the mounting of the windshield upon this machine gun.[9]
The DH.2 was armed with a single .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun; this gun was originally able to be positioned on one of three flexible mountings in the cockpit, with the pilot transferring the gun between mountings in flight at the same time as flying the aircraft. Once pilots learned that the best method of achieving a kill was to aim the aircraft rather than the gun, the machine gun was fixed in the forward-facing centre mount, although this was initially banned by higher authorities until a clip which fixed the gun in place, but could be released if required, was approved.[10] A clip was devised by Major Lanoe Hawker, who also improved the gunsights and added a ring sight and an "aiming off model" that helped the gunner allow for leading a target.[11]
The majority of DH.2s were powered by the 100 hp (75 kW) Gnôme Monosoupape rotary engine; however, later models received the 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône 9J engine instead.[12][13] Other sources advise the Gnôme Monosoupape, nine-cylinder, air-cooled rotary, 100 hp (75 kW) engine was retained in the DH.2 design despite its tendency for shedding cylinders in midair; it is known that a single DH.2 was fitted experimentally with a 110 hp (82 kW) le Rhône 9J powerplant.[14] In addition to the variety of engines used, the fuel system also differed between individual aircraft; typically, a gravity-fed fuel tank was incorporated, but its location varied between being mounted upon the central section, as well as either above or below the port upper mainplane.[9]
After evaluation at Hendon on 22 June 1915, the first DH.2 arrived in France for operational trials with No. 5 RFC Squadron but was shot down and its pilot killed during early August 1915;[5] reportedly, this aircraft was recovered and repaired by the Germans.[8] No. 24 Squadron RFC, the first squadron equipped with the DH.2 and the first complete squadron entirely equipped with single-seat fighters in the RFC, arrived in France during early February 1916.[15][9]
The DH.2 ultimately equipped seven fighter squadrons on the Western Front[16] and quickly proved more than a match for the Fokker Eindecker; it is believed that the first loss of an Eindecker to a DH.2 occurred on 2 April 1916.[17] Numerous DH.2s were also heavily engaged during the Battle of the Somme, No. 24 Squadron alone engaging in 774 combats and destroying 44 enemy machines.[15][18] The DH.2 had sensitive controls and, at a time when service training for pilots in the RFC was very poor, it initially had a high accident rate, gaining the nickname "The Spinning Incinerator",[19][20] but as familiarity with the type increased, it was recognised as very manoeverable and relatively easy to fly.[21] The rear-mounted rotary engine made the DH.2 easy to stall, but also made it highly maneuverable.[11]
One shortcoming found in its use as a fighter was the relatively limited ammunition of its original gun arrangement.[22] Although officially discouraged, pilots often experimented with different gun arrangements, including a fixed twin-gun configuration; furthermore, the original gun mounting was often criticised for being too loose and unstable; it also obstructed the stick when elevated. Some authors have claimed that DH.2s were routinely flown with fixed-position guns.[17]
The arrival at the front of more powerful German tractor biplane fighters such as the Halberstadt D.II and the Albatros D.I, which appeared in September 1916, meant that the DH.2 was outclassed in turn.[23] It remained in first line service in France, however, until No. 24 and No. 32 Squadron RFC completed re-equipment with Airco DH.5s in June 1917, and a few remained in service on the Macedonian front, "A" Flight of No. 47 Squadron and a joint R.F.C. / R.N.A.S. fighter squadron,[24] and X" Flight,[24] in Palestine until late autumn of that year. By this time, the type was totally obsolete as a fighter, although the DH.2 was used as an advanced trainer as late as 1918. The last recorded use of the DH.2, an experimental flight performed on behalf of the Royal Aircraft Factory, occurred on 20 March 1918.[25] The DH.2 was progressively retired from all purposes; following the conflict's end, no surviving airframes were retained.
Distinguished pilots of the DH.2 included Victoria Cross winner Lanoe Hawker (seven victories, though none in the DH.2), who was the first commander of No. 24 Squadron and Alan Wilkinson. The commander of No. 32 Squadron, Lionel Rees won the Victoria Cross flying the D.H.2 for single-handedly attacking a formation of ten German two-seaters on 1 July 1916, destroying two.[16][26] James McCudden became an ace in DH.2s to start his career as the British Empire's fourth-ranking ace of the war.[27] German ace and tactician Oswald Boelcke was killed during a dogfight with No. 24 Squadron DH.2s due to a collision with one of his own wingmen, Erwin Böhme. Fourteen aces scored five or more aerial victories using the DH.2; many went on to further success in later types also. Eight pilots scored all of their victories flying solely the type: Harry Wood, Sidney Cowan, Hubert Jones, William Curphey, Maximillian Mare-Montembault, Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne, Eric Pashley and Selden Long.
Lanoe George Hawker V.C., D.S.O., commanding officer of No. 24 Squadron flying a DH. 2 was shot down by Manfred von Richthofen of Jasta 2 flying an Albatros D.II.[28]
| Pilot | victories |
|---|---|
| Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne | 10 |
| Alan Wilkinson | 10 |
| Selden Long | 9 |
| Arthur Gerald Knight | 8 |
| Eric C. Pashley | 8 |
| John Oliver Andrews | 7 |
| Sidney Cowan | 7 |
| Hubert Jones | 7 |
| William Curphey | 6 |
| Stanley Cockerell | 5 |
| Henry Evans | 5 |
| James McCudden | 5 |
| Robert Saundby | 5 |
| Harry Wood | 5 |
No original DH.2s are known to exist. In 1970, Walter M. Redfern from Seattle, Washington built a replica DH.2 called the Redfern DH-2, powered by a Kinner 125-150 hp engine. Redfern subsequently sold plans to home builders, and a number of these replicas are still flying worldwide.[29] Redfern's original replica is now on display at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim, New Zealand.
- Crew: 1
- Length: 25 ft 2 1⁄2 in (7.684 m)
- Wingspan: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m)
- Height: 9 ft 6 1⁄2 in (2.908 m)
- Wing area: 249 sq ft (23.1 m2)
- Empty weight: 943 lb (428 kg)
- Gross weight: 1,441 lb (654 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Gnôme Monosoupape 9-cylinder rotary engine, 100 hp (75 kW)
- Maximum speed: 93 mph (150 km/h, 81 kn)
- Endurance: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
- Time to altitude: 24 minutes, 45 seconds to 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Guns: One × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun