Vickers F.B.19
| Company type | Single-seat scouting fighter aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1916 |
| Founder | George Challenger |
| Products | Fighter aircraft |
The Vickers F.B.19 was a British single-seat scouting fighter used during the First World War. It originated from the Barnwell Bullet prototype and was occasionally referred to as the Vickers Bullet. This aircraft operated with the Royal Flying Corps and the Imperial Russian Air Service, later continuing service under the Red Air Force amid the Russian Civil War.
Design and development
The F.B.19 was designed by George Challenger, making its maiden flight in August 1916. It was a single-engine, single-bay, equal-span biplane that was somewhat smaller than contemporaries like the Sopwith Camel or Nieuport 17. Its design featured a notably large engine cowling and a tall fuselage, resulting in a compact, stubby silhouette. The armament consisted of a single synchronised 7.7mm Vickers machine gun, uniquely mounted on the left side of the fuselage to accommodate the special Vickers-Challenger synchroniser gear.
Powered by a 100-hp Gnome Monosoupape rotary engine, the aircraft’s speed was modest. The pilot’s field of vision was significantly restricted due to the low cockpit placement behind a wide rotary engine and between unstaggered wings. Pilots often noted that the clearest outlook was upward through a transparent panel in the upper wing. Various improvements were made over time, including fitting a more powerful 110-hp (82-kW) Le Rhône or Clerget engine and introducing staggered wings, culminating in the Mk II variant. The model’s relative effectiveness on the Eastern Front is attributed partly to its upgrade with a stronger engine in Russian service.
Operational history
Approximately sixty-five units of the F.B.19 were produced. Six early-production aircraft were dispatched to France in late 1916 for combat trials, where they were deemed unsuitable for the evolving conditions faced by the RAF. Twelve Mk II versions were deployed to the Middle East, with five sent to Palestine and seven to Macedonia; however, no squadron was fully equipped with this type. The aircraft was unpopular among pilots due to its poor visibility. Some Mk IIs served in training roles and for air defense over London but were largely withdrawn from frontline service before 1918.
In Russia, where it was nicknamed Vikkers Bullit, the F.B.19 enjoyed greater acceptance. An initial evaluation unit arrived in 1916, earning positive reviews from prominent pilots such as ace Yevgraph Kruten. Russian records indicate that these aircraft were fitted with a more powerful 130-hp Clerget engine, enabling a top speed near 200 km/h (120 mph), which made it faster than both the SPAD S.VII and the Sikorsky S-20. Around twenty to thirty units were acquired by Russia and at least four were assigned to frontline squadrons; one pilot, ace Grigoriy Suk, recorded two victories flying this type. Several unarmed examples were also employed as trainers.
Following the October Revolution, several Bullit fighters came under Bolshevik control. A group of six F.B.19s reportedly saw action in 1918 against anti-Bolshevik forces such as the People's Army. The type remained operational until 1924 within Soviet service. All Russian-operated F.B.19s appear to have been Mk I models featuring unstaggered wings. Additional aircraft reportedly remained packed at dockside in Arkhangelsk until they were destroyed by the Royal Navy during the withdrawal of allied forces in 1919 as part of the North Russia Intervention.
Variants
- F.B.19 Mk I: A single-seat fighter-scout biplane equipped with either a 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome Monosoupape or a 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône 9J Rotary engine.
- F.B.19 Mk II: This version is also a single-seat fighter-scout biplane, powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Clerget 9Z or a 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône 9J rotary engine.
Operators
Template:Country data Russian Empire
Template:Country data Soviet Russia
Template:Country data Ukrainian People's Republic
Specifications (F.B.19)
Citations and references
Citations
References
- Andrews, C. F., and E. B. Morgan. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988.
- Bruce, J. M. War Planes Of The First World War: Volume Three Fighters. London: Macdonald, 1969.
- Bruce, J. M. British Aeroplanes 1914–18. London: Putnam, 1957.