Airco
Airco DH.9A
The Airco DH.9A was a British single‑engine biplane bomber developed in the final year of World War I as a major improvement over the earlier DH.9. Designed by Geoffrey de Havilland for Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco), the aircraft first flew in August 1918 and entered service with the Royal Air Force in early 1919. The DH.9A replaced the under‑powered DH.9’s 230 hp Siddeley Puma engine with the more reliable 400 hp Liberty V‑12, giving it a top speed of about 124 mph, a service ceiling near 13 500 ft and a useful payload of up to 800 lb of bombs. Its wooden frame, fabric covering, and two‑bay wing arrangement provided good maneuverability and ease of maintenance in harsh field conditions. Over 4,300 units were built in Britain, the United States and Canada, and the type saw extensive action in the Middle East, Mesopotamia and the Russian Civil War. The DH.9A’s robustness and long range made it a cornerstone of inter‑war British colonial air power, influencing the design of later bombers such as the Hawker Hart. Its legacy endures in numerous surviving examples displayed in aviation museums worldwide.
