Friday 27 February 2015

The Great War - Aviation - Airco DH-4

The Airco DH-4 was a single engine bomber designed in 1916. The pilot was positioned beneath the centre of the wing, with the gunner sitting behind him. It was easy to fly and could fly higher than German planes and therefore didn't need a fighter escort. As well as bombing raids, the Airco DH-4 could also be used for artillery spotting, photo reconnaissance and coastal patrols.

There was one main problem with the Airco DH-4 and that was that the fuel tank was placed between the pilot and the gunner. Not only did it make communication near impossible, if hit by enemy fire both men could be burnt to death. The Airco DH-4 soon became known as the flaming coffins. 

The Airco DH-4 had a maximum speed of 143 mph, a maximum height of 23,500 ft and could fly for up to six hours and forty five minutes. It could carry between two to four machine guns and up to 460 lbs of bombs.


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