DH.4 (Total: 1,659, Canadian: 25, Group 0)

Airco DH.4

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390141)
(Source Harold A Skaarup web page) de Havilland DH.4, RAF, c1918.

The Airco DH.4 was a British two-seat biplane day bomber of the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland (hence "DH") for Airco, and was the first British two-seat light day-bomber capable of defending itself.

It was powered by a number of different engines in its early years, including the 375 hp (280 kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle engine. It was armed with one 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun for the pilot and one 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun mounted on a Scarff ring for the observer. The DH.4 could carry a pair of 230 lb (100 kg) bombs or four 112 lb (51 kg) bombs. It was first flown in August 1916 and less than a year later, it entered operational service in France with No. 55 Squadron, RFC, on 6 March 1917.

Despite its success, numbers in service with the RFC actually started to decline from spring 1918, mainly due to a shortage of engines, and production switched to the DH.9. Unfortunately, the DH.9 proved to be inferior to the DH.4 in most respects.

Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, many DH.4s were sold to civil operators where it was found to be particularly useful as a mailplane. Early commercial passenger airplane service in Europe was initiated with modified variants of the DH-4. War-surplus DH-4s became key aircraft in newly emerging air forces throughout the world. The U.S. Army later had several companies re-manufacture its remaining DH.4s to DH.4B standard and they operated the type into the early 1930s. Harold Skaarup web page, Wikipedia


YouTube DH-4

Wikipedia Wikipedia DH-4

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

DH.4 A2144,

s/n A2144

as/n F 6169

A 2144


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-August-22 KIA RAF Second-Lieutenant James Brightwell Cunningham 2024-03-18

DH.4 A7645,

s/n A7645

A 7645


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-May-15 KIA RAF Lieutenant Edgar Meath Martyn 2023-10-18

DH.4 A7872,

s/n A7872

A 7872


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-April-01 KIA RAF Lieutenant James David Moses 2023-06-25

DH.4 A8000,

s/n A8000

as/n F 5839

A 8000


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-September-03 KIA RAF Lieutenant Foster Murray Macfarland 2023-09-26

DH.4 A8013,

s/n A8013

A 8013


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-June-30 KIA RAF Lieutenant Clifford James Moir 2022-11-19

DH.4 B2080,

s/n B2080

B 2080


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-June-06 KIA RAF Lieutenant Michael Francis Cunningham 2023-09-26

DH.4 B5489,

s/n B5489

B 5489


last update: 2025-March-10

DH.4 B7865,

s/n B7865

B 7865


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-July-20 KIA RAF Lieutenant James Tweedale Kirkland 2023-12-15

DH.4 B7866,

s/n B7866

B 7866


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-June-25 KIA RAF Lieutenant George Arscott Sweet 2024-03-18

DH.4 D9254,

s/n D9254

as/n F 6168

D 9254


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-September-05 KIA RAF Lieutenant Clarence Edward Kinton 2024-03-14

DH.4 D8380,

s/n D8380

D 8380


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-July-16 KIA RAF Lieutenant James Matthew Mackie DCM, MM 2023-09-26

DH.4 D8416,

s/n D8416

D 8416


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-August-09 PoW RAF Second-Lieutenant Harold Stone Musgrove 2022-09-19

DH.4 D9261,

s/n D9261

D 9261


last update: 2025-March-10
1918-June-11 KIFA RAF Lieutenant Evan David Spencer 2023-11-16

DH.4 GCYBO, DH 4B

s/n GCYBO

G-CYBO

Ex RAF F2705. Converted to Canadian D.H.4B photo survey configuration.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1920-November-30 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1920-November-30 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1928-November-30 Struck off Strength last D.H.4s struck off strength (BO may have been struck off earlier?) 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 195

DH.4 GCYBU,

s/n GCYBU

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYBU

Ex RAF F2709. Forestry patrols from High River, Alberta in 1921. Later operated from Camp Borden, Ontario.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1920-October-26 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1920-October-26 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1928-November-30 Struck off Strength Last D.H.4s struck off strength BU may have been struck off earlier? 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 195

DH.4 GCYBV,

s/n GCYBV

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYBV

Ex RAF F2710. Category A accident at High River, Alberta on 1 August 1921. Crashed shortly after taking off, when pilot attempted to turn at too low an airspeed. Possibly compounded by high pressure altitude. Pilot, wartime ace W. E. Shield, DFC plus bar, killed.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1920-November-29 Taken on Strength registration issued 2020-09-19
   1921-August-01 Struck off Strength Written off in crash 2020-09-19
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 195

DH.4 GCYBW,

s/n GCYBW

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYBW

Ex RAF F2672. Category A accident at High River, Alberta on 31 May 1921.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-February-01 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1921-February-01 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1921-July-07 Struck off Strength struck off strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 195

DH.4 GCYCW,

s/n GCYCW

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYCW

Ex RAF F2713. Converted in Canada to single seater. Operated from High River, Alberta. Flew photo surveys over Rocky Mountains in summer of 1924.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-February-01 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1921-February-01 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1928-November-30 Struck off Strength Last D.H.4s struck off strength CW may have been struck off earlier? 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196

DH.4 GCYDB, DH 4B

s/n GCYDB

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYDB

Ex RAF F2673. Operated by No. 2 (Operations) Squadron at High River, Alta., 1923. Had been converted to D.H.4B photo survey configuration by then.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-February-01 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1921-February-01 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1924-December-04 Struck off Strength struck off strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196

DH.4 GCYDK,

s/n GCYDK

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYDK

Part of Imperial Gift of 1919. Ex RAF F2711. Operated from Rocklciffe, Ontario in 1921.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-April-19 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1921-April-19 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1922-April-23 Struck off Strength struck off after crash near Waldemar (Ontario?). 2019-08-20
1922-April-23 KIFA CAF Captain Hubert Lee Holland MC 2023-03-30
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196

DH.4 GCYDL, DH 4B

s/n GCYDL

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYDL

Ex RAF F2712. Used for trials at Rockcliffe, Ontario. Converted to Canadian D.H.4B photo survey configuration. Operated by No. 2 (Operations) Squadron at High River, Alta., 1925 to 1927. Sold to a private owner, despite Air Force concerns about the condition of the machine and its unsuitability for civil operations. No record of it flying after being sold.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-April-19 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1921-April-19 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1928-November-30 Struck off Strength Surviving D.H.4s struck off strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196

DH.4 GCYDM, DH 4B

s/n GCYDM

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYDM

Ex RAF F2706. Converted in Canada to D.H.4B (may have been unofficial designation). Rear seat faced forward, camera port in fuselage side. Forestry patrols from High River, Alberta in 1921, where pilots included Tuddy Tudhope. Still there in summer and fall of 1922. Oblique camera installed in rear fuselage by then. Still servicable in 1926, one of last two D.H.4s in regular use in Canada.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-April-19 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1928-November-30 Struck off Strength Surviving D.H.4s struck off. 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196

DH.4 GCYDN, DH 4B

s/n GCYDN

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYDN

Ex RAF F2708. Converted to Canadian D.H.4B photo survey configuration. Operated by No. 2 (Operations) Squadron at High River, Alta., 1925.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-March-16 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1921-March-16 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1925-February-02 Struck off Strength struck off strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196

DH.4 GCYEC, DH 4B

s/n GCYEC

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYEC

Ex RAF F2714. Converted to Canadian D.H.4B photo survey configuration. Operated by No. 2 (Operations) Squadron at High River, Alta., 1925 to 1927. Still servicable in 1926, one of last two D.H.4s in regular use in Canada.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1921-August-02 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1921-August-02 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1928-November-02 Struck off Strength struck off strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196

DH.4 GCYEM,

s/n GCYEM

Glendower Aircraft Co.

G-CYEM

Ex RAF F2707. Part of Imperial Gift of 1919. Operating from High River, Alberta at time of crash.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1922-June-07 Registration Issued 2021-10-13
   1922-June-07 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1924-August-01 Struck off Strength struck off strength after Category A accident on 28 July 1924 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 196