Airco DH.5

We keep going with our second aircraft this year. This time it's the turn for the Airco DH.5

The Airco DH.5 was British biplane fighter of the First World War designed specifically to replace the already obsolete Airco DH.2. It was one of the first designs to feature a Constantinesco synchroniser which allowed the machine-gun to fire effectively through the propeller. It was also one of the earliest to feature such unusual wing configuration with the upper-wing placed back from the lower one. It was unpopular and unsatisfactory because it was already inferior to other fighters already in service (specially the RAF SE.5a) and was gradually replaced.

Captain Geoffrey De Havilland wanted to combine the excellent forward visibility of a pusher type aircraft with the superior performance of a tractor style biplane. The final result was a rather conventional fighter but with the upper wing pushed backwards in order to achieve a better visibility. As the pilot was placed forward from the center of gravity, the fuel tank was placed behind the cockpit below the oil tank. An auxiliary gravity fuel tank was placed over the top wing.

Even if the type was inferior to other British fighters already serving at the frontlines of the era (like the Sopwith Camel, the RAF SE.5a or even the Sopwith Pup) it was manufactured by Airco, British Caudron, Darracq and March, Jones & Cribb companies up to a total of 552 airplanes.

As we already said, this airplane was very unpopular. It plagued with false rumours about it being highly unmaneouvrable. However it was true that it tended to stall when flying higher than 3000m and, while it was very maneouvrable, it tended to loose altitude in combat quickly. The configuration of the upper wing created a blind spot at the back, from where the majority of the attacks came from. But, on the other hand, it was very robust ,it performed well at low altittudes and it had an excellent forward field of view, which made the type an excellent ground attack airplane as it was seen in the Battle of Cambrai.

As historical distinction, it's remarkable to note that it was the first airplane to equip the 2nd Australian Squadron until it was replaced by the RAF SE.5a.
By early 1918 the type was already replaced from the frontlines and, due to it's high unpopularity it quickly vanished from the RFC.