Vickers F.B.24
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=F.B.24 | image= | caption= }} {{Infobox aircraft type | type=Two-seat fighter | national origin=United Kingdom | manufacturer=Vickers | designer= | first flight=1917 | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | program cost= | unit cost= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Vickers F.B.24 was a British two-seat fighter aircraft of the First World War. Only a few prototypes were built, as, although it had good performance, the Bristol F.2 Fighter was preferred.
Design and development
In the early years of the First World War, Vickers Limited designed a number of aircraft to use the 150 hp (112 kW) Hart radial engine, the development of which was being funded by Vickers, including two single-seat fighters, the F.B.12 pusher and the tractor F.B.16.Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 63, 66. A third design planned to use the Hart was the F.B.24, a two-seat fighter reconnaissance aircraft.Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 72–73.
The Hart engine proved to be unreliable, however, and was abandoned prior to the first prototype being completed in December 1916, and it became necessary to find a new powerplant for the F.B.24, with the Hispano-Suiza 8 being chosen.Bruce 1969, p. 118. The first two prototypes, the F.B.24A and F.B.24B used a 150 hp Hispano-Suiza,Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 73. with the first probably flying in March 1917.Mason 1992, p. 101. but were converted to use a 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano-Suiza, becoming the F.B.24D. The F.B.24D was a two-bay biplane with a rectangular section fuselage. The pilot and observer/gunner sat close together in separate open cockpits, with the pilot directly under the upper wings. Despite transparent panels built into the upper wings, the pilot's view was very poor.Bruce 1969, pp. 118–120.
The F.B.24C was similar to the Hispano-Suiza powered aircraft, but was slightly larger and heavier, and was powered by a 275 hp (205 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 8Bd water-cooled V8, with the cylinder blocks being enclosed in bulky fairings that protruded from the upper corners of the cowling, further restricting the pilot's view. The type was tested by the French, and although Vickers claimed good performance, the French found the aircraft's climb performance not as claimed by Vickers, and the type was not adopted.Bruce 1969, p. 120. The F.B.24E was an attempt to improve the poor view for the pilot, with the fuselage being raised so that the top was level with the upper wing, and the pilot sitting with his head protruding through the gap between the two wing spars.Bruce 1969, p. 120, 122.
The final version was the F.B.24G. This was of similar layout to the F.B.24E, but was larger still, and was powered by a 375 hp (280 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich V12 engine, the single example being built by Darracq in France, not flying until after the end of the war.Bruce 1969, p. 122.
Variants
;F.B.24A
:First prototype - 150 hp (112 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8 engine.
;F.B.24B
:Second prototype.
;F.B.24C
:Powered by 275 hp (205 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 8Bd engine.
;F.B.24D
:Powered by 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine.
;F.B.24E
:Example with raised fuselage to improve pilot's view. Powered by 200 hp Hispano-Suiza or Wolseley Viper engine.
;F.B.24G
:Larger fighter, powered by 375 hp (280 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich V-12 engine. One built postwar by Darracq in France.
Specifications (F.B.24C)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=British Aeroplanes 1914–1918Bruce 1957, pp. 691–692.
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|crew=two
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|upper span ft=37
|upper span in=6
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|lower span ft=31
|lower span in=0
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|wing area sqft=384
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|empty weight lb=1709
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|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=2650
|gross weight note=
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|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lorraine-Dietrich 8Bd
|eng1 type=water-cooled V8 engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=275
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=
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|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=129.5
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=3 hours
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=23000
|ceiling note=(absolute ceiling)
|time to altitude=
- 11 minutes to 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
- 18 minutes to 15,000 ft (4,670 m)
|more performance=
|guns= 2× fixed, forward firing, .303 inch (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns and 1× Lewis Gun on Scarff ring in rear cockpitBruce 1969, pp. 122–123.
|bombs=
|avionics=
}}
See also
Notes
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References
{{refbegin}}
- Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. 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}}.
- Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. {{ISBN|1-55750-082-7}}.
- [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200760.html?tracked=1 ""Milestones":The Vickers Machines"]. Flight, 12 June 1919. pp. 760–769.
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{{Vickers aircraft}}
Category:1910s British fighter aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1917