Voisin VIII

{{Infobox Aircraft Begin

|name = Voisin VIII/LAP/LBP

|image = Voisin VIII NARA 17342123.jpg

|caption=Voisin LAP

}}{{Infobox Aircraft Type

|type = Night Bomber

|manufacturer = Voisin

|designer = Gabriel Voisin

|first flight = 1916

|introduced = November 1916

|retired = 1918

|primary user = France Aéronautique Militaire

|produced = 1916-1917

|number built = approx 1,100 LAP & LBP built.

|developed from = Voisin VII

|variants with their own articles =

|developed into = Voisin X

}}

File:Voisin VIII - "Henriette".jpg

The Voisin VIII is a French two-seat biplane pusher which was built in two versions, one fitted with a 37mm Hotchkiss cannon (the LBP or Ca.2), and the other as a conventional bomber (the LAP or Bn.2).Davilla, p.559 Problems with the Peugeot 8Aa engine led to a short operational career with front line units before being superseded by the Voisin X, which aside from the installation of a new Renault engine, was nearly identical to the VIII.

Development

With the failure of the 1915 and 1916 bomber contests to produce any usable types to replace the Voisin V, French aircraft maker Voisin was asked to produce an interim type pending the development of the next generation of bombers. This was based partly on the preceding Voisin VII which was itself an enlarged V, but was to be powered by a larger engine as the VII was found to be underpowered,Davilla, p.557 and would dispense with the nose radiator, reverting to drag-inducing side radiators.

Two versions were to be built, a conventional bomber, and an aircraft armed with a large single shot 37mm Hotchkiss cannon as was used on the Voisin IV. Initially it was thought the cannon would be used for air-air attacks and was officially designated a cannon fighter (Ca.2) however this was found to be unworkable as both bomber and fighter types were vulnerable to fighters as they were too slow and unmaneuverable but at least one enemy aircraft was destroyed — with a single shot. As a result, a variety of other roles were attempted with it. Flying artillery, using indirect shots were impossible to aim accurately, balloon busting highlighted the type's vulnerability to anti-aircraft artillery fire, but some success was found when used in the ground attack firing directly at the target. Many had their cannons removed while in operational service but at least one was armed with additional machine guns. The LBP with the cannon had the pilot in the rear seat, while in the LAP, the pilot sat in the front seat, while the rear occupant could be equipped with a light machine gun such as a Lewis. On some aircraft, the observer's gun was mounted on a ring that was tilted to make movement forward easier against the wind. Unlike with the Voisin IV, installation of the cannon did not require that the top wing be staggered forward to maintain fore-aft balance.

Like the previous Voisins going back to the Voisin III, the Voisin VIII had a steel tube structure to provide adequate strength. Unusually for the period, and because it had no skid to drag it to a stop, it was equipped with drum brakes. These were fitted to the rear wheels. Like the Voisin VII, the VIII was fitted with two large strut mounted teardrop fuel tanks that could be jettisoned in the event of a fire. Due to problems with exhaust ventilation on the VII, the VIII and later types were fitted with tall individual exhaust stacks projecting above the top wing.

Operational history

=French service=

By the start of 1917, the Voisin VIII made up the bulk of the Aviation Militaire's night bombing force having gradually replaced the preceding Voisin V's and fully equipped two Groupes de Bombardment (GB 1 & GB 3) before the unreliability of their engines resulted in them being gradually replaced by French-built Sopwith 1½ Strutters and the higher powered Voisin Xs, and withdrawn to secondary units, which continued to operate them until the end of the war.Davilla, p.560 The l'Aéronavale/Aviation Maritime operated 20 Voisin VIIIs.Davilla, p.561

=American service=

Based on the experiences of some Americans serving with these aircraft, the United States' American Expeditionary Force planned to field a single night bomber unit equipped with the Voisin VIII, however only a training unit was formed before the war ended.

=British service=

The Royal Naval Air Service purchased two examples for trials work, one fitted with the cannon, and one of the bomber types, however no further examples were purchased.

Variants

;Voisin VIII

{{convert|220|hp|abbr=on}} Peugeot 8Aa
Voisin LAP - factory designation for VIII night bomber
Voisin LBP - factory designation for VIII armed with {{convert|37|mm|3|abbr=on}} cannon

Operators

;{{FRA}}

Aéronautique Militaire
Ecole Militaire d'Avord{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/Ecoles_Avord.htm|title=Ecoles Avord|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
VB.101{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille101.htm|title=Escadrille 101|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
V.481/551 operated alongside Letord 4 & 5{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille481.htm|title=Escadrille 481|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
G.482 operated alongside Caudron G.6 aircraft{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille482.htm|title=Escadrille 482|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
VB.483{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille483.htm|title=Escadrille 483|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
V.484{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille484.htm|title=Escadrille 484|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
Let.485 operated alongside Letord 4 aircraft{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille485.htm|title=Escadrille 485|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
V.486{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille486.htm|title=Escadrille 486|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
V.487 operated alongside Letord 4 & 5 aircraft{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille487.htm|title=Escadrille 487|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
V.491 operated alongside Letord 4 aircraft{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille491.htm|title=Escadrille 491|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
{{abbr|GB|Group de Bombardement}} 1
VB.110{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille110.htm|title=Escadrille 110|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
VB.114{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille114.htm|title=Escadrille 114|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}} first unit to receive type
{{abbr|GB|Group de Bombardement}} 3
VB.107{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille107.htm|title=Escadrille 107|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
VB.108{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille108.htm|title=Escadrille 108|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
VB.109{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille109.htm|title=Escadrille 109|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
VB.113{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille113.htm|title=Escadrille 113|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}
l'Aéronavale/Aviation Maritime
{{abbr|CAM|Centre de Aviation Maritime}} de Dunkerque{{cite web|last=Albin|first=Denis|url=http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/CAM_Dunkerque.htm|title=Centre de Aviation Maritime de Dunkerque|work=albindenis.free.fr|access-date=20 Nov 2018}}

;{{UK}}

Royal Naval Air Service

;{{US}}

American Expeditionary Force

Survivors

National Air and Space Museum has a Voisin VIII/LAP bomber on display
Musée de l'air et de l'espace has a fuselage of a Voisin X/LBR equipped with a cannon.

Specifications

File:Voisin 10 Bn.2 dwg.jpg

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=French Aircraft of the First World War Davilla, 1997, pages 557-561

|prime units?=met

|crew=2

|length m= 10.35

|span m= 18.00

|height m= 3.95

|wing area sqm=61.14

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg= 1310

|max takeoff weight kg=1860

|eng1 number= 1

|eng1 name=Peugeot 8Aa

|eng1 type=V-8 water-cooled pusher piston engine

|eng1 hp=220

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=Voisin 1 or Voisin 3 wood fixed-pitch pusher propeller

|prop dia m=3.50

|prop dia note=Hartmann, 2015, p.22{{cite web|url=https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/voisin-viii-propeller-fixed-pitch-two-blade-wood|work=airandspace.si.ed|title=Voisin VIII Propeller, Fixed-Pitch, Two-Blade, Wood|access-date=23 Nov 2018}}

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= 118

|max speed note= @ {{convert|2000|m|2|abbr=on}}

|range km= 350

|endurance=4 hours

|ceiling m= 4300

|wing loading kg/m2=

|time to altitude=17 mins to {{convert|2000|m|abbr=on}}

|armament=

LAP equipped with one machine gun and {{convert|180|kg|abbr=on}} of bombs.
LBP equipped with a {{convert|37|mm|3|abbr=on}} Hotchkiss cannon

}}

References

=Citations=

=Bibliography=

{{cite book|last1=Davilla|first1=Dr. James J.|last2=Soltan|first2=Arthur |title=French Aircraft of the First World War|publisher=Flying Machines Press|location=Mountain View, CA|year=1997|isbn=978-1891268090}}
{{cite journal |last1=Klaauw|first1=Bart van der|title=Unexpected Windfalls: Accidentally or Deliberately, More than 100 Aircraft 'arrived' in Dutch Territory During the Great War |journal=Air Enthusiast |date=March–April 1999 |issue=80 |pages=54–59 |issn=0143-5450}}
{{in lang|fr}} {{cite web|last=Hartmann|first=Gérard|url=https://www.hydroretro.net/etudegh/heliciersfrancais.pdf|title=Les héliciers français|date=6 January 2015|access-date=5 August 2019|language=fr}}