Airco DH.11 Oxford
| Industry | Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founder | Geoffrey de Havilland |
The Airco DH.11 Oxford (subsequently known as de Havilland) was a British twin-engine biplane bomber developed as a successor to the earlier Airco DH.10 Amiens. Its design incorporated the problematic ABC Dragonfly engine, and the project was discontinued after only one prototype was constructed.
Development
Designed by Geoffrey de Havilland for the Aircraft Manufacturing Company, the DH.11 Oxford was intended as a twin-engine day bomber to replace the Airco DH.10 Amiens. In accordance with the Specification, it was engineered to be powered by the ABC Dragonfly radial engine, which was anticipated to deliver outstanding performance and had been ordered in substantial quantities to equip many upcoming Royal Air Force aircraft. The DH.11 featured a twin-engine biplane configuration, constructed entirely from wood, with three-bay wings. The fuselage was deep and aerodynamically refined, filling the entire wing gap, thereby providing excellent firing arcs for gunners positioned in both the nose and mid-upper sections.[1]
The prototype made its maiden flight in January 1919,[2] powered by two 320 hp (239 kW) Dragonfly engines. However, it suffered from control difficulties and was further compromised by the Dragonfly engines, which proved highly unreliable due to overheating issues and excessive vibration, while failing to produce the expected power output. Plans for two additional prototypes were cancelled in 1919, and ultimately no aircraft were procured to succeed the DH.10.[2]
Variants
- Oxford Mk I – Prototype equipped with two 320 hp (240 kW) ABC Dragonfly engines – single unit built.[2]
- Oxford Mk II – Proposed variant fitted with two 300 hp (220 kW) Siddeley Puma engines – never constructed.[2]
- DH.12 – Planned version featuring Dragonfly engines with an altered gunner’s station – not produced.[3]
Specifications (Oxford Mk I)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Lewis, Peter (1980). The British Bomber since 1914 (Third ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-30265-6.
- Mason, Francis K. (1994). The British Bomber since 1914. Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.