DH4

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helmitsmit

helmitsmit

Airman 1st Class
213
1
Mar 9, 2005
Swansea
I am interested about the Airco Dh4 or "WW1 Mosquito". I had a great grandfather who flew them with 18 bomber squadron based at Northolt. Anything about either squadron or plane around 1917 would be good.

I would also like pictures of the plane.

Can anyone help?
 
helmitsmit said:
I am interested about the Airco Dh4 or "WW1 Mosquito". I had a great grandfather who flew them with 18 bomber squadron based at Northolt. Anything about either squadron or plane around 1917 would be good.

I would also like pictures of the plane.

Can anyone help?
Click to expand...

top one :168th Sqn, American Expeditionary Force
bottom one : english
 

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helmitsmit said:
I am interested about the Airco Dh4 or "WW1 Mosquito". I had a great grandfather who flew them with 18 bomber squadron based at Northolt. Anything about either squadron or plane around 1917 would be good.

I would also like pictures of the plane.

Can anyone help?
Click to expand...

don't know if it's the same 18 squadron

Unit: 18 Sqn, RFC
Serial: 7 (A7553)
France, August-October 1917; Crew: Lt J.Carling and Lt E.Farncombe (October).
 

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That is great! thanks a lot guys. Do you know any stories about them?
 
Hallo Helmitsmit !!!

I've found some pics of Dh4.I don't know if it could be useful for you but here you are.

source unknown:
 

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Thanks that is great.

Can anyone confirm a story I heard about that fact that the observer or pilot ( not sure) had to climb a ladder to fire the guns? I might have been on a SE5a?
 
fair point. Anyway my great grandfather said that in one particular aircraft he had to climb a lader to fire the top gun (over the top wing) must have been difficult at 10,000ft.
 
Your grandfather had had to flight before sergeant R.G.Foster invented how to fix a machine gun to a top wing and make easier its operating.
 
Wurger said:
Your grandfather had had to flight before sergeant R.G.Foster invented how to fix a machine gun to a top wing and make easier its operating.
Click to expand...

He actually got a reputation for always getting back. He was shot down four or five times (once he landed in/on a barn in Belgium)! He once spotted the red barren but didn't hang around to find out. Obviously, the DH4 was quicker then the DRI so he just dived into some clouds.
 
Nice info. :) :) :)
But what about the ladder?
The kind of fixing MGs to a top wing ,quoted above, was inspired by Cpt.H.A.Cooper who was a short man and had trouble with operating a MG.Both Foster and Cooper served in the 11th RFC squadron.From 13th of June 1916 the Foster's device was introduced in all English squadrons using the French aircrafts.
 
Information on the DH4

Dimensions
Length: 30 feet 6 inches
Wingspan: 43 feet, 6 inches
Height: 10 feet, 4 inches
Weight:
Loaded: 3,557 lb
Powerplant: Armstrong Siddeley Puma engine - 230 hp or Rolls-Royce Eagle VII, 12 cylinder, liquid cooled inline V, 375 hp,

Performance

Max Speed: 106 mph
Endurance: 4.5 hours
Service Ceiling: 17,400 ft
Rate of Climb: 1,000 ft/min

Armament
One forward firing Vickers machine gun with Lewis gun on scarff ring for gunner.
Bomb load: 460 lb

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airco_DH.4


Incidentally Capt. W H Johns of "Biggles" fame flew DH4s. You can find some of his story here
 
helmitsmit said:
fair point. Anyway my great grandfather said that in one particular aircraft he had to climb a lader to fire the top gun (over the top wing) must have been difficult at 10,000ft.
Click to expand...

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread, but came across this and wondered if he might have also flown in FE2B - would have stood up (in a knee high nacelle!:shock: ) to fire rear Lewis over pilots head, upper wing and pusher prop. Just a thought...?
 
This was great. I just ordered the Dunas DH-4 kit.
36" span. These photos will really help.
 
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