![Vickers F](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Vickers_F.B.9_front_quarter_view.jpg)
The Vickers F.B.5 (Fighting Biplane 5) (known as the "Gunbus") was a British two-seat
pusher military
biplane of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Armed with a single .303 in (7.7 mm)
Lewis gun operated by the observer in the front of the
nacelle
A nacelle ( ) is a "streamlined body, sized according to what it contains", such as an engine, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. When attached by a pylon entirely outside the airframe, it is sometimes called a pod, in which case it is attached ...
, it was the first aircraft purpose-built for air-to-air combat to see service, making it the world's first operational
fighter aircraft.
Design and development
Vickers
Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public i ...
began experimenting with the concept of an armed warplane designed to destroy other aircraft in 1912. The first resulting aircraft was the "Destroyer" (later designated
Vickers E.F.B.1) which was shown at the
Olympia Aero Show in February 1913, but crashed on its maiden flight.
[Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 43–44.] This aircraft was of the "
Farman
Farman Aviation Works (french: Avions Farman) was a French aircraft company founded and run by the brothers Richard, Henri, and Maurice Farman. They designed and constructed aircraft and engines from 1908 until 1936; during the French national ...
" pusher layout, to avoid the problem of firing through a
tractor
A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most commo ...
propeller, and was armed with a single belt-fed
Vickers gun
The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more men to move and o ...
.
Vickers continued to pursue the development of armed pusher biplanes, and their Chief Designer
Archie Low drew up a new design, the Vickers Type 18, or Vickers E.F.B.2. This was a two-
bay biplane powered by a single 80 hp (60 kW)
Gnome Monosoupape
The ''Monosoupape'' (French for single-valve), was a rotary engine design first introduced in 1913 by Gnome Engine Company (renamed Gnome et Rhône in 1915). It used a clever arrangement of internal transfer ports and a single pushrod-operated e ...
nine-cylinder
rotary engine
The rotary engine is an early type of internal combustion engine, usually designed with an odd number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration. The engine's crankshaft remained stationary in operation, while the entire crankcase and its ...
; the aircraft had a steel tube structure, with fabric-covered wings and tail, and a
duralumin-covered
nacelle
A nacelle ( ) is a "streamlined body, sized according to what it contains", such as an engine, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. When attached by a pylon entirely outside the airframe, it is sometimes called a pod, in which case it is attached ...
with large celluloid windows in the sides. The unequal-span wings were
unstaggered, with lateral control by
wing warping
Wing warping was an early system for lateral (roll) control of a fixed-wing aircraft. The technique, used and patented by the Wright brothers, consisted of a system of pulleys and cables to twist the trailing edges of the wings in opposite direc ...
, while the aircraft had a large semi-circular
tailplane
A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyropla ...
. Armament remained a single Vickers gun mounted in the nose of the nacelle, with limited movement possible, and a very poor view for the gunner.
[Mason 1992, p.17][Bruce 1980, p. 55.] The E.F.B.2 made its first flight at
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfie ...
on 26 November 1913.
It was soon followed by the E.F.B.3, powered by a similar engine, but using
ailerons instead of wing warping, and with equal-span wings, while the nacelle omitted the large windows fitted to the E.F.B.2.
[Bruce 1980, p. 56.][Mason 1992, pp. 20–21.]
The belt-fed machine gun proved problematic, and the weapon was changed to the lighter, handier, drum-fed .303 in (7.7 mm)
Lewis gun.
The F.B.5 first flew on 17 July 1914. It was powered by a single 100 hp (75 kW)
Gnome Monosoupape
The ''Monosoupape'' (French for single-valve), was a rotary engine design first introduced in 1913 by Gnome Engine Company (renamed Gnome et Rhône in 1915). It used a clever arrangement of internal transfer ports and a single pushrod-operated e ...
nine-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 six in Denmark.
F.B.6
The Vickers F.B.6 was a development of the F.B.5 with an increased span on the upper wing. Only one was built.
F.B.9
A further development of the F.B.5, the Vickers F.B.9, had a more streamlined nacelle and an improved ring mounting (either Vickers or
Scarff) for the Lewis gun. Fifty were delivered to
Royal Flying Corps training units. A few served in some
F.E.2b squadrons while they were waiting for their new aircraft between late 1915 and early 1916.
Operational history
The first F.B.5 was delivered to
No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) at
Netheravon in November 1914.
[Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.49.] On 25 December the first use of the F.B.5 in action took place, when F.B.5 No. 664 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
A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.
The smaller size and lighte ...
after the Lewis gun jammed.
[Bruce 1980, p.61] Eighteen days later, the same flight crew, Second Lieutenants M. R. Chidson and D. C. W. Sanders, flying the first F.B.5 in France, No. 1621, were forced to land behind German lines, and the new plane fell into enemy hands.
The F.B.5 began to be seen on the
Western Front when the first reached
No.2 Squadron RFC on 5 February 1915.
[Bruce 1980 p.62.] The type served in ones and twos with several other units before
No. 11 Squadron RFC became the world's first fighter
squadron
Squadron may refer to:
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
when, fully equipped with the F.B.5, it deployed to
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Geography
Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.
Villers-Bretonneux bord ...
, France on 25 July 1915.
[Bruce 1980, p.63.] Second Lieutenant G.S.M. Insall of 11 Squadron won the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
for an action on 7 November 1915 in which he destroyed a German aircraft while flying a Gunbus.
[Andrews and Morgan 1988, p.51.] No. 18 Squadron RFC, which deployed to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
in November 1915, also operated the F.B.5 exclusively.
Early aircraft were fitted with British-built Monosoupapes, which proved less reliable than French-built engines, while much work was done before a useful gun mounting became available.
[Bruce 1994, p. 170.] 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; thus, the F.B.5's performance proved to be inadequate for its intended role. This can be illustrated by noting that only the single pilot/observer team of
Lionel Rees
Group Captain Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees, (31 July 1884 – 28 September 1955) was a Welsh aviator, flying ace, and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and ...
and
James McKinley Hargreaves became aces while flying this type.
[Gutmann and Dempsey 2009, pp. 90–91.]
By the end of 1915, the aircraft was outclassed by the
Fokker ''Eindecker''. 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.
Legacy
The
Vickers
Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public i ...
company persisted with an active experimental program during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
period, including a line of single-seat pusher fighters that culminated in the
Vickers F.B.26 Vampire of 1917–18, but the F.B.5 remained their only significant production aircraft until the
Vickers Vimy
The Vickers Vimy was a British heavy bomber aircraft developed and manufactured by Vickers Limited. Developed during the latter stages of the First World War to equip the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), the Vimy was designed by Reginald Kirshaw "Rex" ...
bomber, which entered service too late to affect 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
In an aircraft with a pusher configuration (as opposed to a tractor configuration), the propeller(s) are mounted behind their respective engine(s). Since a pusher propeller is mounted behind the engine, the drive shaft is in compression in n ...
as "Vickers-types". Many victories over
D.H.2 or
F.E.2b pushers were reported as destruction of a "Vickers".
A flying replica of the F.B.5 Gunbus was completed in 1966 and flew until late 1968. It is now (2014) an exhibit at the
Royal Air Force Museum
The Royal Air Force Museum is a museum dedicated to the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom. The museum is a non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Defence and is a registered charity.
The museum is split into two separate sites:
* ...
at
Hendon near London.
Variants
;E.F.B.2 (Vickers Type 18)
:Single-engined two-seat fighter prototype powered by 100 hp (75 kW)
Gnome Monosoupape
The ''Monosoupape'' (French for single-valve), was a rotary engine design first introduced in 1913 by Gnome Engine Company (renamed Gnome et Rhône in 1915). It used a clever arrangement of internal transfer ports and a single pushrod-operated e ...
rotary engine. It had a slight overhang on upper wings and
wing warping
Wing warping was an early system for lateral (roll) control of a fixed-wing aircraft. The technique, used and patented by the Wright brothers, consisted of a system of pulleys and cables to twist the trailing edges of the wings in opposite direc ...
controls. Its nacelle was fitted with large celluloid windows and was armed with a single Vickers machine gun. One built.
[Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 48.]
;E.F.B.3 (Vickers Type 18B)
:Revised fighter, with equal-span wings,
aileron controls and revised nacelle without windows. One built.
;E.F.B.4
:Proposed design of similar layout to "Destroyer" - unbuilt.
;E.F.B.5
:Further improved development of E.F.B.3. Six built for RFC and RNAS.
;F.B.5
:Production version of E.F.B.5 with rectangular tail surfaces.
At least 120 built by Vickers, with 75 built by
Darracq
A Darracq and Company Limited owned a French manufacturer of motor vehicles and aero engines in Suresnes, near Paris. The French enterprise, known at first as A. Darracq et Cie, was founded in 1896 by Alexandre Darracq after he sold his Gladi ...
in France and 12 by the ''Tøjhusvoerkstedt'' (Danish Arsenal Workshops), giving a total of at least 207.
[Bruce 1980, p. 68.]
;F.B.6
:Pre-production aircraft, differing from E.F.B.5 by having revised unequal span wings with large overhang and ailerons only on upper wing. One built.
[Bruce 1980, p. 58.]
;F.B.9
:Improved derivative of F.B.5, with revised wings and tail, more streamlined nacelle, a new V-type undercarriage and using streamlined Rafwire bracing instead of conventional cable bracing.
[Andrews and Morgan 1988, pp. 54, 56.] 95 built by Vickers and 24 by Darracq, giving 119 in total.
;F.B.10
:Proposed development with 100 hp (75 kW)
Isotta Fraschini
Isotta Fraschini () was an Italian luxury car manufacturer, also producing trucks, as well as engines for marine and aviation use. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini, in 19 ...
engine. Unbuilt.
[Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 56.]
;S.B.1
:1914 design for dual control trainer based on E.F.B.3 and powered by 100 hp (75 kW)
Anzani
Anzani was an engine manufacturer founded by the Italian Alessandro Anzani (1877–1956), which produced proprietary engines for aircraft, cars, boats, and motorcycles in factories in Britain, France and Italy.
Overview
From his native Italy, An ...
radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ...
. Unbuilt.
[Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 58.][Andrews and Morgan 1988, p. 492.]
Operators
;
*
Royal Danish Air Force
The Royal Danish Air Force ( da, Flyvevåbnet, lit=The Flying weapon) (RDAF) is the aerial warfare force of The Kingdom of Denmark and one of the four branches of the Danish Defence. Initially being components of the Army and the Navy, it was ...
;
*
Royal Flying Corps
**
No. 2 Squadron RFC
**
No. 5 Squadron RFC
**
No. 7 Squadron RFC
**
No. 11 Squadron RFC
**
No. 16 Squadron RFC
**
No. 18 Squadron RFC
**
No. 24 Squadron RFC
**
No. 25 Squadron RFC
**
No. 32 Squadron RFC
**
No. 35 Squadron RFC
**
No. 41 Squadron RFC
Specifications (Vickers F.B.5)
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
*Andrews, C. F. and Morgan, E. B. ''Vickers Aircraft since 1908''. London: Putnam, 1988. .
*Bruce, J. M. ''The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing)''. London: Putnam, 1982. .
*Bruce, J. M. "The Vickers Fighting Biplanes". ''
Air International'', September 1994, Vol 47 No 3. pp. 166–171.
*
*Bruce, J. M. "Vickers' First Fighters". ''
Air Enthusiast
''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to ''Air International'' maga ...
'' No. 12, April - July 1980. pp. 54–70. .
*Gutmann, Jon and Dempsey, Harry. ''Pusher Aces of World War 1''. Osprey Publishing, 2009. , .
*Mason, Francis K. ''The British Fighter since 1912''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. .
"The Olympia Exhibition" ''
Flight
Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...
'', 22 February 1913, pp. 210–230.
External links
British Aircraft Directory: Vickers F.B.5 archived on
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
"Vickers Golden Jubilee"- pictures of EFB 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, FB5 and FB6
{{Authority control
Vickers F.B.05
Single-engined pusher aircraft
F.B.05
Military aircraft of World War I
Rotary-engined aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1914