Airco DH.10 Amiens

The Airco DH.10 Amiens was a twin-engined heavy bomber designed and produced by the British manufacturer Airco, developed in the last years of the First World War to give the newly formed Royal Air Force a larger bombing capability. It was based on the earlier DH.3 bomber, which had been dropped largely because of disinterest in heavy bombers. The first prototype flew on 4 March 1918, and dissatisfaction with its performance led to a redesign with more powerful engines and a tractor layout, which was received more favourably. Over 1,200 were on order at one stage, but only a handful reached the RAF before the war ended and a single offensive mission was flown. Production was scaled back, yet over 250 were built and used between the wars, including in the Third Anglo-Afghan War and on air mail services, where the type flew the first nighttime air mail service in the world on 14-15 May 1919.