Was a plane deliberately made less stable?

Short answer

On the contrary: the DH.6 was criticized for being "too safe," with a response to inexperienced piloting too gentle to prepare pilots for combat aircraft. The experimental changes of mid-1918, with 25 cm (10 in) of backward stagger, aimed to improve stability.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Was a plane deliberately made less stable?

Dayton Wright DH-4

The most forgiving aircraft of its time

The DH.6 had very gentle flying characteristics and was probably the most "forgiving" aircraft of its era: it could be flown "sideways" in badly banked turns and could sustain level flight at speeds as low as 48 km/h (30 mph). It was also criticized for being "too safe": its response to inexperienced piloting was too gentle to prepare pilots for combat aircraft.

The 1918 modifications

In mid-1918, experimental changes were introduced to improve stability: 25 cm (10 in) of backward stagger on wings with reduced chord and camber, with narrower elevators and rudder. DH.6s modified to this standard were unofficially nicknamed the "DH 6A".

A surplus with a use

At least 2,282 DH.6s were built in the United Kingdom during the war, out of orders for around 3,000. The Avro 504 K was adopted as the standard trainer in late 1917, leaving the DH.6 surplus to training requirements. In late 1917, about 300 DH.6s were transferred to the RNAS for anti-submarine patrols. On 31 October 1918, 1,050 DH.6s remained on RAF records.