Anyone flying the AIRCO DH-2 ?

[Olham 164]

Is anyone flying the AIRCO DH-2 ? Or have you ever tried a campaign in this aircraft?

I tried it out, and will do another campaign with it in OFF II.

 

I like this video - at 0:48 you can see the pilot moving through all control surfaces. Enjoy!

 

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Ermmmm No

[Hasse Wind 46]

I prefer the Fee. It's just as ugly, but has more firepower. Spins less often, too.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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I have flown many campaigns in the DH-2, both here in OFF and before that in RB3D. Despite all the plane's quirks and bad habits it still remains one of my all-time favorite WWI fighter/scouts.

 

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[RAF_Louvert 101]

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And I've just noticed that the above posting was my 5000th here! I feel like such a veteran now.

 

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[Olham 164]

Ermmmm No

 

Lou, you are one of those flyers who fully take into account, which period an aircraft was built in -

no use comparing it with the Fokker Dr.1 or D.VII of course.

When OFF II is released, I will try it again and see, how well I can handle it against early German aircraft.

(I still hope we will see at least one early Fokker type).

 

I have never met a Halberstadt in an AIRCO - I must try that in a QC.

[Hasse Wind 46]

If you mean the Halberstadt D.II, it will eat the DH.2 for breakfast. It's a much better fighter.

[Olham 164]

Yes, it is - but they could have met in RL, couldn't they?

 

I have just done 2 QCs in an AIRCO DH-2 against a Halberstadt D.II (set to "ace").

In the first one I simply crashed in a too tight turn - I had forgotten how tricky "Mrs. Beastly" is.

In the second attempt, I got into a shooting position only once, but it went well, and the Halberstadt

produced black smoke. When I finally got behind it again, it crashed before I could fire.

 

I had to make clever use of rudder, and I needed to gain speed with dropping the nose, for turning.

Not so good, when you are already quite low!

[Hasse Wind 46]

The DH.2 also had to face the Albatros D.II and D.III in large numbers. The British kept the fighter in service for too long.

 

If you want a challenge, join the RFC in 1917 and fly the DH.2.

[Olham 164]

Gawd - did they really still fly them in 1917 ???! That's homicide!

[Dej 17]

Handled sympathetically the DH2 can defeat both the Halb D.II and Alb D.II, you have, as with all machines,to play to her strengths and compensate for her weaknesses. Her critical need is airspeed if she is to turn well and she wallows at much above 8 degrees climb so you absolutely must stay above the HA. Let him do the yo-yo thing and then sideslip to pick him off when he loses energy at the top of a zoom. You’ve unparalleled visibility and a large rudder, deft use of which will allow you to act like the turret of a tank and bring your gun to bear with precision. That said, in a dive she is very responsive indeed, more than a match for those beefy Hun crates, so if you’ve just one HA left go for him... just for the love of God don’t overshoot! Oh and don't run at full throttle all the time... keep a bit of power in reserve just in case of the need to hold a nose up attitude for that critical second longer

 

Dogfights in a DH2 tend to last a long time, but Patience brings its rewards.

 

Read the ‘Flying and Air Fighting Guide’. There’s good advice in there from myself (ahem!) and Lou. Both of us used to fly the DH2 regularly. Me, being a Hawker fanboi, what else would I

[Hasse Wind 46]

Gawd - did they really still fly them in 1917 ???! That's homicide!

 

Not so much as the use of the BE.2 in 1917.

 

The DH.2 was replaced by the DH.5, which was definitely an improvement, but still nothing to write home about. It's also included in OFF, and modelled very nicely.

[Olham 164]

You must be a fanboy really to defend the DH-2 that hard, Dej.

I'd love to see a duell of you in a DH-2 vs Hasse Wind in a Halberstadt; or against me in an Albatros D.II.

 

We must not forget, that the DH-2 had her maiden flight on 1 June 1915; the Halberstadt D.II in February 1916;

and the Albatros D.II appeared at the front late September 1916.

 

So it would in fact be unfair to compare the aircraft too much - 8 months were a long time in the fast development

of aircraft in that war.

I like the crate somehow, and I will learn to fly her better in future.

 

As for Major Hawker, I must say it is amazing how long he managed to turn-fight with von Richthofen,

who couldn't seem to really get behind him, before Hawker had to break off for returning over his lines.

 

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Edited April 30, 2012 by Olham

[Hasse Wind 46]

The DH.2 really was useful until late 1916. By then, it was becoming obsolete, thanks to the rapid speed at which aviation technology was progressing. But at that point in the war, the British were slower than Germans in replacing their aging aircraft, for various reasons. The DH.2 was great against opponents like the Eindecker, but unfortunately there were no Eindeckers in service anymore in 1917.

[Olham 164]

Just flew a campaign mission in late July 1916 with No. 24 Sqdn RFC, and - boy! - the Eindecker

maybe a scourge I could halfways deal with (although I couldn't get one down), but then we met

4 Roland C.II, which shot me left wings off!

I dived on their formation, but I had forgotten how they operate! The split immediately, and I got

fired after from various angles! (Maybe that was the reason why the rest of the flight did NOT

attack these fellers!).

[Lanzfeld 1]

In the video it is not a rotary engine.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Quite true Lanzfeld.

 

Olham, diving on four healthy Walfisch in any mount is approaching suicide, much less doing it in a DH-2. You will need to be extr-EEEEEEEEEEEEE-mely cautious in your attacks if you wish to survive in the twitchy little beastie we affectionately call the "Spinning Incinerator".

 

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[Olham 164]

Damn, you're correct, Lanzfeld! Maybe there are not too many rotaries around anymore?

 

Lou, my lucky "Blighter" survived the shredding process (thanks to "Die roll at death", I think),

and now his fingers got burnt he will make sure next time, that he sees a clear sign to attack

those "Walfisch" - which should rather be named "Hai" (shark).

Oh, the high jinks of youth - you had to learn quick back in 1916!

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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BTW, if you haven't seen it, here is a video I posted about two years ago showing some of the potential mistakes one can make when fighting in the DH-2. There may be something helpful in it.

 

 

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[Hauksbee 103]

.And I've just noticed that the above posting was my 5000th here! I feel like such a veteran now.

 

Congrats, RAF_Lou!!!

[Olham 164]

Lou, nice video and good advice definitely.

One point though - you seemed pretty carefree about your six - without a wingman or a read view mirror.

Must be almost too reassuring, to have a rotating engine behind you.

 

Edit: you get your turns done better than me - your right turn banks are damn hard - good job!

Edited April 30, 2012 by Olham

[Hauksbee 103]

Is anyone flying the AIRCO DH-2 ?

I'd have to say that the DH-2's un-flyability is matched only by the E.III. When P3 was announced (and I bought it) I was doing a lot of 3D modeling on the computer. I had just finished building a DH-2 and an Albatros D.V and was rendering out some pics of the Hawker/von Richtofen duel. I was really stoked when P3 arrived because now I could fly a real DH-2. Of course I stalled it. Then stalled again. And again. (coming fram a Spitfire/Focke-Wulf background, I nearly threw in the towel on P3) Anyway, I never tried the DH-2 again.

 

'Took a while to find where I had stashed the pics, but finally found them. Here's two. Looking back, I should have modeled a D.II, (DIII?) and the Iron Cross needs work.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Hauksbee

[Burning Beard 14]

I've always been a fan of the DH2, love the visibility. I have flown campaigns in them but alas they finish the way all my campaigns do. It is fun plane to fly and you do need to learn to use the rudder. Back in the old days when multiplayer was still active we flew an early war campaign in them. Vasco even had his flight flying and landing in a fairly tight formation.

 

Beard

[Olham 164]

Hauksbee, that is indeed an Albatros D.III you modeled there - but von Richthofen was flying a D.II,

and it was not red at all. It was factory style, with only a white ring band round the nose.

[RamblingSid 3]

I've flown a few DH2 careers.

 

Climbs slowly - do not waste

any height advantage you may have.

 

Dives ok but poor zoom.

 

Weak armament - get very close to your target.

 

Difficult to check 6.

 

As other have said, if you overcook a turn you will spin out,

too low and you'll spin in.

 

On the other hand, spin recovery is simple enough,

provided you have altitude.

 

You can dogfight DIIs etc ok per comments here. Just

make sure you stay with your flight.

 

DH2 is a fine a/c but I do wish we had a blip button.

 

Hth