Vickers F.B.26
| Industry | Aerospace, Defence |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Bexleyheath , United Kingdom |
| Products | Aircraft |
The Vickers F.B.26 Vampire was a British single-seat pusher biplane fighter produced by Vickers during the World War I period.
Vickers constructed four units at their Bexleyheath facility, with one later altered to form the F.B.26A variant.
Design and development
Derived from the earlier Vickers F.B.12 prototypes, the F.B.26 featured a two-bay biplane structure with the pilot seated in a high-mounted nacelle. Initially, it was armed with two .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Guns. Positioned behind the pilot was a water-cooled 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine powering the propeller. The tail assembly consisted of a tailplane supported by four booms, accompanied by a single vertical fin and rudder. Following adjustments to the radiator configuration and wing design, the armament was upgraded to three Lewis guns mounted on an Eeman mounting capable of firing upward at a 45° angle to target enemy bomber aircraft from beneath. This modified version, designated B1484, underwent testing at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment located at Martlesham Heath. The prototype met its end on 25 August 1917 when Vickers test pilot Harold Barnwell was unable to recover from a spin.
Another aircraft, B1486, was constructed and initially operated by No. 39 Squadron RAF at Woodford before being transferred in February 1918 to No. 141 Squadron RAF of the Royal Flying Corps. The operational assessment was negative: despite acceptable performance metrics, its flight handling was deemed unsatisfactory. A third unit, B1485, equipped with a more powerful 230 hp (170 kW) Bentley rotary engine and adapted for ground-attack missions, was completed in 1918; however, by this time the Sopwith Salamander had already been selected for production, leading to the cessation of further development. Although three additional aircraft had been ordered and assigned service numbers, it remains unclear if any were ever constructed.
Operators
Specifications (F.B.26 Vampire I)
Notes
Bibliography
- Andrews, C.F and Morgan, E.B. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London:Putnam, Second edition 1988.
- Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three Fighters. London:Macdonald, 1969.
- Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark, 1994.
- Lamberton, W.M. Fighter Aircraft of the 1914–1918 War. Herts, UK:Harleyford Publications, 1960.
- Mason, F.K. The British Fighter Since 1912 London, Putnam, 1992.
- Flight p764 12 June 1919
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