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 Geoffrey de Havilland for Airco, based on his earlier DH.1 two-seater. Nicknamed the "Spinning Incinerator", the DH.2 was the first British single-seat fighter and enabled Royal Flying Corps pilots to counter the Fokker Scourge that had given the Germans the advantage in the air during much of 1915. Until the British developed an effective interrupter gear to match the German system, pushers such as the DH.2 and the FE.2 carried the burden of scouting and escort duties.

The DH.2 was armed with a single Lewis gun which was originally able to be positioned in one of three different mountings in the cockpit. However, once pilots learnt that the most effective 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.

The majority of DH.2s were fitted with the 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome Monosoupape rotary engine but later models received the 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône instead.

The DH.2 first flew on June 1 1915 and entered service late the same year with No. 24 Squadron RFC, eventually equipping six squadrons. It remained in service until at least July 1918, despite the fact that it had long been rendered obsolete due to the pace of wartime aeronautical innovation. The DH.2 lost any advantage once the first Albatros biplanes appeared in September 1916.

Distinguished pilots of the DH.2 included Victoria Cross winner Lanoe Hawker and ace Alan Wilkinson (10 victories). German ace and tactician Oswald Boelcke was killed in a collision during a dog fight with 24 Squadron DH.2s.

Specifications

General Characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Length: 25 ft 2 in (7.68 m)
• Wingspan: 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m)
• Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.91 m)
• Wing area: 249 ft² (23.13 m²)
• Empty: 942 lb (428 kg)
• Loaded: lb ( kg)
• Maximum takeoff: 1,441 lb (654 kg)
• Powerplant: 1x Gnome Monosoupape rotary engine, 100 hp (75 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 93 mph (150 km/h)
• Range: 250 miles (400 km)
• Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,265 m)
• Rate of climb: 545 ft/min (166 m/min)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)

Armament

• 1x .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun using 47-round drum magazines

Related content

Related development: Airco DH.1

Comparable aircraft: Vickers FB.5 - RAF FE.2 - Breguet 5

Designation sequence: DH.1 - DH.2 - DH.3 - DH.4 - DH.5