The AMC DH.9A (Aircraft Manufacturing Company de Havilland type 9a) It was nicknamed Ninak (9=Nin A=ak)
It was developed out the urgent necessity for a replacement for the underperforming DH.9. The DH.9 itself was intended to be an improved replacement for the Eagle powered DH.4. Although having the pilot positioned further aft to the gunner improving inflight communications, the DH.9 was in every other way a great step backward, underpowered with the unreliable 230hp Puma engine.
With the availability of the American 400hp V12 Liberty engine, the DH.9A design was undertaken by AMC and the Westland Aircraft Works with the DH.9 as a starting point. With larger wings, new nose, and other design improvements, it began flight testing in February 1918. Manufacturing was undertaken by AMC, Westland Aircraft Works, Whitehead, Mann Eggerton & Co, and The Vulcan Motor & Engineering Co. Numerous small post war production orders and rebuilds were also let to the de Havilland Aircraft Co, Handley Page Ltd., HG Hawker Engineering Co Ltd., and Short Bros among others. At least 2700 unauthorized copies were built as the Polikarpov R-1 by the new Soviet Union. Several unserviceable DH.9A's were left behind when the British mission supporting the "white Russians" in their losing fight against the Bolshevik revolutionaries was withdrawn, and became the patterns for the Polikarpov R-1 copies.
The first operational DH9A Squadron, No. 110, arrived in France on August 31, 1918. By the end of the war, Squadrons No. 18, No. 205 and No. 99 (flying a mixture of DH9s and DH9As) were equipped with the Ninak. Throughout the 1920's, it equipped U.K Squadrons and units involved in policing Britain's Middle East empire. By 1930 it had largely been replaced by newer types.
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The original Airco D.H.4 model and air files are by Gary Aumaugher.
With Gary's kind permission it is the base for the further development by Captain Kurt. The nose, wings, fuselage, tail, landing gear, machine guns, cockpit, propeller, equipment and rigging were all different from the DH 4 version but the original Airco DH 4 was a useful basis to develop from just as it was in reality. Textures are by Captain Kurt. The aircraft.cfg, .dp, and .air files modified for the new aircraft, plus a new 2d panel are also by Captain Kurt.
The crew figures were developed from Wolfi's free source Japanese pilot figure. Spinning prop texture is by Kelticheart.
It was developed out the urgent necessity for a replacement for the underperforming DH.9. The DH.9 itself was intended to be an improved replacement for the Eagle powered DH.4. Although having the pilot positioned further aft to the gunner improving inflight communications, the DH.9 was in every other way a great step backward, underpowered with the unreliable 230hp Puma engine.
With the availability of the American 400hp V12 Liberty engine, the DH.9A design was undertaken by AMC and the Westland Aircraft Works with the DH.9 as a starting point. With larger wings, new nose, and other design improvements, it began flight testing in February 1918. Manufacturing was undertaken by AMC, Westland Aircraft Works, Whitehead, Mann Eggerton & Co, and The Vulcan Motor & Engineering Co. Numerous small post war production orders and rebuilds were also let to the de Havilland Aircraft Co, Handley Page Ltd., HG Hawker Engineering Co Ltd., and Short Bros among others. At least 2700 unauthorized copies were built as the Polikarpov R-1 by the new Soviet Union. Several unserviceable DH.9A's were left behind when the British mission supporting the "white Russians" in their losing fight against the Bolshevik revolutionaries was withdrawn, and became the patterns for the Polikarpov R-1 copies.
The first operational DH9A Squadron, No. 110, arrived in France on August 31, 1918. By the end of the war, Squadrons No. 18, No. 205 and No. 99 (flying a mixture of DH9s and DH9As) were equipped with the Ninak. Throughout the 1920's, it equipped U.K Squadrons and units involved in policing Britain's Middle East empire. By 1930 it had largely been replaced by newer types.
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The original Airco D.H.4 model and air files are by Gary Aumaugher.
With Gary's kind permission it is the base for the further development by Captain Kurt. The nose, wings, fuselage, tail, landing gear, machine guns, cockpit, propeller, equipment and rigging were all different from the DH 4 version but the original Airco DH 4 was a useful basis to develop from just as it was in reality. Textures are by Captain Kurt. The aircraft.cfg, .dp, and .air files modified for the new aircraft, plus a new 2d panel are also by Captain Kurt.
The crew figures were developed from Wolfi's free source Japanese pilot figure. Spinning prop texture is by Kelticheart.
