Vickers F.B.14
| Vickers F.B.14 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Vickers |
| Primary user |  U.K. (RFC/RAF)
|
| Number built | ≥53 [1] |
| Engine | 160hp Beardmore |
| Armament | sync. fixed Vickers and rear flexible Lewis |
| Crew | 2 |
| Max Speed | 159 km/h (99 mph) [2] |
| Climb | 1,800 m (6,000 ft) in 16:35 3,000 m (10,000 ft) in 40:50 [2] |
| Service Ceiling | 3,000 m (10,000 ft) [2] |
| Endurance | 3:45 [2] |
The Vickers F.B.14 was a two-seater designed to take the 230hp B.H.P. engine, but that engine experienced considerable problems and the design fell back to a 160hp Beardmore, which much have drastically reduced expected performance. To make matters worse, problems with obtaining the 160hp Beardmore forced the installation instead of a 120hp Beardmore. The 150hp Lorraine-Dietrich was also mounted, and that configuration was known as the Vickers F.B.14A. A final attempt was made using a 250hp Rolls-Royce Eagle as the Vickers F.B.14D, with an additional bay added to the wings. That was the best of the bunch, but it did not measure up to the contemporary Bristol Fighter. A final effort mounted the 150hp RAF 4a engine as the Vickers F.B.14F.
As the F.B.14 struggled to find an adequate engine, it was surpassed by other planes, and only a handful of them saw service with Home Defense squadrons. [1]
For more information, see Wikipedia:Vickers F.B.14.
References
- Citations
- Bibliography
- J.M. Bruce. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. Great Britain: Funk & Wagnalls, 1957, 1969. ISBN 0370000382