Vickers F.B.14
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1828 |
| Headquarters | Weybridge , United Kingdom |
The Vickers F.B.14 was a British two-seat biplane developed for both fighter and reconnaissance roles by Vickers Limited. Over 100 units were produced for the Royal Flying Corps, but its operational deployment remained limited due to being designed around a more powerful engine that was unavailable at the time production began, resulting in disappointing performance.
Design and development
The F.B.14 featured a traditional single-bay biplane configuration with two open cockpits arranged in tandem and fixed tailskid undercarriage. Its design intended to incorporate the new 230 hp (170 kW) BHP inline engine, which was later known as the Siddeley Puma. Although the steel-tube framework was finished by mid-1916, the intended engine was not yet ready, leading to the installation of a less powerful 160 hp (120 kW) Beardmore engine instead. This substitution caused the aircraft to be underpowered and prone to mechanical issues. More than fifty production models were supplied to the Royal Flying Corps without engines installed. Alternative powerplants were explored, but the 120 hp (90 kW) Beardmore variant failed to achieve desired performance levels. Multiple variants emerged from attempts to fit different engines, with the most effective being equipped with a Rolls-Royce Eagle IV Vee engine. Despite these efforts, the F.B.14's capabilities remained inferior compared to the contemporary Bristol F.2B, leading to cessation of further development.
Operationally, the F.B.14 had limited deployment; some units were dispatched to Mesopotamia, while seven served in home defence squadrons. Notably, an F.B.14D powered by a Rolls-Royce engine participated in experimental gunsight trials at Orfordness on 22 July 1917 and engaged during a German air raid, claiming an unconfirmed downing of a Gotha bomber near Zeebrugge. However, it is probable that the Gotha destroyed off Ostend on the same day was brought down by a Bristol F.2B Fighter from No. 48 Squadron RFC.
Variants
- F.B.14
- This production model was equipped with a 160 hp (120 kW) Beardmore engine, with a total of 104 units manufactured by Vickers at Weybridge.
- F.B.14A
- One unit was built featuring a replacement powerplant, the 150 hp (110 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich Vee engine.
- F.B.14D
- Upgraded with a 250 hp (190 kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle IV engine and outfitted with extended two-bay wings for increased span.
- F.B.14F
- Powered by a 150 hp (112 kW) RAF 4a air-cooled V-12 engine after re-engining.
Operators
Specifications (F.B.14)
See also
References
- Andrews, C.F.; Morgan, E.B., Vickers Aircraft since 1908, Second Edition, Putnam, London, 1988, ISBN 0-85177-815-1
- Cole, Christopher; Cheesman, E.F., The Air Defence of Great Britain 1914–1918, Putnam, London, 1984, ISBN 0-370-30538-8
- Taylor, Michael J. H., Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, Studio Editions, London, 1989
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985), Orbis Publishing