Britain - 1916 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8

Frederick Koolhoven's Lumbering Big Ack

The day to day activities of the Great War were not always done by state of the art planes. Many mediocre aircraft served fairly well for long periods of time and locations. The weakness in an aircraft's design could become the strength of the design for a mission. Many of the larger two seat reconnaissance aircraft were considered too stable. However that stability was needed for photo-reconnaissance missions where clarity of the images were essential. Ironically some aircrews loved these lumbering planes because of their ease to fly and because they were sturdy enough to get them home safely.

Armstrong-Whitworth F.K.8 - 1916

Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8

The aircraft, originally designated the F.K.7, was designed by Dutch aircraft designer Frederick Koolhoven as a replacement for the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c and the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3. It was a sturdier aircraft than the F.K.3, with a larger fuselage and wings and was powered by a 160 hp (110 kW) Beardmore water-cooled engine. The undercarriage used oleo shock absorbers. The undercarriage was unable to withstand rough use on the front line airfields. The observer was equipped with a Scarff ring mounting for a 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis machine gun. No armament was initially provided for the pilot. The rudder featured a long, pointed horn-balance.

In service the F.K.8s (nicknamed the "Big Ack") proved to be effective and dependable. It proved to be fairly successful in performing reconnaissance, artillery spotting, ground-attack, contact-patrol and day and night bombing missions. It was easier to fly than the R.E.8 and was sturdier but its performance was even more mediocre and it shared the inherent stability that plagued many Royal Aircraft Factory types.

A total of 1,650 were built and the type served alongside the R.E.8 until the end of the war, at which point 694 F.K.8s remained on duty with the RAF.

The F.K.8 served with several squadrons on operations in France, Macedonia, Palestine and for home defense, proving more popular in service than its better known contemporary the R.E.8. The first squadron was 35 Squadron. The F.K.8 was principally used for corps reconnaissance but was also used for light bombing, being capable of carrying up to six 40 lb (20 kg) phosphorus smoke bombs, up to four 65 lb (29 kg) bombs or two 112 lb (51 kg) bombs on under-wing racks.

Two Victoria Crosses were won by pilots of F.K.8s; one by Second Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod of No. 2 Squadron RFC, on 27 March 1918 and the second by Captain Ferdinand Maurice Felix West of No. 8 Squadron RAF on August 10, 1918.

References

1. From Wikipedia Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
2. Bruce, J.M. "The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps" (Military Wing). London: Putnam and Company, 1982. ISBN 0-370-30084-X.
3. Mason, Francis K. "The British Bomber Since 1914". London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.
4. Munson, Kenneth. "Aircraft of World War I". London: Ian Allan, 1967. ISBN 0-7110-0356-4.
5. Tapper, Oliver. "Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft since 1913". London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-826-7.
6. Taylor, John W.R. "Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8." Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2.

Britain - 1918 Armstrong Whitworth Armadillo

Look! A Flying Armadillo!

Maybe it is just me, but the name Armadillo sounds like a good nickname for a tank, but for an aircraft, not so much. It was not a bad aircraft, it was just not as good as the competing models being produced. The lines are clean, although the box-like section housing the machine guns makes it look thicker than it really was.

Armstrong-Whitworth Armadillo - 1918

The Armstrong Whitworth Armadillo was a British single-seat biplane fighter aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth. The aircraft was a two-bay biplane with a square section fuselage. The engine in the nose was enclosed by a circular cowl with a deep hump above the cowl housing twin 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns.

The Armadillo was designed in early 1918 by Fred Murphy, who had succeeded F Koolhoven as chief designer to Armstrong Whitworth. The F.M.4 Armadillo was developed as a private venture single-seat fighter. The aircraft was powered by a Bentley BR2 rotary engine. The development program began construction of two prototypes.

By the time the Armadillo appeared, in summer 1918, the Sopwith Snipe had already entered large scale production. The Snipe's performance avantage won out and the Armadillo was abandoned. The project was canceled leaving the second prototype uncompleted.

References

1. Armstrong Whitworth Armadillo. (2010, May 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:19, July 4, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Armstrong_Whitworth_Armadillo&oldid=360031868
2. Bruce, J.M. (1965). War Planes of the First World War Volume One Fighters London: Macdonald9.
3. Mason, Francis K. (1992). British Fighters since 1912 Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press,. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
4. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1990). Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War I London: Studio Editions.

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.

Britian - 1916 Armstrong-Whitworth F.K.6

Sometimes They look Better on the Drawing Board

Armstrong-Whitworth F.K.6 - 1916

Experimental aircraft have such a variety of design concepts, both good and not so much. I was fortunate that I found a fairly accurate line drawing and several good quality photographs to make life easy. Frederick Koolhoven created some funky designs that ranged from brilliant to down right odd. This was one of his stranger attempts.

The Armstrong Whitworth F.K.5 and F.K.6 were experimental triplanes built as escort fighters by Armstrong Whitworth during the First World War. They carried two gunners in nacelles mounted on the center wing. One example of each type was built, with no further development or production following.

References

1. Armstrong Whitworth F.K.6. (2010, September 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:11, October 30, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Armstrong_Whitworth_F.K.6&oldid=385009811
2. Armstrong Whitworth F.K.6 1916 Virtual Aircraft Museum Retrieved 17:11, October 30, 2010, from http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/arm_fk-6.php
3. Koolhoven Aeroplanes Foundation http://www.koolhoven.com/history/airplanes/aw/
4. Bruce, J.M. "British Aeroplanes 1914-18". London:Putnam, 1957.
5. Bruce, J.M. "War Planes of the First World War: Volume One Fighters". London:Macdonald, 1965.
6. Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. "The Complete Book of Fighters". New York:Smithmark, 1994. ISBN 0-8317-3939-8.
7. Lewis, Peter. "The British Fighter since 1912". London:Putnam, Fourth edition, 1979. ISBN 0 370 10049 2.
8. Mason, Francis K. "The British Fighter since 1912". Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7
9. Tapper, Oliver. "Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft since 1913". London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0 85177 826 7.