France - 1915 Ponnier M.1

The Deservedly Unloved Ponnier M.1

First off I want to give special thanks for all the valuable input on the topic provided by several members at Friends of the League of WWI Aviation Historians on Facebook. Many thanks to Aaron Weaver for your help, and Gary Warne for the inspiration after beating me to the punch.

Sometimes designers create an aircraft which raises the bar for innovation. Many more times their hard work is in vain. There are designs so bad that redesigns just amount to putting lipstick on a pig. When the Russians accept the horrifyingly bad SPAD reject the offer of desperately needed aircraft, you know you have a turkey on your hands. This is the story of one of the most maligned airplanes which entered production.

French Ponnier M-1 (original configuration) -1915

This profile is of the original configuration which was flight-tested by a number of pilots, including Charles Nungesser and Jean Navarre. Notable is the small rudder similar in shape to early Nieuports. Also of interest is the mounting of the machine gun.

Belgian Ponnier M-1 Abel De Neef (Le Vampire) - 1915

The profile shows one of the variants of the redesigned Ponnier M-1 in Belgian service. Le Vampire is the personal marking of Abel De Neef. We see the addition of a fixed tail fin and a fuselage mounted non-synchronized machine gun which used deflector gear similar to that used on the Morane-Saulnier Type N.

Belgian Ponnier M-1 s/n PO 18 - 1915

This redesigned Belgian Ponnier M.1 has the more standard mounting for the machine gun. The pilot for this aircraft is unknown.

This small fighter was designed and built in France, where a few were used as trainers. Belgium ordered 30 for front line use, but its extremely poor control caused the order to be cut to 10, or perhaps as many as 18, and it is not thought that any were actually used operationally.

Apparently the prototype was flight-tested by a number of pilots, including Charles Nungesser, who flew the M.1 on 29 January 1916. During that flight the aircraft crashed and Nungesser broke both legs and his jaw. From what I read the Po.M.1 was not put into production for the French military, yet some M.1s were sent to the training schools. None however equipped operational units.

Thirty were ordered by Belgium because of their inability to receive enough Nieuports. Discovering what the French already knew, these aircraft were modified by having the cone de penetration deleted, the tailplane and elevators enlarged, and a fixed fin fitted. Willy Coppens noted that the M.1 remained unstable even after these alterations and consequently the initial order of 30 was reduced to (approx.) 10, of which only a few, were ever used operationally.

Having an urgent need for new fighter aircraft the Belgian authorities ordered thirty Ponnier M.1's, although this machine was rejected by the French Armee de l'Air for being too dangerous to fly. Most Belgian pilots also refused to fly the Ponnier (of which only ten were delivered) and it was quickly withdrawn from use.

The justly deserved reputation of the Ponnier M.I did one thing... Even the Russians refused the offer from the French.

References

1. Jim Davilla Rare Birds Ponnier M.1 Over the Front Volume 26, Number 1, Spring 2011, p. 76-86
2. Ponnier M.1 - Their Flying Machines http://www.flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29124.htm
3. Ponnier M.1 - Belgian Wings http://www.belgian-wings.be/.../Photos/.../Ponnier%20M1/ponnier_m1.htm
4. Ponnier M.1 - http://www.www.aviastar.org/air/france/ponnier_m-1.php
5. M.1 - 1915 http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww1/ponnierm1.html
6. Wrong airplane, wrong time Warnepieces http://warnepieces.blogspot.com/2011/05/wrong-airplane-wrong-time.html

Germany -1915 - Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I

Germany's Split Tail Giant.

When looking at the R Type giants the idea of form follows function goes out the window. Today's Giant is definitely unusual. Although it is a double boom aircraft it is unique is the use of vertically stacked booms instead of the more orthodox lateral arrangement used on other aircraft.

Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I -1915

A Short History of the Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I

The Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I was a bomber aircraft designed and built in Germany from 1914.

December 1914 saw Siemens-Schuckert start the construction of a series of seven R aircraft, (Riesenflugzeug - giant aircraft) for the Imperial Military Aviation Service. These aircraft were essentially similar differing only in detail, engine installations and wing design. All of the seven Steffen designed aircraft were powered by three engines mounted in the forward compartment of the fuselage driving two tractor propellers mounted between the mainplanes via clutches, shafts and gearboxes.

The large forward compartment also housed the crew of between four and six in an enclosed cabin and open gun positions. Attached to the forward compartment were triangular section diverging booms, top and bottom, which supported the tail section, allowing the rear gunners, in positions between the boom attachments, a wide field of fire.

The R.I was used in non-operational roles at the eastern front and retained for training. R.II and R.III were used for training only, but R.IV, R.V, R.VI and R.VII were all used on operational missions by Rfa 501 (Riesenflugzeug abteilung) at Vilna on the eastern front.

References

1. From Wikipedia Siemens-Schuckert Steffen R.I, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siemens-Schuckert_Steffen_R.I
2. Haddow, G.W. & Grosz, Peter M. The German Giants, The Story of the R-planes 1914-1919 London. Putnam. 1963.
3. Gray, Peter & Thetford, Owen. German Aircraft of the First World War. London, Putnam. ISBN 0 370 00103 6

Britain - 1915 Air Department Sparrow Scout

Things have been hectic. I am in the process of updating over 130 HTML documents and making master files for new planes. I decided today's post would be an aircraft I had put off finishing for a while now. A friend of mine posted an article about weird aircraft on warnepieces.blogspot.com and it spurred me on to finish a W.I.P. profile. I am glad I took the time to finish the profile. Now I have another strange bird in the box.

The Air Department's Failed Giant Killer

In the early war the perceived threat of German Zeppelins loomed large. Of course this was before it became apparent Germany had invested too much time and resources in white elephants. Britain made many attempts to design purpose built Zeppelin killers. The British Admiralty hoped the weapon needed to accomplish this mission would be the Davis two-pounder quick-fire recoilless gun. There would be several planes built to carry this weapon, although none proved to be acceptable. One of the earlier attempts was the Air Department Scout.

Air Department Sparrow (Blackburn) s/n 1536 - 1915

This is the first A.D.Sout flown during the R.N.A.S test trials. It was built by Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company. Notable is the Union Jack on the rudder and the red and white roundels on both the upper surface of the top and the bottom surface of the lower wing. Due to the height of the cockpit there are steps on the forward landing gear strut and in three places on the lower fuselage. The span of the oversize tail plane was 21 feet.

A Short Overview of the Air Department Sparrow

The AD Scout (later known as the Sparrow) was designed by Harris Booth of the British Admiralty's Air Department as a fighter aircraft to defend Britain from Zeppelin bombers during World War I.

This aircraft was an unconventional heavily-staggered, single-bay biplane, built to meet an Admiralty requirement for a fighter built from commercially obtainable materials and which could be armed with the Davis two-pounder quick-fire recoilless gun. The gun was mounted in the bottom of a short, single-seat nacelle, the top longerons were bolted directly to the main spars of the upper wing. The A.D. Scout was powered by a 100 hp Gnôme Monosoupape rotary engine driving a 9 ft pusher air-screw. The pilot had a excellent view in nearly every direction. A twin-rudder tail was attached by four booms, and it was provided with an extremely narrow-track "pogo stick" type undercarriage.

Four prototype aircraft were ordered in 1915. Two aircraft, (serial numbers 1452 and 1453) built by Hewlett and Blondeau Ltd of Leagrave, Beds. The remaining two (serial numbers 1536 and 1537) were built by Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company.

The four prototypes were all delivered to RNAS Chingford. The test trials flown by pilots of the Royal Naval Air Service were less than favorable. They proved the aircraft to be seriously overweight, fragile, sluggish, and difficult to handle, even on the ground. Due to the fact the Sparrow was considerably over-weight and difficult to handle in the air, all of the examples were scrapped.

References

1. AD Scout. (2012, January 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:01, March 24, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=AD_Scout&oldid=473329231
2. A.D. Scout Retrieved 08:55, March 24, 2012, from http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/air_scout.php
3. Jackson, Aubrey Joseph Blackburn Aircraft since 1909 (1st ed.) 16 March 1989 pp. 98 - 101. London: Putnam & Company Ltd.. pp. 98 - 101. ISBN 0851778305.
4. Lewis, Peter. The British Fighter since 1912 (4th ed.) 1979, pp. 392—393. London: Putnam & Company Ltd.. ISBN 0-370-10049-2.
5. Mason, Francis K.. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, USA: Putnam & Company Ltd.. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
6. Bruce, J.M.. War Planes of the First World War: Volume One Fighters. London: Macdonald 1965, p.5.

Russia - 1915 Sikorsky S-16

One Of The Best Russian Designed Fighters of WWI

Even though early Russian Aviation design never had the resources to produce enough aircraft for their needs during the Great War, They did design some effective aircraft. Igor Sikorsky proved himself as one of the truly great Russian aircraft designers. His career is marked by innovation and a firm grasp of the fundamentals of Aerodynamics

Russian Empire

Sikorsky S-16, Crew and Serial number unknown, 1915

This is an early version of the S-16. It has the pendant version of the Russian colors on the fuselage and rudder. The wings have the roundel type national insignias. The aircraft is finished in varnished cloth. As with all the examples I have seen the wheels do not have covers.

Sikorsky S-16, 7th IAO, Y. Gilsher G. Kvasnikov c/n 201, March-April-1916

In this example you can see some variation in the construction of the S-16. The tail fin has a different shape and additional panels are added to the metal forward section and cowling. The wheel is more robust than in the earlier version.

Bolshevik Forces

Sikorsky S-16, Crew and Serial number unknown, Bolshevik Forces, 1918

This later version has a change to the fuselage. The wheels have been replaced with pontoon like skis for use on snow and muddy improvised runways. The pendant insignia has been over-painted in red. The wings have the white circle and red star style markings.

A Brief History Of The Sikorsky S-16

The Sikorsky S-16 (named after its designer) or RBVZ S-XVI (named after its manufacturer) was a Russian equi-span single-bay two-seat biplane designed by Igor Sikorsky in 1914-15. Conceived in response to demand for an escort fighter for the Ilya Muromets bombers. The prototype S-16 made its first flight on February 6, 1915. This prototype was fitted with an 80 hp air-cooled 7 cylinder, Gnome rotary engine instead of the intended 100hp because of supply problems. The S-16 was the first Sikorsky fighter to be equipped with a synchronized machine gun firing through the propeller. However, the synchronization left much to be desired. The S-16, with slight modifications from batch to batch survived the Revolution and were operational with the Red Air Force through the Civil War.

On 17 December 1915, the Russian government placed an order for 18 aircraft, these being delivered in early 1916.Although highly maneuverable, the S-XVI possessed a comparatively poor performance due to insufficient power. A further small batch were completed in 1917, with the aircraft being used during the Russian Revolution and staying in service until 1923.

References

1. From Wikipedia Sikorsky S-16, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-16"
2. Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Complete Book of Fighters". Colour Library Direct, Godalming, UK: 1994. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.

France - 1915 Nieuport 11

Three French Nieuport 11 “Bébé”

I have been busy working on new master files and insignias for new profiles. But I took a break to flesh out some of the new profiles. I have always loved the more flamboyant color schemes and I decided to do a batch of Nieuports 11s sporting the French Tri-color scheme which was a popular theme with several pilots.

The Nieuport 11 “Bébé” was an improvement over the Nieuport 10. It was nimble, relatively quick, and easy to fly. In the early war it was a favorite of many pilots serving in French, Italian, Belgian, and Russian air forces.

Nieuport 11 Escadrille N67, sn N571, Spring 1916

I am not sure who was the pilot for this example. However we know it was used by Escadrille N67 during 1915. The dark brown lines along the fuselage is a reinforcement tape used to strengthen the seams where the fabric sections meet. The rudder markings give the serial number and the maximum weight limit for ammunition, fuel, lubricant and pilot. The cowling was painted yellow. The tri-color scheme on the wheel covers adds visual interest.

Nieuport 11 Sous Lt Jean Navarre, Escadrille N67, Verdun Spring 1916

This is one of several Nieuport 11 flown by the famous French Ace Jean Navarre. He was attached to Escadrille N67 which served in the area around Verdun during the Spring of 1916. The rudder markings have the serial number for the aircraft. The pennant style insignia was painted on the top and sides of the fuselage. As was the standard practice no roundels were painted on the fuselage. The reinforcement tape was also used on the wing edges. The cowling is unfinished metal and the wheel covers are simple varnished cloth.

Nieuport 11 Lt. Armand de Turenne, Escadrille N48, sn N1344, 1916

This Nieuport 11 was flown by the French Ace Lt. Armand de Turenne while assigned to Escadrille N48 during 1916. The tri-color theme covers the entire fuselage. Some sources say the forward blue section was in fact plain yellow varnish. The horn and shield was his family coat of arms. The cowling is unfinished metal as with many Nieuport 11. The wheel covers are painted blue. The rudder carries standard markings.

The small Nieuport 11 biplane was affectionately known as the "Bébé" (baby). Originally designed for racing, this light plane was fast and extremely maneuverable. Its only major problem was in the design of its wing struts. In a steep dive, the struts allowed the wings to twist, sometimes with disastrous results. Used by the British and French to counter the Fokker E.III, the Nieuport 11 was disadvantaged by its lack of a synchronized machine gun.

References

1. From Wikipedia Nieuport 11, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11"
2. Angelucci, Enzio, ed. "The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft". New York: The Military Press, 1983, p. 53. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
3. Bruce, J.M. "The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps" (Military Wing). London:Putnam, 1982, p.326. ISBN 0 370 30084 x.
4. Chant, Christopher and Michael J.H. Taylor. "The World's Greatest Aircraft". Edison NJ: Cartwell Books Inc., 2007, p. 14. ISBN 0-7858-2010-8.
5. Cheesman E.F., ed. "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War". Letchworth, UK: Harleyford Publications, 1960, p. 92. ISBN 978-0-8306-8350-5.
6. Cooksley, Peter. "Nieuport Fighters in Action". Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1997. ISBN 0-89747-377-9.
7. Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the 20th Century Weapons and Warfare". London: Purnell & Sons Ltd., 1967/1969, p. 1989. ISBN 0-8393-6175-0.

Britain 1915 Morane-Saulnier Type N

Morane-Saulnier Type N in the Royal Flying Corps

Today I am wrapping up my series on the Morane-Saulnier Type N with some examples Flown by the British Royal Flying Corps. Throughout the early days of the war Britain operated many French designs. Some of the types used were manufactured by Caudron, Farman, Morane-Saulnier, Nieuport, and SPAD. Eventually Britain manufactured some of these types under license. Eventually British aircraft companies provided the bulk of the designs flown by the RFC and RNS.

Morane-Saulnier Type N, 2nd Lt. R. P. Turner 1^st Sqn RFC, sn 5069 - 1915

This example is less gaudy than most Morane-Saulnier Type N you see. As with most British aircraft National Roundels are paint on the side of the fuselage. Another common theme is the serial numbers run parallel with the line of the fuselage and are not painted following the center line.

Morane-Saulnier Type N, 60^th Sqn RFC sn A186 - 1915

Not all pilots flying the Type N kept the conic prop cover. Some removed it to provide better cooling for the engine and to prevent it from coming loose from vibration from both the engine and impacts of bullets striking the deflector guards.

Morane-Saulnier Type N, Lt. Bayetio 24^th Sdqn RFC, sn A198

This paint schme is fairly common except for the tri-color stripe running diagonally on the fuselage.The Morane-Saulnier logo on the cowling is painted black instead of white. The rudders on British Type N carry no markings.

Russia - 1915 Morane-Saulnier Type N

Three Russian Bullets

After my last round of churning out Morane-Saulnier Type N profiles I am close to exhausting my archive material tor this aircraft type. I moved onto getting masters for the Type G, H, P and L completed to help fill in the gaps. Here are a few of the current crop of Type N profiles I have made this week.

Morane-Saulnier Type N Konstantin Vakulovsky R.A.S. 1^st Fighter Detachment sn MS 741

This example was flown by N Konstantin Vakulovsky when assigned to the 1^st Fighter Detachment The aircraft has the iconic red forward section and the Russian version of the tri-color rudder with serial numbers. The wing carries roundels on the top and bottom surfaces.

Morane-Saulnier N Russian Air Service 4^th Corps Detachment winter 1915

This example has early style skis mounted instead of wheels for operation during the winter and the muddy conditions found in Russia during th spring and autumn seasons. The black and white fuselage has a variation on the penant style national markings. The rudder does not carry serial numbers because the roundel is painted over varnished fabric.

Morane-Saulnier I Ivan Smirnov 19^th KAO 1 BAG sn MS740

This example lacks both the propeller spinner and wheel covers. The black rudder has the skull and cross bones used by the famous 19^th Fighter Detachment usually written as XIX Detachment which was known as the "Death or Glory" Squadron. The metal pieces attached to the propeller are known as deflector gear, which were first used by the French ace Lieutenant Roland Garros. Since Russia did not have the interrupter gear the only solution for firing forward was to use metal guards which deflect rounds which would have hit the prop.

Germany - 1915 Aviatik C.I

Germany's Aviatik

Germany produced a wide variety of C-class Reconnaissance aircraft. They differed from the B-class in the fact they were armed with machine guns for the observer to defend the plane from attackers The C-class was used in a variety of roles from photo reconnaissance, artillery spotting and ad hoc bombers.The C-class served throughout the remaining war and evolved into different mission specific aircraft, such as ground attack planes and night bombers.

Aviatik C.I a - 1915

This is an example of the C.Ia which switched the position of pilot and observer to what we consider the normal arrangement. It was powered by a Mercedes D III 6 cylinder water cooled in-line engine, producing 160 hp (119 kW).

Aviatik C.II - 1915

The C.II was not produced in great numbers. It was an interem design which became the C.III which was built in larger numbers. Both the C.III and C.III were powered by a Benz Bz. IV 6 cylinder water cooled in-line engine generating 200 hp (149 kW).

Overview

The Aviatik C.I was a German World War I observation aircraft built by Automobil und Aviatikwerke AG, which first came into service in September 1915 . It was the successor to the Aviatik B.I and B.II models. It was powered by a Mercedes D III 6 cylinder water cooled in-line engine, producing 160 hp (119 kW). Armament consisted of a single flexible mounted 0.312 in (7.92 mm) Parabellum MG14 machine gun,. The observer sat in front of the pilot in this model which limited the gunner's field of fire. However, the opportunity was presented for more aggressive aircrews to take an increased offensive approach in engaging enemy aircraft. The positions of the pilot and gunner were reversed in the C.Ia version. Later models, the C.II and C.III were produced in large numbers and were fitted with the more powerful Benz Bz. IV 6 cylinder water cooled in-line engine generating 200 hp (149 kW).

References

1. van Wyngarden, G. "Early German Aces of World War 1". Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2006, p.6. ISBN 1-84176-997-5
2. Taylor, Michael J H. "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". Portland House, 1989, p.88. ISBN 0-517-69186-8
3. Gray, Peter and Thetford, Owen. "German Aircraft of the First World War". London: Putnam, 1962, pp.62—63.

Britain - 1915 RAF S.E.4a

An Early British Experimental Scout Aircraft

The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4a was an early aircraft which bore a close resemblance to planes used later in the war. It was one of the stepping stones from early unarmed aircraft to the fighters of the next few years.

RAF SE.4a - 1915

The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4a was an experimental British single-engined scout aircraft of the First World War. Four S.E.4a aircraft were built, being used for research purposes and as home-defence fighters by the Royal Flying Corps. In spite of its type number it had little or no relationship to the earlier S.E.4

In 1915, Henry Folland of the Royal Aircraft Factory designed a new single-engined scout aircraft, the S.E.4a. While it had a similar designation to Folland's earlier Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4 of 1914, which had been designed to be the fastest aircraft in the world, the S.E.4a was fundamentally a new aircraft, intended to investigate the relationship between stability and manoeuvrability, and for possible operational use.

The resulting design was a single-engined, single bay biplane. The fuselage structure was of mixed construction, with a steel tube forward section and a wooden box-girder rear section. The first prototype's fuselage was smoothly faired out to a circular section using formers and stringers, with the forward fuselage back to the cockpit covered in metal skinning and the rear fuselage fabric covered. The wood and fabric single-bay wings, unlike the S.E.4, had noticeable stagger between the upper and lower wings, but were fitted with similar, full span control surfaces which could be moved differentially as ailerons or together as camber changing flaps, to those used on the S.E.4.

The first prototype's engine, an 80 hp (60 kW) Gnome rotary engine, was mounted within a smooth cowling driving a two-bladed propeller fitted with a large, blunt spinner. This was found to lead to engine overheating and was replaced by a more conventional arrangement.

The remaining three prototypes had simpler structures, with flat-sided fuselages, and many of the drag reducing features of the first prototype omitted. They were powered by a range of engines of similar power to that used in the first prototype, including Clerget and Le Rhône rotaries.

The first prototype flew on 25 June 1915, with the remaining three aircraft all having flown by mid August. The S.E.4a proved easy to fly, demonstrating excellent aerobatic capabilities, but were overweight and underpowered, and was not developed further.

Two of the aircraft, armed with a Lewis gun mounted above the upper wing were issued to Home Defence squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps in the winter of 1915-16, based at Hounslow and Joyce Green. One of these was lost in a fatal crash on 24 September 1915. The third prototype remained in use for trials purposes until September 1917.

References

1. "Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.4a". (2009, October 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:35, November 25, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Aircraft_Factory_S.E.4a&oldid=319904390
2. Bruce, J.M. "British Aeroplanes 1914-18". London:Putnam, 1957.
3. Bruce J.M. "War Planes of the First World War: Volume Two Fighters". London:Macdonald, 1968. ISBN 0 356 01473 8.
4. Bruce, J.M. "The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps" (Military Wing). London:Putnam, 1982. ISBN 0 370 30084 x.
5. Lewis, Peter. "The British Fighter since 1912". London:Putnam, Fourth edition, 1979. ISBN 0 370 10049 2.
6. Mason, Francis K. "The British Fighter since 1912". Annapolis, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.

Britain - 1915 Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus

The World's First Operational Fighter

Purpose built fighters entered production in 1915. Although this type of aircraft was still referred to as light scouts they were intended for air to air combat. Compared to later planes they were slow, fragile, and had their share of faults. However for their day they were state of the art and lethal in combat. The twin gun version of the Fokker Eindecker spelled the end of the Gunbus as a front-line fighter, relegating it to the ranks of training aircraft.

Vickers Fighting Biplane 5 Gun Bus - 1915

The Vickers F.B.5 (Fighting Biplane 5) was the first aircraft specifically designed for air-to-air combat to see service as a fighter for the Royal Flying Corps, making it the world's first operational fighter aircraft. With its engine mounted behind the cockpit, it the first pusher to enter service during World War I. Commonly referred to as the "Gunbus," it was armed with a moveable, forward firing 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun operated by the observer in the front of the nacelle. Vulnerable to attack from the rear, the Gunbus was soon replaced by more advanced single-seat fighter aircraft. Lionel Rees scored more victories with this aircraft than any other ace. In 1915, he and his gunner downed six enemy planes while flying the F.B.5.

Vickers began experimenting with the concept of an armed warplane designed to destroy other aircraft in 1912. The first resulting aircraft was the Type 18 "Destroyer" (Vickers E.F.B.1) which had been demonstrated in 1913. This aircraft was of the "Farman" pusher layout, to avoid the problem of firing through a tractor propeller, and was armed with a single belt-fed Maxim gun. The belt feed proved problematic for a flexible machine gun, and the weapon installed was changed to the lighter, handier, drum-fed 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun. The E.F.B.1 was the first in a line of Vickers' "Experimental Fighting Biplanes", of which the F.B.5 was the most famous - and the first to be built in quantity.

The F.B.5 first flew on 17 July 1914. It was powered by a single 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome Monosoupape 9-cylinder rotary engine driving a two-bladed propeller, and was of simple, clean, and conventional design compared with its predecessors. In total, 224 F.B.5s were produced, 119 in Britain by Vickers, 99 in France and 6 in Denmark.

The first F.B.5 was delivered to No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) at Netheravon in November 1914. On 25 December 1914, the first use of the F.B.5 in action took place, when a F.B.5 took off from Joyce Green airfield to engage a German Taube monoplane, hitting the Taube (and possibly causing its loss) with incendiary bullets from a carbine after the Lewis gun jammed.

The F.B.5 began to be seen on the Western Front when the first examples reached No.2 Squadron RFC on 5 February 1915. The type served in ones and twos with several other units before No. 11 Squadron RFC became the world's first fighter squadron when, fully equipped with the F.B.5, it deployed to Villers-Bretonneux, France on 25 July 1915. Second Lieutenant G.S.M. Insall of 11 Squadron won the Victoria Cross for an action on 7 November 1915 in which he destroyed a German aircraft while flying a Gunbus. No. 18 Squadron RFC, which deployed to France in November 1915, also operated the F.B.5 exclusively.

The F.B.5's performance proved to be inadequate for its intended role; although its forward-firing machine gun was a great advantage, the fighter did not have the speed or rate of climb to pursue its quarry. By the end of 1915, it was outclassed by the Fokker Eindecker. Some examples of the improved Vickers F.B.9 were sent to France, pending sufficient supplies of the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b, but the active career of the Gunbus was soon over. The remaining examples were mostly used as trainers.

The Vickers company persisted with an active experimental program during the First World War period, including a line of single-seat pusher fighters, but the F.B.5 remained their only significant production aircraft until the Vickers Vimy bomber, which entered service too late to have an impact on the war.

Despite its moderate effectiveness, the Vickers F.B.5 did have a lasting legacy as German pilots continued to refer to British pusher aircraft as "Vickers-types". Many victories over D.H.2 or F.E.2b pushers were reported as destruction of a "Vickers".

References

1. From Wikipedia Vickers F.B.5, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_F.B.5"
2. Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, "E.B. Vickers Aircraft since 1908". London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0 85177 815 1.
3. Bruce, J.M. "Vickers' First Fighters". Air Enthusiast No 12, April -July 1980. pp.54-70. ISSN 0143-5450.
4. Gutmann, Jon and Dempsey, Harry. "Pusher Aces of World War 1". Osprey Pub Co, 2009. ISBN 1846034175, 9781846034176.

Britain - 1915 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3

The British Dutch Aircraft Designer

During World War One there were two famous Dutch aircraft designers working on opposite sides of the conflict. The Germans had Anthony Fokker and the British had Frederick Koolhoven. Most people remember Fokker but Koolhoven had a great influence on British aircraft development. He was responsible for several innovative designs during his career which helped shape the future of postwar aviation. Even though the F.K.3 was not a great plane it has a place in history.

Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3 - 1915

The Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3 was a British two-seat general-purpose biplane built by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft.

The Dutch aircraft designer Frederick Koolhoven joined Armstrong Whitworth in 1914. He designed a series of aircraft that had his initials in their designation. The F.K.3 followed the basic layout of the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c, which Armstrong Whitworth were building for the Royal Flying Corps. It was designed as an improvement, with a simplified structure that was easier to build. The prototype, first flown by Norman Spratt was powered by a 70 hp (52 kW) air-cooled Renault 70 hp V-8. This aircraft differed from the B.E.2 in eliminating welded joints and complex metal components in the structure, and having greater dihedral on the upper wing. It retained the seating layout of the B.E.2, with separate cockpits for the pilot and observer, with the latter in front. An initial batch of seven aircraft to this standard, sometimes referred to as the F.K.2 were built.

This initial batch offered little improvement over the BE.2, and was rejected for service in France. Aircraft following this initial batch were completed to a revised design, with a new fin and rudder, its leading edge straight and lacking the earlier comma shaped horn balance, and powered by the Renault-related but more powerful 90 hp (67 kW) RAF 1a engine. Both crew were placed in a single, extended cockpit with the pilot forward, allowing the observer a much more effective field of fire, although in the event few F.K.3s were flown with armament. Trials at Upavon in May 1916 proved that the F.K.3 had a better performance in some respects than the B.E.2c, although it had a poorer useful load. Armstrong Whitworth were given a contract to build 150 aircraft with another 350 being built by Hewlett & Blondeau Limited at Luton. Some of the early batch had twin high exhaust pipes that exited above the upper wing in BE2 style, but these were later replaced with rams' horns forward stubs.

At one time during production of the F.K.3 there was a shortage of the RAF engines, and twelve aircraft were fitted with longer and heavier 120 hp (90 kW) six-cylinder inline water cooled Beardmore 120 hp. To carry the extra weight, span was increased by 2 ft (610 mm), but though the extra power enhanced the climb rate, top speed was little changed and these machines were converted back to RAF engines when they became available.

The F.K.3 was not adopted for use by operational squadrons of the RFC in France, as the more capable F.K.8 and R.E.8 were both already in development. Only one overseas unit received the F.K.3 (which was 47 Squadron at Salonika), all the other aircraft were based in the United Kingdom. Most of the aircraft were used for training until replaced by the Avro 504.

References

1. Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3. (2011, January 21). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 08:53, January 29, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Armstrong_Whitworth_F.K.3&oldid=409160749
2. Bruce, J. M. (1982). The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps, pp. 90—93 (Military Wing). London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 30084 x.
3. Mason, Francis K. (2003). The British Bomber since 1914, London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0 85177 861 5.
4. Tapper, Oliver (1973). Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft since 1913, pp. 52-8, pp. 367. London: Putnam Publishing. ISBN 0 370 10004 2.

Britain - 1915 Airco DH.1

British Air-power in the Middle East Theater - 1915

Airco D.H.1 - 1915

The Airco DH.1 was an early military biplane flown by Britain's Royal Flying Corps during World War I.

Geoffrey de Havilland was one of the pioneering designers at the Royal Aircraft Factory and was partially or wholly responsible for most pre-war "Factory" designs. When he left to become chief designer at The Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco) in 1914, his first design was strongly reminiscent of the F.E.2b, one of his last designs for the Royal Aircraft Factory. Like the F.E.2, the DH.1 was of pusher configuration, the aircraft accommodating its pilot and observer in two open tandem cockpits in the nose, the observer's cockpit stepped down below the pilot's and equipped with a machine gun. The wings were of typical fabric-covered, two-bay, unstaggered, straight, equal span design, while the stabilizer and rudder were carried on the end of a long, open-framework boom.

The type, like the F.E.2b, was designed for the 120 hp (89 kW) Beardmore 120 hp water cooled inline engine. However, all available Beardmore engines had been ordered for F.E.2b production, so the 70 hp (52 kW) Renault 70 hp aircooled V8 engine was installed instead. With this powerplant the DH.1 was underpowered - but still had a creditable performance, and was ordered into production. Airco was already occupied with later designs, so DH.1 production was undertaken by Savages of King's Lynn.

The DH.1 saw operational service only in the Middle East theatre, where a few Beardmore powered DH.1As arrived in July 1916 - these were used by No. 14 Squadron RFC as escorts for their B.E.2 reconnaissance aircraft. An Aviatik two seater was claimed by a 14 Squadron D.H.1A in August for the only known victory of the type. The last known action by a DH.1 was on 5 March 1917, when one was shot down during a bombing raid on Tel el Sheria. No. 14 Squadron became an R.E.8 unit in November 1917 - and it seems probable the last operational DH.1 had gone before that date.

The other DH.1s served in training and Home defence units in the United Kingdom, finally being withdrawn from service in 1918.

Variants

• DH.1:101 examples powered by Renault engine
• DH.1A:Late production model some 70 examples powered by Beardmore engine

References

1. From Wikipedia Airco DH.1, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airco_DH.1"
2. Cheesman, E.F. (ed.) "Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War". Letchworth, UK: Harleyford, 1962.
3. Grey, C.G. "Jane's all the world's aircraft 1919" (reprint). New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1969. ISBN 0-0001-890-1.
4. Jackson, A.J. "De Havilland Aircraft since 1909". London:Putnam, Third edition, 1987. ISBN 0 85177 802 X.
5. Taylor, Michael J.H. "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation", 1989 edition. London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 45. ISBN 0-51710-316-8.

Project Albatros Part 4

Albatros Aircraft in Turkish Service

While working on the Albatros Project I decided it was time to start fleshing out my profiles of Turkish aircraft. Along with a few Fokkers I began work on Albatros aircraft. I am saving a couple Gotha float planes which will be fun. Once I get those done I can begin on other aircraft to fill out the ranks of a largely ignored air force.

Turkish Albatros B.II - 1914

The Albatros B.II was an unarmed German two-seat reconnaissance biplane of the First World War. Designed by Ernst Heinkel based on his 1913 Albatros B.I, the B.II was the aircraft that brought the aircraft manufacturer Albatros Flugzeugwerke to the world's attention. When it was no longer useful in German service they were sent to Turkish units.

Turkish Albatros C.I AK1 - 1915

The Albatros C.I was an armed German two-seat reconnaissance biplane of the First World War. It was an improved version of the B.II. It gave the Turks the ability to defend themselves from enemy aircraft.

Turkish Albatros C.III AK9 - 1915

The Albatros C.III was a German two-seat general-purpose biplane of World War I, built by Albatros Flugzeugwerke. The C.III was a refined version of the successful Albatros C.I and was eventually produced in greater numbers than any other C-type Albatros. It was used in a wide variety of roles including observation, photo-reconnaissance, light-bombing and bomber escort.

Turkish Albatros D.III D5836 AK3 - 1916

The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) the Turkish Air force and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service (Luftfahrtruppen) during World War I. Many of the pilots in Turkish service were German aviators sent to fight and train Turkish airmen.

France - 1915 Caudron G.IV

An Early French Bomber

A long day on the run after sleeping four hours did me in. I got home and could not keep my eyes open. I fell asleep watching the evening news and did not wake till around dawn. I need to check out the blogs I missed and post later than is my habit.

The French developed one of the first dedicated bomber aircraft. It looks fragile to a modern eye but it was a successful design.

Caudron G.IV - 1915

The Caudron G.4 was a French biplane with twin engines, widely used during World War I as a bomber aircraft. It was designed by René and Gaston Caudron as an improvement over their Caudron G.3. The aircraft was no delight for the eye with its massive, open construction. The aircraft employed wing warping for banking. The first G.4 was manufactured in 1915, both in France, England and in Italy.

The Caudron G.4 was used as a reconnaissance bomber into the heart of Germany. Later, when Germany developed a fighter force, the aircraft had to be used for night bombings.

Following several production delays, the Caudron G.4 entered service with the French Aviation Militarie in 1915 and was soon in use by the British, Russian and Italian air services. In 1916 and early 1917, the G.4 was extensively used by the Royal Flying Corps to bomb the German seaplane and Zeppelin bases in Belgium. Despite its lack of defensive armament, the twin-engine biplane quickly established a reputation as a reliable performer with a good rate of climb.

While the Caudron G.3 was a reliable reconnaissance aircraft, it could not carry a useful bomb load, and owing to its design, was difficult to fit with useful defensive armament. In order to solve these problems, the Caudron G4 was designed as a twin engined development of the G.3, first flying in March 1915. While the G.4 had a similar pod and boom layout to the G.3, it has two Le Rhône rotary or Anzani 10 radial engines mounted on struts between the wings instead of a single similar engine at the front of the crew nacelle, while wingspan was increased and the tailplane had four rudders instead of two. This allowed an observer/gunner position to be fitted in the nose of the nacelle, while the additional power allowed it to carry a bomb load of 100 kg.

References

1. Caudron G.4. (2010, December 30). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:43, January 26, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caudron_G.4&oldid=405065472
2. Donald, David (Editor). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz Editions, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
3. Kalevi Keskinen, Kyösti Partonen, Kari Stenman: Suomen Ilmavoimat I 1918-27, 2005. ISBN 952-99432-2-9.
4. Kalevi Keskinen, Kari Stenman, Klaus Niska: Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneet 1918-1939, Tietoteos, 1976.
5. Thetford, Owen. British Naval Aircraft since 1912. London:Putnam, 1978. ISBN 0 370 30021 1.

Austria - 1915 Lohner B.VII

The Battle for the Site From Hell

I got sidetracked away from the Albatros project and started work on some Austria-Hungarian profiles. I have needed to get some original content finished as I slowly replace the last of the material I have not drawn. I am down to less than a dozen aircraft to complete and it will be 100% original profile art. After that I can start adding more articles on rare birds which I have previously roughed out and laid out the profiles.

For approximately 16 months I have been working on a serious remodeling of what I call the site from hell. The project is an over 1000 page monster I had started it in 1999. The site was definitely showing its age. The best way to handle it was complete demolition and start from the ground up using standard friendly code. Hopefully I can soon push ahead on some of the sections that need fleshed out for so long. I am not sure it will ever be complete, but it won't be from lack of trying.

Austria-Hungarian Reconnaissance Aircraft on the Italian Front

Lohner B.VII - 1915

The unarmed Lohner B.VII and its armed derivative the C.I were military reconnaissance aircraft produced in Austria-Hungary during World War I. They were the ultimate developments in a family of aircraft that had begun with the B.I prior to the outbreak of war, and were the first members of that family that proved suitable for front-line service during the conflict. Like their predecessors, the B.VII and C.I were conventional biplanes with characteristic swept-back wings.

The B.VII appeared in August 1915 and finally provided a machine suitable for service use. These were used to conduct long-range reconnaissance missions over the Italian Front, as well as occasional bombing raids, carrying 180 lb (80 kg) of bombs internally. Many B.VIIs in operational service were equipped with machine guns on flexible mounts for the observer, and this led to the armed C.I version being produced at both the Lohner and Ufag factories.

Lohner B.VII - 1915

Aside from its factory-installed armament, the C.I also sported a streamlined cowling around the engine, whereas the B-types had their cylinders exposed to the airstream. Notable missions carried out by these aircraft included the raid on the Porta Volta power station in Milan on 14 February 1916 (a 378 km/276 mi round trip for 12 B.VIIs) and Julius Arigi sinking an Italian steamer at Valona in a B.VII in 1916.

Production of all versions ceased in 1917, and all were withdrawn from service soon afterwards.

Thanks to EastwoodDC at Giant Battling Robots for the shout out.

References

1. Lohner B.VII. (2009, August 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:29, July 2, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lohner_B.VII&oldid=310220492
2. Chant, Christopher (2002). "Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War 1". Oxford: Osprey.
3. Grosz, Peter M. (2002). "Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One". Colorado: Flying Machine Press.
4. Gunston, Bill (1993). "World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers". Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.
5. Murphy, Justin D. (2005). "Military Aircraft: Origins to 1918". Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio.
6. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions.

Germany - 1915 Albatros C.III

Germany's Two Seat Workhorse

I have done a few versions of this aircraft over the past year. That being said, I know I will do some more before I am satisfied. These are earlier illustrations I did of the C.III. Eventually I want to do a more detailed drawing. Some day I will get it right.

Albatros C.III - 1915

The Albatros C.III was a German two-seat general-purpose biplane of World War I, built by Albatros Flugzeugwerke. The C.III was a refined version of the successful Albatros C.I and was eventually produced in greater numbers than any other C-type Albatros. It was used in a wide variety of roles including observation, photo-reconnaissance, light-bombing and bomber escort.

Albatros C.III - 1915

Like its predecessor, the C.III was a popular aircraft with rugged construction and viceless handling. The most prominent difference between the two was the revised tail, the C.III having a lower, rounded tail compared to the large, triangular tail of the C.I, granting the C.III greater agility. The power plant was either a 110 kW (150 hp) Benz Bz. III or a 120 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III inline engine and, like numerous other two-seaters of the war (such as the British Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8) the cylinder head and exhaust manifold protruded above the front fuselage, limiting the pilot's forward visibility.

References

1. Albatros C.III. (2010, August 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:22, August 29, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albatros_C.III&oldid=379051127
2. Sharpe, Michael. "Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes", pg.28. London, England: Friedman/Fairfax Books , 2000. ISBN 1-58663-300-7.
3. Y. MIlanov: "The aviation in Bulgaria in the wars from 1912 to 1945", Vol.I. Sveti Gueorgui Pobedonosetz, Sofia, 1995 (in Bulgarian)
4. Bernád, Dénes. "Balkan Birds: Thirty Five Years of Bulgarian Aircraft Production". Air Enthusiast (Stamford, Lincs, UK: Key Publishing) (94, July/August 2001): 18-30. ISSN 0143-5450.