De Havilland DH.15

DH.15
Role	Engine test bed
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	The Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Number built	1
Developed from	DH.9A

The de Havilland DH.15 Gazelle was an engine test bed converted from a de Havilland DH.9A for flight trials in1919-20 of the B.H.P Atlantic engine. Only one was built.

Development

The DH.15 Gazelle, more often known just as the DH.15 was a standard DH.9A, complete with original armament, put to use as an engine test bed.^[1] The engine involved was the 500 hp (373 kW) B.H.P. Atlantic, a watercooled V-12 unit produced by the Galloway Engineering Co. who merged two 6-cylinder inline B.H.P. engines onto a common crankcase. This replaced the DH.9A's standard 400 hp (300 kW) Liberty 12, though without great change in appearance as the Atlantic was mounted behind a similar large rectangular radiator. Since both engines were upright V12s, both crankshafts were near the bottom and both propellers were mounted low on the nose. The exhaust pipes on the DH.15 were longer than the usual DH.9A set, running straight back from the upper sides of the engine to end at the observer's cockpit.^[1]

Two DH.15s were ordered, but only one was built. It completed many flights with the Atlantic through 1919-20.^[1]

Specifications

Data from Jackson 1978, p. 153

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
• Wingspan: 45 ft 11.38 in (14.00 m)
• Wing area: 486.75 ft² (45.13 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,312 lb (1,049 kg)
• Gross weight: 4,773 lb (2,165 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × B.H.P (Galloway Atlantic} V-12 watercooled, 500 hp (373 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 139 mph (224 km/h)
• Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
• Rate of climb: initial 1,500 ft/min (7.62 m/s)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Jackson, A.J. (1978). de Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam Publishing. p. 153. ISBN 0 370 30022 X.