The DH4 is fast!

[czech693]

In an Albatros mission we were doing the loop around the airfield to gain attitude for the patrol when the flight lead dove back towards the airfield.  I followed and soon recognized four DH4's.  I saddled up on one and luckily got the gunner on my second burst, and was able to get the pilot shortly thereafter.  I got on another DH4 and after a couple of bursts while trying to avoid the gunner's return fire, I heard hits and an engine close by.  I found another DH4 on my tail and broke away to get on him.  A moment later while trying to shoot him down the same thing happened again.  Looking around I realized the other two DH4's were in line beind me in what now appeared to be a Lufbery.  My two flight members were no where in sight. Everytime I got into position one would be one my tail and shooting me up.  I decided to extend and regroup.  But, the three DH4's queded up and chased me and I realized they were closing the distance and shooting, so I broke and got on one and started going through the whole circle fight again unable to break away.  I hoped to get another one and reduce the odds to 2 to 1, but a tail gunner got me with a head shot.  Checking the technical stats I found the DH4 is very fast and that was a reason the pilot's liked it.  I had no idea they were so fast.  Next time it's one pass and haul ass.

[JG4_Moltke1871]

Yes, the DH.4 is a rocket, its a pleasure to fly and have a great climb. Fly it feels really smooth. It’s a shame the bombsight only offers 3000 meters, the plane itself offers more ?

 

[Avimimus]

There were ~20 engine variants of this aircraft (about half experimental installations, and half actually used operationally).

 

So speeds varied somewhat (170 km/h - 230 km/h). But usually they were quite fast.

[BMA_Hellbender]

I see people in multiplayer flying it as an interceptor with a defensive gunner in the back. Historically it was used strictly as a bomber (as opposed to the Bristol Fighter or Halberstadt CL.II), but you can't really fault anyone for flying it to its strengths. The same can be said about the Breguet 14, which was also strictly used as a recon/bomber, but is by far one of the most maneuverable French machines, even compared to the slightly more maneuverable Nieuport 17, but especially compared to the... yeah.

[Voyager]

The challenges of flying the DH.4 in the fighter role are that it has very poor upward visibility, and you can pull the wings off if you pull as hard as it can... 

 

You can even manage a really fast roll of you use snap rolls instead of conventional rolls. But I'm way too agressive a pilot to ever get really good in it. 

[Avimimus]

On 7/10/2023 at 10:47 AM, =IRFC=Hellbender said:

I see people in multiplayer flying it as an interceptor with a defensive gunner in the back. Historically it was used strictly as a bomber (as opposed to the Bristol Fighter or Halberstadt CL.II), but you can't really fault anyone for flying it to its strengths. The same can be said about the Breguet 14, which was also strictly used as a recon/bomber, but is by far one of the most maneuverable French machines, even compared to the slightly more maneuverable Nieuport 17, but especially compared to the... yeah.

 

It'd be quite interesting to see what people could do with a Hannover Cl.II - they purportedly were able to maintain altitude well in turns, which meant that enemy scouts would end up losing altitude/energy. Much lower wing loading than the Halberstadt, but over all the same concept.

[RNAS10_Oliver]

On 7/10/2023 at 3:47 PM, =IRFC=Hellbender said:

I see people in multiplayer flying it as an interceptor with a defensive gunner in the back. Historically it was used strictly as a bomber (as opposed to the Bristol Fighter or Halberstadt CL.II), but you can't really fault anyone for flying it to its strengths. The same can be said about the Breguet 14, which was also strictly used as a recon/bomber, but is by far one of the most maneuverable French machines, even compared to the slightly more maneuverable Nieuport 17, but especially compared to the... yeah.

And limited use as an escort if memory serves me right, away from my books so unable to give a quote for couple months. Just the RNAS squadrons having a few machines in their formation acting as escort for the others doing the bombing or photographing etc.

 

There we go found things from two pilots of 2 Squadron RNAS in some C&C articles on my laptop;

 

 

 

On 7/15/2023 at 3:36 PM, Voyager said:

The challenges of flying the DH.4 in the fighter role are that it has very poor upward visibility, and you can pull the wings off if you pull as hard as it can... 

 

 

?

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by RNAS10_Oliver

[Voyager]

@RNAS10_Oliver That would be cool, and a Liberty engined DH.4 or DH.9 too, even (or maybe especially) as collector's planes.