Aircraft investigation >>>>>>> HOME PAGE
weight and performance calculations for the Airco (De Havilland) D.H.4A
Airco (De Havilland) D.H.4A
role : air taxi
importance : ****
first flight : operational : August 1919
country : United-Kingdom
design :
production : unknown
general information :
Developed form the WWI DH4 light bomber. It was used after the armistice to
transport diplomats and military staff between London and Paris. It had a small
passenger cabin with space for two, sitting opposite to each other.
It performed regular flights flying from Hounslow Heath aerodrome near London, and landing two and a half hours later at Le Bourget near Paris after flying 350 km.
On 4 December 1920 a DH4A flown by Lt. Vaughan Fowler flew from London to Paris in 1 hour 48 mins (average ground speed 194 km/hr). In August 1919 also a scheduled service from London to Amsterdam was opened.
users : Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited, Handley Page Air Transport ltd.
Registrations : G-EAMU, G-EAJC, G-EAVL c/n H5905, G-EAHG, G-EAHF, F5764,
G-EAWH
DH4A pilots : Foot, Gordon P.Olley
crew : 1 passengers : 2
engine : 1 Rolls Royce Eagle VIII liquid-cooled 12 -cylinder V-engine 345 [hp](257.3 KW)
dimensions :
wingspan : 12.93 [m], length : 9.29 [m], height : 3.35[m]
wing area : 40.32 [m^2]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 1685 [kg]
empty weight operational (estimation): 1100.0 [kg] useful load : 250 [kg]
performance :
maximum speed :195 [km/u] op 500 [m]
cruise speed :176 [km/u] op 500 [m]
service ceiling : 3000 [m]
range : 550 [km]
description :
2-bay biplane with fixed landing gear and tail strut
two spar upper and lower wing
engines, landing gear, fuel and useful load in or attached to the fuselage
airscrew :
fixed pitch 4-bladed tractor airscrew with max. efficiency :0.64 [ ]
diameter airscrew 2.66 [m]
angle of attack prop : 32.15 [ ]
coarse pitch
reduction : 0.60 [ ]
airscrew revs : 990 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 3.28 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 127 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
wing chord : 1.67 [m]
mean wing chord : 1.56 [m]
calculated wing chord (rounded tips): 1.71 [m]
wing aspect ratio : 8.29 []
estimated gap : 1.78 [m]
gap/chord : 1.14 [ ]
seize (span*length*height) : 402 [m^3]
passenger seating pitch : 85 [cm]
passenger cabin width : 0.88 [m] cabin length : 1.70 [m]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 3.9 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption(cruise speed) : 61.8 [kg/hr] (84.3 [litre/hr]) at 69 [%] power
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 2.84 [km/kg] at 1500 [m] cruise height, sfc : 347.5 [kg/kwh]
estimated total fuel capacity : 300.00 [litre] (219.90 [kg])
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 380.8 [kg] = 1.48 [kg/KW]
weight reduction gear : 28.3 [kg]
weight 22.6 litre oil tank : 1.92 [kg]
oil tank filled with 1.9 litre oil : 1.7 [kg]
oil in engine 14.3 litre oil : 12.9 [kg]
fuel in engine 1.8 litre fuel : 1.29 [kg]
weight 35.9 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 5.4 [kg]
weight radiator : 41.2 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 30.1 [kg]
weight self-starter : 6.3 [kg]
weight cowling 10.3 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 40.9 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 587 [kg](34.9 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage skeleton (wood gauge : 6.34 [cm]): 96 [kg]
length luggage compartment : 1.57 [m]
luggage compartment: 1.26 [m3]
enough space for 209 [kg] luggage/freight
normal weight luggage & freight 96 [kg] luggage/freight
suitable for light volumetric freight
bracing : 6.3 [kg]
fuselage covering ( 16.3 [m2] doped linen fabric) : 5.2 [kg]
weight instruments. : 1.1 [kg]
weight lighting : 1.1 [kg]
weight controls : 5.2 [kg]
weight seats : 9.0 [kg]
weight 264 [litre] main fuel tank empty : 21.1 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 13 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 158 [kg](9.3 [%])
***************************************************************
weight wing covering (doped linen fabric) : 24 [kg]
total weight ribs (88 ribs) : 100 [kg]
load on front upper spar (clmax) per running metre : 616.9 [N]
load on rear upper spar (vmax) per running metre : 377.0 [N]
total weight 8 spars : 59 [kg]
weight wings : 184 [kg]
weight wing/square meter : 4.56 [kg]
weight 8 interplane struts & cabane : 25.0 [kg]
weight cables (76 [m]) : 7.1 [kg] (= 93 [gram] per metre)
diameter cable : 3.9 [mm]
weight fin & rudder (1.9 [m2]) : 9.1 [kg]
weight stabilizer & elevator (4.5 [m2]): 21.0 [kg]
total weight wing surfaces & bracing : 246 [kg] (14.6 [%])
*******************************************************************
wheel pressure : 842.5 [kg]
weight 2 wheels (750 [mm] by 94 [mm]) : 23.4 [kg]
weight tailskid : 4.4 [kg]
weight undercarriage with axle 48.8 [kg]
total weight landing gear : 76.6 [kg] (4.5 [%]
*******************************************************************
********************************************************************
calculated empty weight : 1067 [kg](63.3 [%])
weight oil for 3.8 hours flying : 14.5 [kg]
weight cooling fluids : 55.6 [kg]
calculated operational weight empty : 1137 [kg] (67.5 [%])
estimated operational weight empty : 1100 [kg] (65.3 [%])
_____________
| | o | |
-------------
"
weight crew : 81 [kg]
weight fuel for 1.0 hours flying : 62 [kg]
********************************************************************
operational weight : 1280 [kg](76.0 [%])
fuel reserve : 158.1 [kg] enough for 2.56 [hours] flying
possible additional useful load : 247 [kg]
operational weight fully loaded : 1685 [kg] with fuel tank filled for 100 [%]
published maximum take-off weight : 1685 [kg] (100.0 [%])
||
||
I||==|
||
||
calculation : * 4 * (engine power)
power loading (Take-off) : 6.55 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational without useful load) : 4.98 [kg/kW]
total power : 257.3 [kW] at 1650 [r.p.m]
calculation : *5* (loads)
manoeuvre load : 3.8 [g] at 1000 [m]
limit load : 3.0 [g] ultimate load : 4.5 [g] load factor : 1.2 [g]
design flight time : 2.51 [hours]
design cycles : 179 sorties, design hours : 450 [hours]
operational wing loading : 311 [N/m^2]
wing stress (3 g) during operation : 205 [N/kg] at 3g emergency manoeuvre
calculation : *6* (angles of attack)
angle of attack zero lift : -1.39 ["]
max. angle of attack (stalling angle) : 11.88 ["]
angle of attack at max. speed : 0.72 ["]
calculation : *7* (lift & drag ratios
lift coefficient at angle of attack 0° :0.12 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. angle of attack : 1.15 [ ]
lift coefficient at max. speed : 0.18 [ ]
induced drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0023 [ ]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0406 [ ]
drag coefficient (zero lift) : 0.0383 [ ]
calculation : *8* (speeds
stalling speed at sea-level (OW): 76 [km/u]
stalling speed at sea-level (MTOW): 87 [km/u]
landing speed at sea-level: 89 [km/hr]
min. drag speed (max endurance) : 101 [km/hr] at 1500 [m](power :27 [%])
min. power speed (max range) : 133 [km/hr] at 1500 [m] (power:36 [%])
max. rate of climb speed : 114.7 [km/hr] at sea-level
cruising speed : 176 [km/hr] op 1500 [m] (power:64 [%])
design speed prop : 185 [km/hr]
maximum speed : 195 [km/hr] op 500 [m] (power:92 [%])
climbing speed at sea-level : 464 [m/min]
calculation : *9* (regarding various performances)
take-off speed : 104.4 [km/u]
propellor partly stalled > high angle of attack
static prop wash : 34 [km/u]
take-off distance at sea-level : 229 [m]
lift/drag ratio : 9.78 [ ]
time to 1000m : 2.53 [min]
climbing speed at 1500m : 317.48 [m/min]
time to 1500m : 4.10 [min]
climb to 3000m : 10.35 [min]
published ceiling (3000 [m]
practical ceiling (operational weight) : 5228 [m] with flying weight :1280 [kg] line 3385
practical ceiling fully loaded (mtow- 30 min.fuel) : 4338 [m] with flying weight :1654 [kg]
max. dive speed : 438.6 [km/hr] at 3338 [m] height
turning speed at CLmax : 130.6 [km/u] at 50 [m] height
turn radius at 50m: 48 [m]
time needed for 360* turn 8.4 [seconds] at 50m
load factor at max. angle turn 2.95 ["g"]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 550 [km] with 1 crew and 272.8 [kg] useful load and 88.1 [%] fuel
range : 615 [km] with 1 crew and 250.0 [kg] useful load and 98.5 [%] fuel
max range theoretically with additional fuel tanks for total 636.4 [litre] fuel : 1324.3 [km]
useful load with range 500km : 290 [kg]
production : 50.96 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 1.29 [kg]
_
I_°==/
°
Crashes :
29 October 1919 G-EAHG Aircraft Transport & Travel Ltd ditched in the channel near Folkstone, flight from Paris to London, pilot Jerry Shaw (Flight, 1919b:1456). Pilot and passenger are rescued by small steamer
11 December 1919 G-EAHF Aircraft Transport & Travel Ltd hits a tree in fog/low clouds near Caterham, pilot & passenger both killed
7 April 1921 G-EAVL Handley Page Transport crashed after take-off from Cricklewood aerodrome. Pilot & passenger injured.
Literature :
Praktisch handbook vliegtuigen deel I page 13
https://www.hdekker.info/
Piston-engined airliners page 8
Accident Airco DH.4A G-EAHF, 11 Dec 1919 (aviation-safety.net)
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 01 January 2021 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4