De Havilland Don

DH.93 Don

Picture - Prototype DH.93 in flight c. 1937

Role: Communications/Liaison
Manufacturer: de Havilland
First flight: 18 June 1937
Introduced: 1938
Retired: 1940
Status: retired
Primaryuser: Royal Air Force
Number built: 30 (plus 20 unassembled airframes)

The de Havilland DH.93 Don was a 1930s British multi-role three-seat training aircraft built by de Havilland at Hatfield Aerodrome.

Design and development

The Don was designed to meet Air Ministry Specification T.6/26 for a multi-role trainer and was a single-engined monoplane of wooden stressed-skin construction. The DH.93 Don was intended to be a trainer for pilots and radio operators, and as a gunnery trainer, the gunnery requirement involved the mounting of a dorsal gun turret.

Operational history

The prototype (Serial Number L2387) first flew on 18 June 1937 and was transferred to RAF Martlesham Heath for official evaluation. In the course of the trials, more equipment was added which increased the weight, as a result, in an attempt to reduce weight, the dorsal turret was removed. The aircraft was also modified with small auxiliary fins fitted beneath the tailplane.

Despite the changes incorporated from the fifth aircraft, the type was deemed not suitable for training and the original order for 250 aircraft was reduced to only 50 aircraft, 20 of which were delivered as engineless airframes for ground training. The remaining aircraft served as communications and liaison aircraft, serving with No. 24 Sqn and numerous Station Flights throughout the UK until early 1939, but all were grounded for use as instructional airframes in March 1939.

Operators

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force
No. 24 Squadron RAF

Specifications (Communications role)

Data from De Havilland Aircraft since 1909

General characteristics

Crew: 3
Length: 37 ft 4 in (11.38 m)
Wingspan: 47 ft 6 in (14.48 m)
Height: 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m)
Wing area: 304 ft² (28.24 m²)
Empty weight: 5,050 lb (2,291 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 6,530 lb (2,968 kg)
Powerplant: 1x— de Havilland Gipsy King air-cooled V12 engine, 525 hp (391 kw)

Performance

Maximum speed: 189 mph (164 knots, 304 km/h)
Range: 890 mi (774 nmi, 1,432 km)
Service ceiling: 23,300 ft (7,100 m)
Rate of climb: 820 ft/min (4.2 m/s)

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, No. 105, May/June 2003. ISSN 0143-5450. pp. 74-75.
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.

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Source: WikiPedia