| E.F.B.8 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter aircraft |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Vickers Limited |
| Designer | Rex Pierson |
| First flight | November 1915 |
| Status | Prototype |
| Number built | 1 |
The Vickers E.F.B.8 was a prototype British twin-engined fighter of the First World War. It was abandoned after only one aircraft was built, single-engined fighters being considered to have superior manoeuvrability.
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In autumn 1915, as well as the big, cannon armed, Vickers E.F.B.7, Vickers were working on the design of a second twin-engined fighter, the E.F.B.8 (Experimental Fighting Biplane No. 8). This design, which was assigned to Rex Pierson was for a smaller, machine gun armed fighter. With twice the power of Vickers' single-engined pusher Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus, which, while possessing an effective armament, was far too slow, the E.F.B.8 was hoped to have adequate performance.[1] Like the E.F.B.7, the E.F.B.8 was a two-bay biplane with a steel-tube structure with plywood and fabic covering, and powered by two tractor Gnome Monosoupape rotary engines mounted between the wings. It was however, much more compact, with a wingspan 20 ft (6.1 m) less and 500 lb (230 kg) lighter. The gunner, armed with a single Lewis gun was sat in the nose, while the pilot again like the E.F.B.7. sat under the trailing edge of the wings, remote from the gunner and hindering co-operation between them in battle.[2][3]
The E.F.B.8 flew in November 1915, demonstrating good performance, being the fastest twin-engined aircraft of 1915,[4] although not as good as expected.[5] It was not considered manoeuvrable enough for use as a fighter, and with the prospect of better performing single-engined fighters with synchronised guns, was rejected for production.[6] The experience designing it proved useful to Pierson, however, when two years later, he came to develop the Vickers Vimy bomber, much larger but of similar layout.[7][8]
Data from Vickers Aircraft since 1908 [9]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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