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Vickers F.B.5

From Alfawiki
Vickers
IndustryAerospace, defense
Founded1912
FounderArchie Low (Chief Designer)
Headquarters
United Kingdom
ProductsMilitary aircraft, including Vickers F.B.5 "Gunbus"


"Gunbus" redirects here. For other uses, see Gunbus (disambiguation).

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File:Vickers F.B.6 rear quarter view.jpg
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The Vickers F.B.5 (abbreviated as Fighting Biplane 5), commonly called the "Gunbus", was a British two-seat pusher biplane military aircraft deployed during the First World War. Equipped with a single .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun manned by the observer seated at the front of the nacelle, it holds the distinction of being the first aircraft specifically designed for air-to-air combat to enter operational service, thus making it history’s earliest functional fighter aircraft.

Design and development

Starting in 1912, Vickers embarked on developing an armed aircraft intended to engage enemy planes. The initial prototype, known as the "Destroyer" (later named Vickers E.F.B.1), was exhibited at the Olympia Aero Show in February 1913 but unfortunately crashed during its initial flight.[1] This design employed a "Farman" style pusher configuration to circumvent issues related to firing through a tractor propeller arc and was armed with a single belt-fed Vickers gun.[2]

Continuing their pursuit of armed pusher biplanes, Vickers’ Chief Designer Archie Low created a new model designated as the Vickers Type 18 or Vickers E.F.B.2. This aircraft featured a two-bay biplane structure powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Gnome Monosoupape nine-cylinder rotary engine. Its framework consisted of steel tubing with fabric-covered wings and tail surfaces, complemented by a duralumin-covered nacelle that included large celluloid windows on its sides. The wings were unstaggered and of unequal span, employing lateral control through wing warping, while a prominent semi-circular tailplane was fitted at the rear. Armament remained a single Vickers gun mounted at the front of the nacelle with limited traverse capability and offered poor visibility for the gunner.[3][4][5] The E.F.B.2 conducted its maiden flight at Brooklands on 26 November 1913.[4] It was succeeded shortly after by the E.F.B.3, which retained a similar powerplant but replaced wing warping with ailerons and featured equal-span wings; notably, its nacelle omitted the large side windows present on the E.F.B.2.[6][7]

Due to difficulties encountered with the belt-fed machine gun, this weapon was substituted by the lighter and more convenient drum-fed .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun.

The inaugural flight of the F.B.5 occurred on 17 July 1914. It was powered by a single Gnome Monosoupape nine-cylinder rotary engine producing 100 hp (75 kW) and drove a two-bladed propeller. Its design was straightforward, clean-cut, and more conventional compared to its predecessors.

F.B.6

The Vickers F.B.6 represented an evolution of the F.B.5, featuring an extended upper wing span. Only a single unit of this model was ever produced.

F.B.9

Building upon the F.B.5 design, the Vickers F.B.9 incorporated a more aerodynamic nacelle and enhanced ring mounts (either Vickers or Scarff) for the Lewis gun. A total of fifty units were supplied to Royal Flying Corps training formations. A limited number also served temporarily with F.E.2b squadrons during late 1915 to early 1916 as they awaited delivery of newer aircraft.

Operational history

The inaugural F.B.5 was delivered in November 1914 to No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) at Netheravon.[8] On 25 December, the F.B.5 saw its first combat when aircraft No. 664 departed Joyce Green airfield to intercept a German Taube monoplane, striking it with incendiary rounds from a carbine after the Lewis gun malfunctioned, possibly causing the enemy plane's loss.[9] Eighteen days later, Second Lieutenants M. R. Chidson and D. C. W. Sanders, flying F.B.5 No. 1621—the first in France—were compelled to land behind enemy lines, resulting in the aircraft being captured by German forces.[10]

The F.B.5 entered service on the Western Front when it was assigned to No. 2 Squadron RFC on 5 February 1915.[11] It was deployed in small numbers across various units until No. 11 Squadron RFC became the first dedicated fighter squadron worldwide by being fully equipped with F.B.5s upon its deployment to Villers-Bretonneux, France on 25 July 1915.[12] On 7 November 1915, Second Lieutenant G.S.M. Insall of No. 11 Squadron earned the Victoria Cross for destroying a German aircraft while piloting a Gunbus.[13] Additionally, No. 18 Squadron RFC, which arrived in France in November 1915, operated solely with the F.B.5.

Early models were equipped with British-manufactured Monosoupape engines that initially proved less dependable than their French counterparts, while significant efforts were made before an effective gun mounting system was available.[14] Despite having a forward-firing machine gun that offered tactical advantages, the F.B.5’s relatively low speed allowed German pilots to evade engagements by utilizing faster aircraft; nevertheless, it played a valuable role in clearing enemy planes from contested airspace.[15] Only one pilot-observer pair—Lionel Rees and James McKinley Hargreaves—achieved ace status while operating this model.[16]

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By late 1915, the F.B.5 had been surpassed by the superior Fokker Eindecker. The enhanced Vickers F.B.9 models were dispatched to France while awaiting adequate numbers of the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b; however, both types were completely withdrawn from frontline duties by July 1916, with remaining aircraft primarily assigned as trainers within British service.[15]

A total of twelve F.B.5s were constructed under license in Denmark during 1916 and continued in service with the Danish Army Air Corps until their retirement in 1924.[15]

Legacy

Throughout the First World War, the Vickers firm maintained an active experimental initiative, which included a series of single-seat pusher fighters culminating in the Vickers F.B.26 Vampire developed between 1917 and 1918. Despite this, the F.B.5 remained their sole major production aircraft until the introduction of the Vickers Vimy bomber, which entered service too late to influence the conflict.

The Vickers F.B.5 left a notable impact, as German aviators continued to identify British pusher aircraft broadly as "Vickers-types." Numerous enemy claims against D.H.2 or F.E.2b pushers were frequently recorded as victories over a "Vickers."

A flying reproduction of the F.B.5 Gunbus was completed in 1966 and remained airborne until late 1968. As of 2014, this replica is displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum located in Hendon, near London.

Variants

E.F.B.2 (Vickers Type 18)
A prototype two-seat fighter powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome Monosoupape rotary engine. It featured a slight upper wing overhang and employed wing warping for control. The nacelle incorporated large celluloid windows and was equipped with a single Vickers machine gun. Only one unit was constructed.
E.F.B.3 (Vickers Type 18B)
A modified fighter design with equal-span wings, aileron controls, and a redesigned nacelle without windows. One example was built.
E.F.B.4
A proposed design resembling the "Destroyer" layout that was never constructed.
E.F.B.5
An enhanced iteration of the E.F.B.3, with six units produced for both RFC and RNAS service.
File:Vickers F.B.12 single-seat pusher fighting scout (IWM Q 68158).jpg
Bombay (2), an F.B.5a
F.B.5
The production model derived from the E.F.B.5 featuring rectangular tail surfaces. Vickers manufactured at least 120 units, with an additional 75 produced by Darracq in France and 12 by Tøjhusvoerkstedt (Danish Arsenal Workshops), totaling a minimum of 207 aircraft.
F.B.6
A pre-production variant differing from the E.F.B.5 by having unequal span wings with significant overhang and ailerons solely on the upper wing. Only one was built.
F.B.9
An advanced version of the F.B.5 incorporating redesigned wings and tail, a more aerodynamic nacelle, a new V-type undercarriage, and streamlined Rafwire bracing replacing traditional cable bracing. Vickers produced 95 units while Darracq built 24, making a total of 119.
F.B.10
A proposed model intended to utilize a 100 hp (75 kW) Isotta Fraschini engine but remained unbuilt.
S.B.1
A dual-control trainer designed in 1914 based on the E.F.B.3 and powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Anzani radial engine. This variant was not constructed.

Operators

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Specifications (Vickers F.B.5)

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See also

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Notes

  1. ↑ Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 43–44.
  2. ↑ Flight 22 February 1913, pp. 224–225.
  3. ↑ Mason 1992, p.17
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bruce 1980, p. 55.
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Vickers 1908 p48
  6. ↑ Bruce 1980, p. 56.
  7. ↑ Mason 1992, pp. 20–21.
  8. ↑ Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.49.
  9. ↑ Bruce 1980, p.61
  10. ↑ Guttman and Dempsey 2009, p. 18.
  11. ↑ Bruce 1980 p.62.
  12. ↑ Bruce 1980, p.63.
  13. ↑ Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.51.
  14. ↑ Bruce 1994, p. 170.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Hare 2014, Chapter 2 - Pushers and Pulpits
  16. ↑ Gutmann and Dempsey 2009, pp. 90–91.

Bibliography

  • Andrews, C. F.; Morgan, E. B., Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.
  • Bruce, J. M., The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing). London: Putnam, 1982. ISBN 0-370-30084-X.
  • Bruce, J. M., "The Vickers Fighting Biplanes". Air International, September 1994, Vol 47 No 3, pp. 166–171.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Bruce, J. M., "Vickers' First Fighters". Air Enthusiast No.12, April–July 1980, pp. 54–70. Template:ISSN.
  • Gutmann, Jon; Dempsey, Harry, Pusher Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing, 2009. ISBN 1-84603-417-5, ISBN 978-1-84603-417-6.
  • Mason, Francis K., The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
  • "The Olympia Exhibition". Flight International, February 22, 1913, pp. 210–230.
  • Hare, Paul R., "Britain's Forgotten Fighters, Chapter Two - Pushers and Pulpits". Fonthill, 2014. ISBN 9781781551974
  • Spooner, Nigel (2024). A History of Aviation at Brooklands in 100 Objects. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Airworld. ISBN 978-1-52679-091-0.


External links

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