The Airco DH.9A is a British single-engined light bomber that was designed and first used shortly before the end of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. It was a development of the unsuccessful Airco DH.9 bomber, featuring a strengthened structure and, crucially, replacing the under-powered and unreliable inline 6-cylinder

Siddeley Puma The Siddeley Puma is a British aero engine developed towards the end of World War I and produced by Siddeley-Deasy. The first Puma engines left the production lines of Siddeley-Deasy in Coventry in August 1917, production continued until Decem ...

engine of the DH.9 with the American V-12

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

engine. Colloquially known as the "Ninak" (from the phonetic alphabet treatment of designation "nine-A"), it served on in large numbers for the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

following the end of the war, both at home and overseas, where it was used for colonial policing in the Middle East, finally being retired in 1931. Over 2,400 examples of an unlicensed version, the Polikarpov R-1, were built in the Soviet Union, the type serving as the standard Soviet light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft through the 1920s.

Design and development

The DH.9A was planned as an improved version of the existing Airco DH.9. The DH.9 was a disappointment owing to its under-performing and unreliable engines, and the DH.9A was to use a more powerful engine to resolve this. As the

Rolls-Royce Eagle The Rolls-Royce Eagle was the first aircraft engine to be developed by Rolls-Royce Limited. Introduced in 1915 to meet British military requirements during World War I, it was used to power the Handley Page Type O bombers and a number of oth ...

engine used in the successful

DH.4 The Airco DH.4 is a British two-seat biplane day bomber of the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland (hence "DH") for Airco, and was the first British two-seat light day-bomber capable of defending itself. It was designe ...

was unavailable in sufficient quantities, the new American

engine was chosen instead. As

Airco The Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco) was an early British aircraft manufacturer. Established during 1912, it grew rapidly during the First World War, referring to itself as the largest aircraft company in the world by 1918. Airc ...

was busy developing the

Airco DH.10 Amiens The Airco DH.10 Amiens was a twin-engined heavy bomber designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Airco. It performed the first nighttime air mail service in the world on 14-15 May 1919. The DH.10 was developed in the final yea ...

twin-engined bomber, detailed design was carried out by

Westland Aircraft Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil, Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Limited just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915. Du ...

. The DH.9 was fitted with new, longer-span wings and a strengthened fuselage structure.Jackson 1987, p. 107. The first prototype flew in March 1918, powered by a Rolls-Royce Eagle as no Liberty engines were yet available.Bruce 25 May 1956, p. 643. The prototype proved successful, with the first Liberty-engined DH.9A flying on 19 April 1918, and deliveries to the

starting in June.Bruce 25 May 1956, p. 644. By the end of the war, a total of 2,250 DH.9As had been ordered, with 885 being built by the end of the year. As it was decided that the DH.9A would be a standard type in the postwar RAF, the majority of outstanding orders were fulfilled, with 1,730 being built under the wartime contracts before production ceased in 1919. While the existing aircraft were subject to a programme of refurbishment, a number of small contracts were placed for new production of DH.9As in 1925–26. These contracts resulted in a further 268 DH.9As being built. The new production and refurbished aircraft included batches of dual control

trainers Sneakers ( US) or trainers ( UK), also known by a wide variety of other names, are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but are also widely used for everyday casual wear. They were popularized by compani ...

, as well as six aircraft powered by

Napier Lion The Napier Lion is a 12-cylinder, petrol-fueled 'broad arrow' W12 engine, W12 configuration aircraft engine built by D. Napier & Son from 1917 until the 1930s. A number of advanced features made it the most powerful engine of its day and kept ...

engines, which were capable of a maximum speed of . The Soviet Union built large numbers of an unlicensed copy of the DH.9A, the R-1. After the production of 20 DH.4 copies, followed by about 200 copies of the DH.9 powered by the Mercedes D.IV engine (also designated R-1) and a further 130 powered by the

(designated R-2), a copy of the DH.9A powered by the M-5 engine, a Soviet copy of the DH.9A's Liberty, entered production in 1924.Alexandrov and Petrov 1998, pp. 55–56. The Polikarpov R-4 was a modification of the R-1, with the engine lowered and moved forward by to improve both the forward visibility and the C.G position. The nose shape was improved by fairing and by installing a retractable ventral radiator. Overall length was increased by . Landing legs were changed from wood to steel. Testing showed insufficient improvement over the R-1 to justify production but late R-1s incorporated some of the modifications.Gunston 1995, p.287-8.

US version and pressurised flights

The United States also planned to adopt the DH.9A as a replacement for the DH.4. Development work on the Americanization of the aircraft commenced at

McCook Field McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station in Dayton, Ohio, United States. It was operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and its successor the United States Army Air Service from 1917 to 1927. It was named f ...

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

. Modifications included a new fuel system with increased fuel capacity, revised wings and tail surfaces, and replacement of the

Vickers machine gun The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a Water cooling, water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more me ...

on the port side of the British built aircraft with a Browning machine gun on the starboard side.Jackson 1987, pp. 108–110, 119. Plans called for Curtiss to build 4,000 modified aircraft, designated USD-9A. This order was cancelled with the end of the war and only nine were built by McCook Field and

Dayton-Wright The Dayton-Wright Company was formed in 1917, on the declaration of war between the United States and Germany, by a group of Ohio investors that included Charles F. Kettering and Edward A. Deeds of Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company ( DELCO) ...

. One McCook aircraft was additionally modified with an enclosed, pressurised cockpit. In 1921, test pilot Lt. Harold R. Harris made the world's first high-altitude flight in a pressurised aircraft in the USD-9A at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio.Cornelisse 2002, pp. 120–121.

Operational history

First World War

The DH.9A entered service in July 1918 with No. 110 Squadron RAF, moving to France on 31 August 1918 to serve with the RAF's

Independent Air Force The Independent Air Force (IAF), also known as the Independent Force or the Independent Bombing Force and later known as the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force, was a First World War strategic bombing force which was part of Britain's Royal Air ...

on strategic bombing missions. Its first mission was against a German airfield on 14 September 1918. A further three squadrons commenced operations over the Western Front before the Armistice, with 99 Squadron (also serving with the Independent Air Force) replacing DH.9s, while 18 Squadron and 216 Squadron replaced DH.4s. Despite the superior performance of the DH.9A over the DH.9, the DH.9A squadrons suffered high losses during their long range bombing missions over Germany.Williams 1999, p. 201. Other squadrons flew coastal patrols from

Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth ( ), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside resort, seaside town which gives its name to the wider Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. Its fishing industry, m ...

before the end of the year. The

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

Northern Bombing Group The Northern Bombing Group consisted of United States Navy and United States Marine Corps squadrons conducting strategic bombing of German U-boat bases along the Belgian coast during World War I. The first United States military unit sent to C ...

received at least 53 DH-9As, and commenced operations in September 1918.Bowyer 1974, p. 29.

Interwar RAF service

While the squadrons in service at the end of the First World War quickly disbanded or re-equipped in the postwar dis-armament, the DH.9A continued in service as the RAF's standard light bomber, with 24 squadrons being equipped between 1920 and 1931, both at home and abroad. The first post war operations were in southern Russia during 1919, in support of the "

White Army The White Army, also known as the White Guard, the White Guardsmen, or simply the Whites, was a common collective name for the armed formations of the White movement and Anti-Sovietism, anti-Bolshevik governments during the Russian Civil War. T ...

" against the

Bolsheviks The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...

during the

Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...

. In September 1919, the RAF personnel were ordered to return home, leaving their aircraft behind.Bruce 1 June 1956, p.677. A squadron of DH.9As was deployed to

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

in response to the Chanak Crisis in 1922, but did not engage in combat.Thetford 1992, p. 193. The DH.9A was one of the key weapons used by Britain to manage the territories that were in its control following the collapse of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

following the Great War. Five squadrons of DH.9As served in the Middle East,Mason 1994, p.103. occasionally carrying out bombing raids against rebellious tribesmen and villages. An additional radiator was fitted under the fuselage to cope with the high temperatures, while additional water containers and spares (including spare wheels lashed to the fuselage) were carried in case the aircraft were forced down in the desert, the DH.9A's struggling under ever heavier loads. Despite this the aircraft served successfully, with the Liberty engine being picked out for particular praise for its reliability ("as good as any Rolls Royce") in such harsh conditions.Mason 1994, p. 104. Some DH.9A aircraft were also transported to

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

to supplement the

British Indian Army The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...

. At home, the DH.9A continued on in regular RAF service until 1930, also forming the initial equipment of the

Royal Auxiliary Air Force The Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF), formerly the Auxiliary Air Force (AAF), together with the Air Force Reserve, is a component of His Majesty's Reserve Air Forces ( Reserve Forces Act 1996, Part 1, Para 1,(2),(c)). It provides a primary re ...

(RAuxAF).

Soviet service

The R-1 and R-2 were heavily used by the

Soviet Air Forces The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...

through the 1920s as its standard light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The Soviets deployed them in support of the Chinese

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...

forces in the

Northern Expedition The Northern Expedition was a military campaign launched by the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Kuomintang (KMT) against the Beiyang government and other regional warlords in 1926. The purpose of the campaign was to reunify China prop ...

against warlords in 1926–27, and against Chinese forces for control of the Chinese Eastern Railway in

Manchuria Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...

in 1929. R-1s and R-2s were also used in support of operations during the

Basmachi Revolt The Basmachi movement (, derived from ) was an uprising against Imperial Russian and Soviet rule in Central Asia by rebel groups inspired by Islamic beliefs. It has been called "probably the most important movement of opposition to Soviet rul ...

in central Asia.Alexandrov and Petrov 1998, pp. 61–63.

Variants

* Airco DH.9A: Original version. * de Havilland DH.9AJ: Single prototype with

Bristol Jupiter The Bristol Jupiter is a British nine-cylinder single-row piston radial engine that was built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Originally designed late in World War I and known as the Cosmos Jupiter, a lengthy series of upgrades and developme ...

engine. * de Havilland DH.9R: Racing aircraft with sesquiplane wings and powered with a Napier Lion engine – (one built). * Airco DH.15 Gazelle: DH.9A fitted with a

Galloway Atlantic The Galloway Atlantic is a 500 hp V12 aircraft engine that was ordered into production toward the end of World War I. It was developed as a V12 configuration of the inline-six Galloway Adriatic, with two Adriatic cylinder banks mounted on a si ...

inline engine, one conversion * Airco DH.16: Civil transport with widened fuselage seating four passengers in a glazed cabin behind the pilot, who sat in an open cabin, nine built. Rolls Royce Eagle or Napier Lion Engine. * de Havilland DH-49 – proposed modernised version with Eagle IX engine (not built) * Engineering Division USD-9A: United States built version, 9 built. One modified with a pressurised cockpit. * Engineering Division USD-9B: USD-9A fitted with more powerful Liberty engine and greater area wings. * Armstrong Whitworth Tadpole One prototype conversion for a naval three-seat spotter/reconnaissance aircraft. * Westland Walrus Production version of the Tadpole conversion with the Napier Lion III engine (36 built). R-1 ISKRA

* Polikarpov R-1 and R-2 Copy of DH.9A built in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, originally at the

Dux Factory Dux () was a bicycle/automobile/aircraft factory in Moscow, Russia before and during World War I. The factory was founded in 1893. The name comes from the Latin word (leader). Julius Möller (also written Juli Meller) was owner of the factory, ...

, supervised by

Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov (; – 30 July 1944) was a Soviet aeronautical engineer and aircraft designer, known as the "King of Fighters". He designed the I-15 series of fighters, and the I-16 Ishak ( phonetically close to its or designa ...

. Early aircraft were powered by Mercedes D.IV or

Armstrong Siddeley Puma The Siddeley Puma is a British aero engine developed towards the end of World War I and produced by Siddeley-Deasy. The first Puma engines left the production lines of Siddeley-Deasy in Coventry in August 1917, production continued until Decem ...

engines, but most were powered by the M-5 copy of the Liberty Engine. Over 2,400 built from 1922 to 1932.Gunston 1995, p.286. * Polikarpov R-1 BMW: R-1 fitted a

BMW IV The BMW IV was a six-cylinder, water-cooled inline aircraft engine built in Germany in the 1920s. Power was in the 180 kW (250 hp) range. World record On 17 June 1919 Franz Zeno Diemer flew a DFW F37, powered by a BMW IV engine ...

a engine, 20 built. * Polikarpov MR-1: Twin-float seaplane version, 124 built. * Polikarpov PM-2: Prototype floatplane fitted with metal floats. * Polikarpov R-4: R-1 with better forward view and CG position, forward profile cleaned up with fairings and a retractable ventral radiator. Stronger

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...

. No production but changes incorporated into late R-1s.

Operators

; *

Afghan Air Force The General Command of the Air Force (, Dari: ) also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Air Force and the Afghan Air Force, is the air force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The Royal Afghan Air Force was established in 1921 under the reign o ...

– Airco DH.9As and Polikarpov R-1s ; *

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

: 30 received as an imperial gift in 1920 plus one attrition replacement purchased in 1921. It was the first aircraft from the imperial gift to enter Australian service.Aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force, 2021. p. 4 The aircraft were in service from 1920 to 1930, and were replaced by the

Westland Wapiti The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general-purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service. First flying in 1927, the Wa ...

.Jackson 1987, p. 110. **

No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF No. 1 Flying Training School (No. 1 FTS) is a school of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It is one of the Air Force's original units, dating back to the service's formation in 1921, when it was established at RAAF Point Cook, Vic ...

(22 aircraft: A1-1/2/5/7-11/13-21/23/24/26/29/30) **

No. 1 Squadron RAAF No. 1 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. It is controlled by No. 82 Wing, part of Air Combat Group, and is equipped with Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighters. ...

(12 aircraft: A1-4/5/7/9/12/14/20-22/25/26/28) ** No. 3 Squadron RAAF (8 aircraft: A1-3/6/8/10/24/25/27/28) **

Central Flying School RAAF Central Flying School (CFS) is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) training unit, located at RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria. It operates the Pilatus PC-21 turboprop trainer. The school is responsible for training flight instructors, setting flyi ...

(4 aircraft: A1-16/17/26, E8616) ; *

Canadian Air Force (1918–1920) The Canadian Air Force (CAF) was a contingent of two Canadian air force squadrons – one fighter and one bomber – authorized by the British Air Ministry in August 1918 during the close of the First World War. The unit was independent from t ...

** No. 2 Squadron CAF *

Canadian Air Force (1920–1924) The Canadian Air Force (CAF) was the initial, non-permanent peacetime air force formed by Canada after the First World War. When the Air Board was formed in 1919 to manage Canadian aviation, one of its responsibilities was air defence; the CAF w ...

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

; *

Imperial Iranian Air Force The history of the Iranian Air Force, currently known as the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, can be divided into two phases—before the Islamic Revolution, and after it. Imperial era The Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was a branch ...

; *

Latvian Air Force Latvian Air Force () is the aviation branch of the Military of Latvia, National Armed Forces. The first air force (AF) units were established in 1919 and re-established in 1992. It has no air combat capability, thus the defense of Latvian air spa ...

; *

Mongolian People's Air Force The Mongolian Air Force () is the air force service branch of the Mongolian Armed Forces . History Early years and WWII On 25 May 1925, a Junkers F.13 piloted by Lieutenant Colonel D. Shatarragchaa entered service as the first aircraft in Mon ...

: Polikarpov R-1s and R-2s ; *

Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...

Niccoli 1998, p. 23. ; *

Swiss Air Force The Swiss Air Force (; ; ; ) is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914, three days after the outbreak of World War I, as a part of the Swiss Army, army and in October 1936 as an independent service. In peaceti ...

: One aircraft only. ; *

Bowyer 1974, p. 48. **

No. 3 Squadron RAF Number 3 Squadron, also known as No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron, of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, since reforming on 1 April 2006. It was first formed on 13 May 1912 as one of the first sq ...

** No. 8 Squadron RAF **

No. 11 Squadron RAF No. 11 or XI Squadron (sometimes featuring an 'F' to represent its historic fighter role (No. 11(F) or XI(F) Squadron)), is "the world's oldest, dedicated fighter unit" and continues the traditions established by the similarly numbered Royal Fly ...

No. 14 Squadron RAF No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 (a modified Beechcraft Super King Air) in the Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) role from RAF Waddington. The Squadron i ...

** No. 15 Squadron RAF ** No. 18 Squadron RAF ** No. 22 Squadron RAF **

No. 24 Squadron RAF No. 24 Squadron (also known as No. XXIV Squadron) of the Royal Air Force is the Air Mobility Operational Conversion Unit (AM OCU). Based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, 24 Squadron is responsible for aircrew training on Airbus A400M Atlas, A ...

No. 25 Squadron RAF Number 25 (Fighter) Squadron (alternatively Number XXV (F) Squadron) is a squadron of the Royal Air Force having reformed on 8 September 2018. During the First World War, No. 25 Squadron operated as a fighter-reconnaissance unit and later as a ...

No. 30 Squadron RAF No. 30 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft and is based at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The squadron was first formed as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps in 1915, serving through the rest of the ...

No. 39 Squadron RAF Number 39 Squadron is an inactive squadron of the Royal Air Force. It last operated the General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper from Creech AFB, Nevada, between January 2007 and July 2022. It had previously operated the English Electric Canberra PR.7, ...

No. 45 Squadron RAF Number 45 Squadron is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force. The squadron, which was established on 1 March 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps, currently provides flying training using Embraer Phenom T1s and operates under the command ...

No. 47 Squadron RAF No. 47 Squadron is an inactive squadron of the Royal Air Force. Formed in 1916, it saw service during the First World War in the UK and in Greece. Between the wars it served in Egypt and Sudan, and at the outbreak of the Second World War under ...

No. 55 Squadron RAF Number 55 Squadron was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF). First formed in April 1917, the squadron saw action on the Western Front during the First World War. Based in the Middle East during the interwar period and the Second Wor ...

No. 60 Squadron RAF No. 60 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at HMS Sultan (shore establishment), Gosport. It is currently part of No. 1 Flying Training School RAF, No. 1 Flying Training School based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire flying the Eurocop ...

No. 84 Squadron RAF No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri. The squadron transitioned from the previously operated Bell Griffin HAR.2 to operate the Puma HC.2 in 2023, until the Puma's retirement i ...

** No. 99 Squadron RAF ** No. 100 Squadron RAF ** No. 110 Squadron RAF ** No. 205 Squadron RAF ** No. 207 Squadron RAF ** No. 207 Squadron RAF **

No. 221 Squadron RAF No. 221 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Squadron (aviation), squadron that saw service in both the First World War, First and Second World Wars. Its motto was "From sea to sea". History The squadron was formed in Greece on 1 April 1918, from ' ...

No. 273 Squadron RAF No. 273 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron formed as reconnaissance unit in World War I, and re-formed in World War II in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - initially as a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance unit. In mid 1944 the squadron was re-equippe ...

** No. 501 Squadron RAF ** No. 600 Squadron RAF ** No. 601 Squadron RAF **

No. 602 Squadron RAF 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron is a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron. Originally formed in 1925 as a light bomber squadron, its role changed in 1938 to army co-operation and in 1939 to that of a fighter squadron. During the Second World War, ...

No. 603 Squadron RAF No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron is a squadron (aviation), squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. On reforming on 1 October 1999, the primary role of 603 Squadron was as a ''Survive to Operate'' squadron, a ...

No. 604 Squadron RAF No. 604 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force noted for its pioneering role the development of radar-controlled night-fighter operations. The squadron was established in March 1930 at RAF Hendon as a day-bomber squadron of the Roy ...

No. 605 Squadron RAF No. 605 Squadron was formed as an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. Initially formed as a bomber unit, it became a fighter squadron prior to the Second World War and was one of the most successful participants of the Battle of Britain. It also had th ...

; *

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

; *

Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...

: Polikarpov R-1s and R-2s

Surviving aircraft

DH9A at RAF Museum London Flickr 4606882763

A single example, serial number ''F1010'', survives and is on display at the

Royal Air Force Museum London The Royal Air Force Museum London (also commonly known as the RAF Museum) is located on the former Hendon Aerodrome, in North London's Borough of Barnet. It includes five buildings and hangars showing the history of aviation and the Royal Air ...

. The aircraft was completed by

in June 1918 and was one of 18 DH.9A's assigned to No. 110 Squadron RAF. It was the thirteenth aircraft, but was given the number "12A" because thirteen was thought unlucky. The squadron began flying bombing missions in September 1918, and on the 25th, the crew of ''F1010'' claimed the destruction of a German

Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII is a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the '' Fokker-Flugzeugwerke''. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII ...

fighter. The aircraft's fourth and final combat mission was on 5 October when either flak damage or engine trouble forced a landing behind German lines. The aircraft was undamaged by the landing and the crew were taken prisoner. The aircraft remained in German hands after the war and in 1936 it was put on display at the ''Deutsche Luftfahrt Sammlung'' (Berlin Air Museum), one of the museum's substantial collection of World War 1 aircraft. In 1943, it was one of the museum's exhibits that was moved to Czarnikau (now Czarnkow in Poland) to save them from the Allied bombing of Berlin. The area was captured by Polish forces in March 1945 and ''F1010'' eventually became part of the collection of the

Polish Aviation Museum The Polish Aviation Museum () is a large museum of historic aircraft and aircraft engines in Kraków, Poland. It is located at the site of the no-longer functional Kraków-Rakowice-Czyżyny Airport. This airfield, established by Austr ...

, although it was not put on display and remained in the museum's stores. In 1977, the Polish Aviation Museum exchanged ''F1010'' for a

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...

from the RAF Museum (difficulties caused by the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

meant nearly nine years were spent negotiating the swap). The RAF Museum completed restoration of the aircraft and put it on display in 1983.

Specifications (DH.9A)

Notes

Bibliography

*
Aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force
'. Simon and Schuster, 2021. * Alexandrov, Andrei and Gennady Petrov. "Aah! De Havilland-Ski!: Origins and Development of the R-1, the Soviet DH.9A". ''

Air Enthusiast ''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to ''Air International'' magaz ...

'', No. 74, March/April 1998. pp. 54–63. . * Bowyer, Chaz. "de Havilland D.H.9A (RAF: 1918–30)". ''Aircraft in Profile, Volume 14''. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1974, pp. 25–49. . * Bruce, J.M.
The De Havilland D.H.9A: Historic Military Aircraft No.13, Part I
. ''

Flight Flight or flying is the motion (physics), motion of an Physical object, object through an atmosphere, or through the vacuum of Outer space, space, without contacting any planetary surface. This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift ass ...

'', 25 May 1956, pp. 641–644. * Bruce, J.M.
The De Havilland D.H.9A: Historic Military Aircraft No.13, Part II
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'', 1 June 1956, pp. 677–680. * Cornelisse, Diana G. ''Splendid Vision, Unswerving Purpose: Developing Air Power for the United States Air Force During the First Century of Powered Flight''. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio: US Air Force Publications, 2002. . * Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1997. . * Gunston, Bill. ''The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft from 1875–1995''. London: Osprey Aerospace, 1995. . * Jackson, A.J. ''De Havilland Aircraft since 1909''. London: Putnam, Third edition, 1987. . * * Mason, Francis K. ''The British Bomber since 1914''. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. . * Niccoli, Riccardo. "Atlantic Sentinels: The Portuguese Air Force Since 1912". ''

'', No. 73, January/February 1998. pp 20–35. *Sims, Charles. "Talkback". ''

''. No. 13, August–November 1980. p. 79. * Thetford, Owen. "By Day and By Night: Part 3". ''Aeroplane Monthly'', Vol. 20, No. 8, Issue No. 232, August 1992, pp. 16–22. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240. * Williams, George K. ''Biplanes and Bombsights: British Bombing in World War I''. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Air University Press, 1999. .

External links

1918 silent film of DH.9As being manufactured in the US
{{DEFAULTSORT:Airco DH.009A DH.009A 1910s British bomber aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes Polikarpov aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1918 Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Single-engined piston aircraft