The Airco DH.2 was a single-seat biplane "pusher" aircraft which operated as a fighter during the First World War. It was the second pusher design by Geoffrey de Havilland for Airco, based on his earlier DH.1 two-seater. The DH.2 was the first effectively armed British single-seat fighter and enabled Royal Flying Corps (RFC) pilots to counter the "Fokker Scourge" that had given the Germans the advantage in the air in late 1915. Until the British developed an interrupter gear to match the German system, pushers such as the DH.2 and the F.E.2b carried the burden of fighting and escort duties. Performance Data of the Airco DH2 Type fighter Engine 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape Wing Span 28 ft 3 in (8.61 m) Length 25 ft 2 in (7.68 m) Height 9 ft 6 in (2.91 m) Maximum Speed 93 mph (150 kph) Maximum Height 23,500 ft (7,163 m) Endurance 2 hours 45 minutes Armament 2-4 machine-guns, 460 lb (208 kg) bomb load
