AD Navyplane

Last updated

AD Navyplane
RoleReconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer Air Department/Supermarine
DesignerHarold Bolas
First flightAugust 1916
Introductionn/a
Retired1917-09-27
StatusCancelled
Primary user Royal Naval Air Service
ProducedJanuary 1916
Number built1

The AD Navyplane was designed by the British Admiralty's Air Department as a reconnaissance aircraft for use during World War I. Performance of the prototype was so disappointing that plans to produce it were cancelled almost immediately.

Contents

The Navyplane was designed by the Admiralty's Harold Bolas with the assistance of R.J. Mitchell of Supermarine. It was a pusher floatplane biplane with the pilot and observer being seated ahead of the wings in a streamlined lightweight nacelle mounted in the gap between the upper and lower sets of wings. A Smith Static radial engine and a pusher propeller were installed behind them. [1]

Two examples were ordered in 1916 for the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). [2] Serial numbers were allocated for seven Navyplanes (9095-'96, N.1070-'74) but just one prototype (9095) was completed. [3] Tests of this Supermarine-built prototype commenced in August 1916 (flown by Lieutenant-Commander John Seddon) but proved seriously underpowered and unsatisfactory. The engine was replaced with an AR.1 rotary engine (which was later redesignated the BR.1 for Bentley Rotary 1) and retested in May 1917. However, even without a military load and observer, the Navyplane's performance still proved to be poor, [4] and the design was abandoned on 27 August 1917,[ citation needed ] with no second prototype being produced.

Supermarine attempted to design an improved version to replace the Short 184, the design, the Supermarine Patrol Seaplane, being powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) Sunbeam engine. While contracts for six aircraft were placed, work was abandoned before a prototype was built, the Short 184 proving adequate in the patrol role. [2] [4]

Specifications (AD Navyplane)

Data from British Aeroplanes 1914-18 [5]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Related Research Articles

AD Flying Boat

The AD Flying Boat was designed by the British Admiralty's Air Department to serve as a patrol aircraft that could operate in conjunction with Royal Navy warships. Intended for use during the First World War, production of the aircraft was terminated as the end of the war came into sight, and the type saw little operational use. A number were repurchased after the end of the war by Supermarine Aviation and rebuilt as civil transports, becoming known as the Supermarine Channel.

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2

Between 1911 and 1914, the Royal Aircraft Factory used the F.E.2 designation for three quite different aircraft that shared only a common "Farman" pusher biplane layout.

Vickers F.B.5 Fighter aircraft; first operational purpose-built fighter

The Vickers F.B.5 was a British two-seat pusher military biplane of the First World War. Armed with a single .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun operated by the observer in the front of the nacelle, it was the first aircraft purpose-built for air-to-air combat to see service, making it the world's first operational fighter aircraft.

Airco DH.10 Amiens

The Airco DH.10 Amiens was a British twin-engined heavy bomber designed and built towards the end of the First World War. It served briefly postwar with the RAF.

Supermarine Type 322

The Supermarine Type 322 was a prototype British carrier-borne torpedo, dive bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of the Second World War. A single-engined monoplane, it was unsuccessful, with only two examples being built. The Fairey Barracuda, built to the same specification, would fill this role.

The Supermarine Baby was a British flying boat fighter aircraft of the First World War designed and built by the Supermarine Aviation Works. Although only one was built, it formed the basis for the later Sea King fighter and Sea Lion I racer.

Vickers Vampire

The Vickers F.B.26 Vampire was a British single-seat pusher biplane fighter built by Vickers during the First World War.

Short Type 320

The Short Type 320, also known as the Short Admiralty Type 320, was a British two-seat reconnaissance, bombing and torpedo-carrying "folder" seaplane of the First World War.

Norman Thompson N.T.2B

The Norman Thompson N.T.2B was a British single-engined flying boat trainer of the First World War. A single-engined biplane, the N.T.2B was adopted as a standard flying boat trainer by the Royal Naval Air Service, training pilots for larger patrol flying boats such as the Felixstowe F.2.

The Short N.2B was a prototype British patrol seaplane of the First World War, designed and built by Short Brothers. A single-engined biplane intended to replace Short's successful Type 184, only two were built, the Fairey III being preferred.

The Westland N.1B was a prototype British single-engined floatplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. The first aircraft to be designed by Westland Aircraft, it was a single-engined tractor biplane. Despite good performance, only two aircraft were built, the Royal Naval Air Service operating landplane fighters from ships instead.

Norman Thompson N.1B

The Norman Thompson N.1B was a prototype British flying boat fighter aircraft of the First World War. A two-seat single-engined pusher biplane, a single example was built in 1917, but no production followed.

The Armstrong Whitworth Sissit, also known as the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.1, was a prototype single-engined biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. The first aircraft designed by Armstrong Whitworth, the Sissit was underpowered and only a single example was built.

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.

The Sopwith Gunbus was a British fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was a single-engined pusher biplane based on a floatplane built by Sopwith before the war for Greece. Small numbers were built and used by the British Royal Naval Air Service, mainly as a trainer.

The Vickers F.B.24 was a British two-seat fighter aircraft of the First World War. Only a few prototypes were built, as, although it had good performance, the Bristol F.2 Fighter was preferred.

The Port Victoria P.V.4 was a prototype two-seat reconnaissance floatplane of the First World War. The P.V.4 was a small single engined pusher biplane. It was unsuccessful as the engine it was designed around was a failure and alternatives were unsuitable, only one aircraft being built.

Sopwith Rhino British WW1 triplane bomber aircraft

The Sopwith 2B2 Rhino was a British two-seat triplane bomber designed and built by Sopwith Aviation Company as a private venture. The Rhino was powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Beardmore Halford Pullinger inline piston engine. Only two aircraft were built and the type did not enter production.

Pemberton-Billing P.B.1 1910s British flying boat

The Pemberton-Billing P.B.1, sometimes known as the Supermarine, was a 1910s British single-seat flying-boat built by Pemberton-Billing Limited, which later became the Supermarine Aviation Works. Only one P.B.1 was built, and it never flew any distance further than a hop.

References

Notes
  1. Andrews and Morgan 1987, p.25.
  2. 1 2 Andrews and Morgan 1987, p.26.
  3. Bruce 1957, p.9.
  4. 1 2 3 Mason 1994, p.65.
  5. Bruce 1957, pp. 8-9.
Bibliography