de Havilland DH.50
| De Havilland DH.50 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Airliner |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
July 30, 1923 |
| Number of pieces: |
38 |
The de Havilland DH.50 was a single-engine biplane made by the British manufacturer de Havilland Aircraft Company in the 1920s. Licensed versions of the four-passenger aircraft were made in Australia , Belgium and Czechoslovakia .
history
In the 1920s, the aircraft from the First World War had to be replaced by more modern models. De Havilland then developed an aircraft based on the DH.9 with a cabin designed for four passengers and an open cockpit for one pilot. The hull was covered with plywood.
The first DH.50 made its maiden flight on July 30, 1923 and won an award for reliability just a few days later after flying from Copenhagen to Gothenburg . Of the 38 copies built, 17 were made by de Havilland and the rest as licensed versions from other manufacturers. Several different engines were used.
In 1924 the prototype of the DH.50 won the King's Cup Race . With the second model, known as the DH.50J because of its Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engine, Alan Cobham covered the 25,000-kilometer route from London to Cape Town between November 1925 and February 1926. After being converted into a floatplane, it flew from Great Britain in 1926 to Australia and back again.
Eleven licensed builds were built in Australia, including four 50A and three 50J by Qantas , three 50A by Western Australian Airlines and one 50A by Larkin Aircraft Supply Company . The Royal Flying Doctor Service began operations with one of the aircraft built by Qantas . The Belgian company SABCA built three copies , seven DH.50 were built by Aero in Prague .
Versions
- DH.50
- Original version, 3 copies
- DH.50A
- improved version, 32 copies, including 18 licensed buildings
- DH.50J
- Version with a 287 kW Armstrong-Siddeley Jaguar radial engine , three Qantas licensed buildings
Users
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Australia
- Australian Aerial Services Ltd.
- Holdens Air Transport
- Qantas Airways
- Rockhampton Aerial Services Ltd.
- Royal Australian Air Force
- West Australian Airlines Ltd.
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Belgium
- SABCA
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Czechoslovakia
- Government of Czechoslovakia
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Kingdom of Iraq
- Iraq Petroleum Transport Company Ltd.
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United Kingdom
- Air Taxis Ltd
- Brooklands School of Flying Ltd.
- Imperial Airways Ltd.
- North Sea Aerial and General Transport Company Ltd.
- Northern Air Lines Ltd.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| Passengers | 4th |
| length | 9.07 m |
| span | 13.03 m |
| height | 3.35 m |
| Wing area | 40.32 m² |
| Empty mass | 1022 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 1769 kg |
| Top speed | 180 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 4450 m |
| Range | 612 km |
| Engines | a 6-cylinder in- line Siddeley Puma engine with 172 kW |
