De Havilland Don

de Havilland

Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1920
Headquarters	United Kingdom

The de Havilland DH.93 Don was a British three-seat training aircraft from the 1930s, developed by de Havilland for multiple roles.

Design and development

Conceived to satisfy the Air Ministry Specification T.6/36, the Don was a single-engine monoplane featuring wooden stressed-skin construction. It was intended to function as a versatile trainer, accommodating pilot instruction, radio operator training, and gunnery practice. To fulfill its gunnery training role, the aircraft incorporated a dorsal gun turret. The front cockpit housed the student pilot alongside the instructor, while behind them in the cabin were positions for a trainee wireless telegraphy operator and the turret gunner.

Operational history

The prototype, initially marked with test code E-3 and later assigned military serial L2387, conducted its maiden flight on 18 June 1937 before being delivered to RAF Martlesham Heath for official trials. During evaluation, additional equipment increased the aircraft's weight, prompting removal of the dorsal turret to reduce mass. Further modifications included the installation of small auxiliary fins beneath the tailplane.

Despite adjustments made starting from the fifth airframe, the Don was ultimately judged unsuitable as a trainer. Consequently, the initial order of 250 units was cut back to just 50, with 20 delivered as unpowered airframes for ground instruction. The remaining aircraft were utilized primarily for communications and liaison duties with No. 24 Squadron and various RAF Station Flights across the United Kingdom until early 1939. All were withdrawn from flying service and repurposed as instructional airframes by March of that year.

Operators

Template:UK

• Royal Air Force
  • No. 24 Squadron RAF
  • station flights

Bibliography

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1986. No ISBN.
• Ford, Daniel. "Outmoded Teacher: de Havilland's Don Crew Trainer". Air Enthusiast 105, May/June 2003, pp. 74–75. Template:ISSN.
• Jackson, A.J. de Havilland Aircraft Since 1915. London, Putnam, 1962. No ISBN.
• Jackson, A.J. de Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London:Putnam, Third edition, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-802-X.

External links

• De Havilland Don – British Aircraft Directory