Pemberton-Billing P.B.9

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P.B.9
Role Single-seat Scout
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Pemberton-Billing Limited
Designer Noel Pemberton-Billing
First flight August 1914
Primary user Royal Naval Air Service
Number built 1

The Pemberton-Billing P.B.9 was a First World War British single-seat open cockpit equal span biplane scout aircraft [1] built by Pemberton-Billing Limited, which later became the Supermarine Aviation Works. Only one P.B.9 was built.[1]

Design and development[edit]

The wings had full span spars with the upper and lower wings connected by four pairs of interplane struts.[2] The fuselage had a fixed landing gear with a tail skid.[1] While designed to allow the use of a Gnome 80 hp engine the prototype P.B.9 was powered by a 50 hp (36 kW) Gnome rotary engine taken from the company's prototype P.B.1.[2]

Using a set of wings that had been obtained from Radley-England (James Radley and Gordon England)[2] it was designed, built and made its first flight within nine days, though for publicity reasons its designer Noel Pemberton Billing claimed it had taken a week (giving rise to the nickname "Seven Day Bus").[2] It was first flown in August 1914.[3]

Although the aircraft performed well only the prototype was built which was later used by the Royal Naval Air Service as a trainer.[1]

Operators[edit]

 United Kingdom

Specifications[edit]

Data from Thetford 1958[4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 20 ft 0 in (6.1 m)
  • Wingspan: 26 ft 0 in (7.93 m)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Gnome rotary engine , 50 hp (37 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 78 mph (126 km/h, 68 kn)
  • Endurance: 3 hours
  • Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s)

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Orbis 1985, p. 2694
  2. ^ a b c d Pegram, page 15.
  3. ^ Mason 1992, p. 31.
  4. ^ Thetford 1958 p.379

References[edit]

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
  • Mason, Francis K. (1992). The British Fighter since 1912. Putnam Aviation Series. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
  • Pegram, Ralph (2016). Beyond the Spitfire - The Unseen Designs of R.J. Mitchell (Hardback ed.). Brimscombe Port: The History Press. ISBN 9780750965156.
  • Thetford, Owen (1958). British Naval Aircraft 1912-58. London: Putnam Publishing. p. 379.

See also[edit]

Related lists