Vickers E.F.B.8
| Industry | Aerospace, Defence |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1911 in United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Aircraft, including the Vickers E.F.B.8 fighter |
The Vickers E.F.B.8 represented a British experimental twin-engine fighter developed during the First World War. Only one unit was constructed before the project was discontinued, as single-engine fighters were deemed to offer superior agility.
Development and design
During the autumn of 1915, Vickers pursued the development of a twin-engine fighter known as the E.F.B.8 (Experimental Fighting Biplane No. 8), alongside the larger, cannon-equipped Vickers E.F.B.7. Designed by Rex Pierson, the E.F.B.8 was intended to be a more compact fighter armed with machine guns. It featured double the power of Vickers' earlier single-engine pusher Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus, which, while well-armed, suffered from limited speed. The goal was to achieve sufficient performance through increased power.[1]
Similar to the E.F.B.7, the E.F.B.8 was constructed as a two-bay biplane with a steel-tube frame covered in plywood and fabric. It was propelled by two tractor-configured Gnome Monosoupape rotary engines mounted between the wings. However, it was considerably smaller, featuring a wingspan reduced by 20 ft (6.1 m) and weighing approximately 500 lb (230 kg) less. The gunner, equipped with a single Lewis gun, occupied the front cockpit, while the pilot sat beneath the wing's trailing edge, separated from the gunner—this spatial arrangement limited their ability to coordinate effectively during combat.[2][3]
Making its maiden flight in November 1915, the E.F.B.8 demonstrated commendable speed, ranking as the fastest twin-engine aircraft of that year,[4] albeit falling short of anticipated performance levels.[5] Due to its insufficient manoeuvrability for a frontline fighter role and with more promising single-engine fighters featuring synchronised guns emerging, it was not advanced to production.[6] Nonetheless, the design experience gained proved valuable for Pierson when he later developed the much larger but similarly configured Vickers Vimy bomber two years afterward.[7][8]
Specifications
See also
Notes
References
- Andrews, C. F., and Morgan, E. B. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, Second edition, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.
- Bruce, J. M. British Aeroplanes 1914–18. London: Putnam, 1957.
- Bruce, J. M. War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three, Fighters. London: Macdonald, 1969. ISBN 0-356-01490-8.
- Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark, 1994. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
- Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.