De Havilland DH.18

DH.18
DH.18B
Role	Airliner
Manufacturer	Airco
Designer	Geoffrey de Havilland
First flight	8 April 1920
Introduction	1920
Retired	1923
Primary users	Aircraft Transport and Travel Daimler Hire Ltd Instone Air Line
Produced	1919–1921
Number built	6

The de Havilland DH.18 was a single-engined British biplane transport aircraft of the 1920s built by de Havilland.

The DH.18 was designed and built in 1919 by Airco as their first aircraft specifically for commercial work, earlier aircraft such as the DH.16 being modified military types. The DH.18 was a single-engined biplane, powered by a Napier Lion engine with wooden two-bay, wire-braced wings, and a forward fuselage clad in plywood. It accommodated eight passengers in an enclosed cabin with the pilot in an open cockpit behind the cabin. The first prototype flew early in 1920.

The first DH.18 was delivered to Aircraft Transport and Travel for use on the Croydon-Paris service, but was wrecked in a forced landing shortly after takeoff from Croydon on 16 August 1920. Two more aircraft were under construction by Airco for Aircraft Transport and Travel when the bankrupt Airco was purchased by BSA, who did not wish to continue aircraft development or production. Geoffrey de Havilland, the chief designer of Airco then set up the de Havilland Aircraft Company, completing the two partly completed aircraft as DH.18As, with improved engine mountings and undercarriages.

Aircraft Transport and Travel closed down in early 1921, due to competition from subsidised French airlines. In March 1921, the British government granted temporary subsidies for airline services, with the Air Council purchasing a number of modern commercial aircraft for leasing to approved firms. The three ex-A.T.&T. DH.18s were purchased in this way and leased to Instone Air Line. A further DH.18A was built to Air Council order, as were two modified DH.18B, which had fuselages that were entirely plywood-clad and had built-in emergency exits.

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