Vickers F.B.11: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m en-GB
→‎Specifications: switch template
Line 33: Line 33:


==Specifications==
==Specifications==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=War Planes of the First World War:Volume Three Fighters <ref name="Bruce v3 p100">Bruce 1969, p.100.</ref>
|prime units?=imp
<!--
General characteristics
-->


{{aircraft specifications
|plane or copter?=plane<!-- options: plane/copter -->
|jet or prop?=prop<!-- options: jet/prop/both/neither -->
|ref=War Planes of the First World War:Volume Three Fighters <ref name="Bruce v3 p100">Bruce 1969, p.100.</ref><!-- the source(s) for the information -->
|crew=three (pilot and two gunners)
|crew=three (pilot and two gunners)
|capacity=
|capacity= <!-- the number of passengers carried in the case of a commercial aircraft-->
|payload main=
|length m=
|length ft=43
|payload alt=
|length in=0
|payload more=
|span m=
|length main= 43 ft 0 in
|span ft=51
|length alt=13.11 m
|span main=51 ft 0 in
|span in=0
|height m=
|span alt=15.55 m
|height main=13 ft 8 in
|height ft=13
|height alt=4.17 m
|height in=8
|area main= 845 sq ft
|wing area sqm=
|area alt= 78.5 m²
|wing area sqft=845
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=
|airfoil=
|empty weight main= 3,340 lb
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight alt= 1,518 kg
|empty weight lb=3340
|loaded weight main= 4,934 lb
|empty weight note=
|loaded weight alt= 2,243 kg
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=4934
|useful load main=
|gross weight note=
|useful load alt=
|fuel capacity=
|max takeoff weight main=
|max takeoff weight alt=
|max takeoff weight more=
|more general=
|more general=
<!--
|engine (prop)=[[Rolls-Royce Eagle]] III
Powerplant
|type of prop= water-cooled [[V12 engine|V-12]]<!-- meaning the type of propeller driving engines -->
-->
|number of props=1<!-- ditto number of engines-->
|eng1 number=1
|power main= 250 hp
|eng1 name=[[Rolls-Royce Eagle]] III
|power alt=187 kW
|eng1 type=water-cooled [[V12 engine|V-12]]
|eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
|eng1 hp=250<!-- prop engines -->
|power original=
|power original=
|power more=
|more power=

|max speed main= 96 mph
|prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|max speed alt=83 knots, 155 km/h
|prop name=
|max speed more= at 5,000 ft (1,520 m)
|prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|cruise speed main=
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|cruise speed alt=
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|cruise speed more
|prop note=
|stall speed main=
<!--
|stall speed alt=
Performance
|stall speed more=
-->
|never exceed speed main=
|perfhide=
|never exceed speed alt=

|range main=
|max speed kmh=
|range alt=
|max speed mph=96
|ferry range main=
|ferry range alt=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at {{convert|5000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|ferry range more=
|cruise speed kmh=<!-- if max speed unknown -->
|ceiling main= 11,000 ft
|cruise speed mph=<!-- if max speed unknown -->
|ceiling alt= 3,350 m
|cruise speed kts=
|climb rate main=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|climb rate alt=
|never exceed speed mph=
|loading main=
|never exceed speed kts=
|loading alt=
|range km=
|thrust/weight=
|range miles=
|power/mass main=
|range nmi=
|power/mass alt=
|combat range km=
|more performance=*'''Endurance:''' 7½ hours
|combat range miles=
*'''Climb to 5,000 ft (1,520 m):''' 16 min 30 s
|combat range nmi=
*'''Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m)''' 55 min
|endurance=7.5 hr
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=11000
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|time to altitude=</br>
**16 min to {{convert|5000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
**55 min to {{convert|10000|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|more performance=
<!--
Armament
-->
|guns= 1× [[.303 British|.303 in]] (7.7 mm) [[Lewis gun]] in nacelle, 1× Lewis gun in rear gunners cockpit
|guns= 1× [[.303 British|.303 in]] (7.7 mm) [[Lewis gun]] in nacelle, 1× Lewis gun in rear gunners cockpit
|bombs=
|rockets=
|missiles=
|hardpoints=
|hardpoint capacity=
|avionics=
}}
}}


Revision as of 19:15, 24 March 2019

F.B.11
Role Escort fighter
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer Vickers Limited
Designer R.L Howard-Flanders
First flight 1916
Number built 1

The Vickers F.B.11 was a prototype British three-seat escort fighter of the First World War. A large single-engined biplane, it carried one gunner in a nacelle mounted on the upper wing to give an allround field of fire. Only a single example was completed.

Development and design

In early 1916, the British War Office drew up a specification for a multi-seat escort fighter to be powered by one of the new Rolls-Royce Eagle engines, intended to protect formations of bombers from German fighters such as the Fokker E.I, with an additional role of destroying enemy airships.[1] While the specification did not require high speed, a good field of fire for its guns was essential,[2] while the secondary anti-Zeppelin role demanded an endurance of at least seven hours.[1]

Orders were placed for prototypes from Armstrong Whitworth (the F.K.6), Sopwith (the L.R.T.Tr.) and Vickers. All three designs were driven by the need to provide wide fields of fire in the absence of an effective synchronisation gear that would allow safe firing of guns through the propeller disc.[1]

The Vickers response, the F.B.11, designed by R.L. Howard-Flanders, was a large, single-bay, biplane of tractor layout. The pilot and one gunner sat in separate but closely spaced cockpits under the trailing edge of the upper wing, while a second gunner sat in a nacelle, or "fighting top", attached to, and extending forward of the upper wing.[2][3] The Eagle engine was mounted in a clean cowling, with the radiator fitted behind the engine in the fuselage.[4]

Two prototypes were ordered, with the first flying in September–October 1916,[2] being tested at RNAS Eastchurch in November that year.[5] It proved to have poor lateral control and performance, and was destroyed in a crash.[6] The second prototype was not completed,[7] and as effective synchronising gears were now available (including Vickers' own Vickers-Challenger gear), none of the escort fighters were developed further.[8]

Specifications

Data from War Planes of the First World War:Volume Three Fighters [6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: three (pilot and two gunners)
  • Length: 43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)
  • Wingspan: 51 ft 0 in (15.54 m)
  • Height: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m)
  • Wing area: 845 sq ft (78.5 m2)
  • Empty weight: 3,340 lb (1,515 kg)
  • Gross weight: 4,934 lb (2,238 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Eagle III water-cooled V-12, 250 hp (190 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 96 mph (154 km/h, 83 kn) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
  • Endurance: 7.5 hr
  • Service ceiling: 11,000 ft (3,400 m)
  • Time to altitude:
    • 16 min to 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
    • 55 min to 10,000 ft (3,000 m)

Armament

  • Guns: 1× .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun in nacelle, 1× Lewis gun in rear gunners cockpit

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Bruce 1957, p.25.
  2. ^ a b c Mason 1992, p.67.
  3. ^ Green and Swanborough 1994, p.577.
  4. ^ Bruce 1957, p.572.
  5. ^ Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.69.
  6. ^ a b Bruce 1969, p.100.
  7. ^ Green and Swanborough 1994, p.578.
  8. ^ Lewis 1979, p.99.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vickers F.B.11.
  • Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, E.B. Vickers Aircraft since 1908. London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-815-1.
  • Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.
  • Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Volume Three Fighters. London:Macdonald, 1969. ISBN 0-356-01490-8.
  • Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York:Smithmark, 1994. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
  • Lewis, Peter. The British Fighter since 1912. London:Putnam, Fourth edition, 1979. ISBN 0-370-10049-2.
  • Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vickers_F.B.11&oldid=889289324"