Vickers Vampire

Vickers

Industry	Aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1911
Headquarters	Bexleyheath , United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft

For the 1940's jet fighter, see de Haviland Vampire.

File:Vickers F.B.26 Vampire rear quarter view.jpg

The Vickers F.B.26 Vampire was a British single-seat pusher biplane fighter constructed by Vickers during the World War I period.

Vickers produced four units at their Bexleyheath facility, with one later altered to form the F.B.26A variant.

Design and development

This model evolved from the earlier Vickers F.B.12 prototypes; it featured a two-bay biplane layout with the pilot seated in a high-positioned nacelle. Initially, it was armed with two .303 inch (7.7 mm) Lewis Guns. Positioned behind the cockpit was a water-cooled 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine powering the propeller. The tail assembly was supported by four booms and included a single fin and rudder. Following adjustments to the radiator configuration and wing design, it was rearmed with three Lewis guns mounted in an Eeman mount, enabling upward firing at a 45° angle to target enemy bomber aircraft from beneath. This aircraft, bearing the serial B1484, underwent testing at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment located at Martlesham Heath. Unfortunately, on 25 August 1917, the prototype was lost when Vickers test pilot Harold Barnwell was unable to recover from a spin.

A second unit, serial B1486, entered service initially with No. 39 Squadron RAF at Woodford before transferring to No. 141 Squadron RAF of the Royal Flying Corps in February 1918. Although its performance met expectations, evaluations highlighted unsatisfactory handling characteristics. A third example, B1485, equipped with a more powerful 230 hp (170 kW) Bentley rotary engine and adapted for ground-attack roles, was completed in 1918; however, development ceased as the Sopwith Salamander had already been selected for production. While three additional airframes were ordered and assigned serial numbers, it remains uncertain if any were constructed.

Operators

Template:UK

• Royal Flying Corps
  • No. 39 Squadron RFC
  • No. 141 Squadron RFC

Specifications (F.B.26 Vampire I)

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

External links

• Overview of the Vampire and Vampire II