Britain - 1916 AD-1 Seaplane

First off, Let me say this:

I received a comment the other day from Roger Moss pointing out I had rode the sleep deprivation train off the track and I had posted rubbish. And I quote:

The AD.1 (aka Navyplane) and the AD Seaplane Type 1000 were VERY different beasts. The description is that of the Type 1000, being a 5 seat, 3 engined torpedo carrying floatplane built in 1915.. The illustration is that of the AD.1, a 2 seat, 1 engine pusher biplane floatplane, the prototype of which was built in 1916 and was designed by Harold Bolas after Booth left the Admiralty. See British Bomber Since 1914, Francis K. Mason (Putnam 1994)

Yes you are correct sir. Thanks for pointing that out and keeping me honest. I should have slept first, reread my post and fixed it at the time of posting. It is much preferable to wiping the egg off my face. Instead of leaving a post filled with struck out old text I chose to rewrite it in hopefully more accurate manner.

The First Attempt to Build a Ship Killer-Take Two

Air Department A.D.I Navyplane 1916

This was a fun profile to do. I liked the looks of the AD1 and its place in the evolution of technology and naval tactics. The development of an airborne ship killer began here.

A Brief Overview of the Air Department A.D.I Navyplane

The AD.1 was designed as a reconnaissance/bombing seaplane by Harris Booth of the Admiralty's Air Department early in 1916. Although officially designated the A.D.I, it was generally referred to as the Navyplane. The initial A.D.I design was presented to the Supermarine Aviation Works at Woolston, Southampton, for the detail design to be completed and construction of a prototype. Bolas worked in close collaboration with
Reginald Mitchell to finish the manufacturing drawings needed to construct the prototype, No 9095. The prototype was completed and flown for the first time by Cdr. John Seddon in August of 1916.

The A.D.I was a compact two-bay biplane whose two-man crew was accommodated in a finely-contoured lightweight monocoque nacelle located in the wing gap, the experimental air-cooled 150hp Smith Static radial engine driving a four-blade pusher propeller. Twin pontoon-type floats were braced to the nacelle and to the lower wings immediately below the inboard interplane struts. Twin fins and rudders were carried between two pairs of steel tubular tail booms, and the tailplane was mounted above the vertical surfaces. Twin tail floats, each with a water rudder, were attached beneath the lower pair of tail booms. The pilot occupied the rear cockpit, with the observer in the bow position. Two 100 lb bombs were to be carried under the center section of the lower wing.

The tests revealed several design flaws. It was found that the recoilless Davis 12-pounder gun (approximately 76 mm caliber) would project a blast rearwards so the weapon was changed for a conventional 12-pounder "Naval Landing Gun" though in practice a gun was never installed in the AD.1. The performance of the A.D.I fell short of the Admiralty's expectations, and the remaining six aircraft originally ordered were never built.

References

1. British Bomber Since 1914, Francis K. Mason (Putnam 1994)
2. The Air Department of the Admiralty - Roger Moss Retrieved September 30 2012, 06:20 from http://britishaviation-ptp.com/ad.html
3. Air Department A.D.1 Navyplane 1916 Virtual Aircraft Museum Retrieved Feb 19, 03:00 from http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/air_navyplane.php
4. Air Department A.D.1 Navyplane (England) (1916) The-Blueprints.com Retrieved August 36, 2010 09:40 from http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/ww1planes/ww1-english/36034/view/air_department_a_d_1_navyplane_%28england%29/