Airco DH2

Carpo · 13 September 2006, 02:56 AM

Hi all - I have committed a great sin and decided to build a model of an aircraft not operated by the Australian Flying Corps. To somehow minimise the guilt, I would like to model it in the markings of an RFC Sqn that operated with 1SQN AFC.
Does anyone know where I can find a pic of a 111SQN RFC DH2? - preferably with serial numbers visible.
Thanks in advance,
Carpo

Ross_Moorhouse · 14 September 2006, 06:20 AM

I will have to dig up my reference for the DH2 & see what I can come up with mate. I believe I have at least one serial for a 111 Sq DH2.

Ross_Moorhouse · 14 September 2006, 03:22 PM

My references show pics of this plane with both 111 and 14 Sqn. But the photos are shot in such a way that you can't see the serials.

Carpo · 14 September 2006, 04:35 PM

Joe Bull's diary has some pics which I have seen - no clear serials there.
Is it worth my while buying the DH2 Datafile?

Ross_Moorhouse · 14 September 2006, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carpo

Is it worth my while buying the DH2 Datafile?

That was one of my sources. I would recommend it just for good details on the DH2. Squadron In Action book is good to. It has at least 3 pics of 111 and 14 Sqn.

Wizard · 15 September 2006, 05:09 AM

There is one picture in One Airman's War of a 14RFC DH.2. By scanning it and playing with various settings I was able to establish the serial was A47?? with the possibility that the 4th character might have been a 3, a 5 or an 8.

I then went to my Crowood Press book on Airco by Mick Davis who had A4788 as a 14RFC aircraft (with no other possibilities). So A4788 looks like the aircraft.

When I contacted Carpo offline with that info he was a very happy camper.

melsharkskin · 19 September 2006, 05:37 PM

In Colin Owers' fine "DH Aircraft of WW I: Vol. I", on page 8 there is a photo of a 111 Squadron DH.2 in Palestine dated October 1917. The only thing visible on the rudder is "A26," the other two digits darkened out by the red. But the caption gives this:

"The squadron had five D.H.2 fighters in the A26?? range from the third production batch: A26616 [sic; prob. A2616?], A2617, A2625, A2628 and A2629. Airco's practice of placing the black serial on the white and red portion of the rudder makes it difficult to identify individual D.H.2 fighters in photographs."

TOM