Vickers F.B.16
| Industry | Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1914 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Template:Infobox aircraft The Vickers F.B.16 was a British single-seat fighter aircraft developed during the First World War. Initially intended to be powered by an experimental radial engine, the project was abandoned when the engine's development ceased. Subsequent versions were equipped with more dependable and potent water-cooled V-8 engines, resulting in commendable performance; however, only a limited number of prototypes were produced, and the aircraft never entered operational service.
Design and development
In 1914, shortly after the onset of the First World War, the British engineering firm Vickers Limited partnered with the Hart Engine Company based in Leeds to sponsor the creation of an air-cooled radial engine designed to deliver 150 hp (112 kW).[1] Vickers planned several aircraft around this promising powerplant, including a single-seat fighter with a tractor configuration, designed by Rex Pierson, known as the F.B.16. Also referred to as the Hart Scout, Pierson's design featured a single-bay biplane layout with markedly staggered wings of differing spans. The fuselage had a bulky, elliptical cross-section, housing the pilot in an open cockpit positioned above the lower wing, while the Hart engine was enclosed within a cowling. Armament consisted of one synchronised Vickers machine gun.[2][3]
The prototype F.B.16 first took to the air in 1916,[4] but flight testing revealed that the pilot’s visibility was limited and that the engine suffered from overheating issues. To address these concerns, modifications included removing the engine cowling to enhance cooling and shortening the fuselage aft of the cockpit to improve rearward visibility. Despite these adjustments, persistent problems with the Hart radial engine led to termination of its development.[5]
Following this, the F.B.16 was redesigned to accommodate a water-cooled Hispano-Suiza 8 V-8 engine delivering equivalent power to the Hart. This change allowed for a slimmer fuselage profile. The updated model—possibly a conversion of the original Hart-powered prototype—was designated F.B.16A and appeared late in 1916; however, it was lost in a crash on 20 December that year. A second prototype bearing serial number A8963 was completed in January 1917 and underwent evaluation at RAF Martlesham Heath in April. Although it achieved a top speed of 120 mph (193 km/h), no production orders were placed, as preference was given to the already operational and more maintainable Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5.[6][7]
The A8963 prototype was later rebuilt as the F.B.16D with an upgraded 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine and altered wings, reappearing in June 1917. Its armament included a single Lewis gun mounted between the engine’s cylinder banks firing through a hollow propeller shaft, plus another Lewis gun on a sliding mount above the upper wing. Performance impressed notable fighter pilot and ace James McCudden, who recorded speeds up to 136 mph (219 km/h), commenting that "Whilst flying this machine I got some idea of the speed of future machines, for at 10,000 ft it was 30 mph faster than anything I had yet flown."[8] Nevertheless, officials expressed reservations about structural integrity and maintenance accessibility, deeming it "not considered suitable in its present form for active service".[9]
Subsequently, Vickers further modified the F.B.16 by fitting two-bay wings with an extended span of 31 feet (9.45 m) and installing a more powerful 275 hp (205 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 8 Bd engine, creating the F.B.16E. Armed with two conventional Vickers machine guns, this variant was intended for export to the French Aéronautique Militaire, receiving the official French designation Vic.16.C1; however, it failed to secure orders and was destroyed in an accident on 29 July 1918.[10] The final iteration—the F.B.16H—featured a further upgrade to a 300 hp (224 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine and reportedly reached speeds of up to 147 mph (237 km/h), yet again no production contracts ensued.[2][11]
Specifications (F.B.16D)
See also
Notes
- ↑ Bruce 1969, pp. 100–101.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mason 1992, pp. 80–81.
- ↑ Bruce 1957, pp. 681–682.
- ↑ Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 53.
- ↑ Bruce 1969, p. 107.
- ↑ Bruce 1969, pp. 107–108.
- ↑ Bruce 1957, pp. 683–684.
- ↑ Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 63–64.
- ↑ Bruce 1969, p. 109.
- ↑ Bruce 1969, pp.110–112.
- ↑ Bruce 1957, p.685.
References
- Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 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.
- Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
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