Airco DH.11 Oxford
| Airco DH.11 | |
|---|---|
| Type: | bomber |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: |
Airco |
| First flight: |
1919 |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Airco DH.11 , called Oxford, was a twin-engine biplane made by the British aircraft manufacturer Aircraft Manufacturing Company ( Airco ) designed as a bomb plane . Of this machine, developed by the company's chief designer, Geoffrey de Havilland , only a prototype was built.
development
The DH.11 Oxford was originally intended to replace the Airco DH.10 bomber - also a design by Geoffrey de Havilland. According to the requirements of the British Air Force, the machine was to be equipped with in-line engines of the then new type ABC Dragonfly. High hopes were placed in this engine, and therefore large numbers had been ordered by the British Air Force, as many of the future models of the Air Force were to be equipped with these engines.
With the three-handled biplane, de Havilland developed an aerodynamically successful wooden construction with good visibility and a good field of fire for the gunner in the bow and the bombardier sitting in the middle of the fuselage.
On the first flight in January 1919, the prototype revealed top-heaviness and problems with the control, but the deficiencies in the engine were even more serious. The 320 hp Dragonfly engines tended to overheat and suffered from strong vibrations, and the flight performance fell short of the high expectations. After just a few test flights, one of the two engines suffered damage.
The machine was brought to the Airco factory for repairs and modifications, but the work was never completed there. The construction of the originally planned two further prototypes and thus the series production of the DH.11 was also dispensed with.
The Oxford Mk. II, a variant that was to be equipped with Siddeley Puma engines, was no longer built, as was a machine planned as a DH.12 with Dragonfly engines and a changed position of the gunner.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 3 |
| length | 13.79 m |
| span | 18.34 m |
| Wing area | 66.8 m² |
| height | 4.12 m |
| Empty mass | 1,866 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 3,191 kg |
| Top speed | 198 km / h |
| Climb performance | 13 min 45 sec at 3,048 m (10,000 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 4,400 m |
| Flight duration | 3 h |
| Engines | two water-cooled ABC Dragonfly 9-cylinder in-line engines with 320 HP (239 kW) each |
| Armament | a 7.7 mm Lewis MG ; approx. 416 kg bomb load internally |