08/31/2007. Having already established his name as an aircraft
designer with the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 Series, Geoffrey de
Havilland joined the Aircraft Manufacturing Company (known as Airco)
on July 2, 1914, to design, supervise manufacturing and test-fly
aircraft. From then on all his designs carried his initials.
The D.H.1 two-seat fighter-reconnaissance aircraft was first flown
from Hendon, London, by de Havilland in January 1915. The aircraft
was powered by a 70 hp Renault engine, as were the first five
production aircraft. Another 67 aircraft were powered by the 120 hp
Beardmore engine, these aircraft were designated D.H.1A. The last
D.H.1s were withdrawn from service in 1918.
