The first prototype, the F.K.9[2] was built and first flown in the summer of 1916, powered by a 110 hp (80 kW) Clerget 9Z rotary engine. It had a shallow fuselage, with the wings joined by plank-like interplane struts,[3] similar to those used by the Sopwith Triplane. After evaluation at the Central Flying School in late 1916, a production order for 50 was placed by the RFC for a modified version, the F.K.10.[2]
The production F.K.10 had a new, deeper fuselage, and a new tail, but retained the wing planform of the F.K.9. The F.K.10 showed inferior performance to the Sopwith 1½ Strutter, which was already in service as a successful two-seat fighter, and only five were built of the RFC order, with a further three built for the RNAS.[2] They were not used operationally and the design was not developed further.[4]
Variants
F.K.10
F.K.9
Prototype powered by 110 hp (80 kW) Clerget 9Z engine.
F.K.10
Production version with revised fuselage and tail, powered by 130 hp (100 kW) Clerget 9B or Le Rhône 9J engine. 50 ordered, 8 built.
Bruce, J.M. (1965). Warplanes of the First World War, Fighters Volume One, Great Britain. London: Macdonald.
Green, W.; Swanborough, G. (1994). The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark. ISBN0-8317-3939-8.
Mason, Francis K (1992). The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Ma: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-082-7.
April 22, 2023
armstrong, whitworth, british, seat, quadruplane, four, wing, fighter, aircraft, built, armstrong, whitworth, during, first, world, while, ordered, small, numbers, royal, flying, corps, royal, naval, service, used, operationally, quadruplane, aircraft, reach, . The Armstrong Whitworth F K 10 was a British two seat quadruplane i e four wing fighter aircraft built by Armstrong Whitworth during the First World War While it was ordered in small numbers for the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service it was not used operationally It is one of the few quadruplane aircraft to reach production F K 10F K 10Role FighterManufacturer Armstrong WhitworthDesigner Frederick KoolhovenFirst flight 1916Number built 9 1 F K 9 8 F K 10 Contents 1 Development 2 Variants 3 Operators 4 Specifications F K 10 130 hp Clerget 5 See also 6 ReferencesDevelopment EditThe F K 10 was designed in 1916 by Frederick Koolhoven 1 the chief designer of Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft as a single engine two seat fighter Koolhoven chose the novel quadruplane layout also used by Pemberton Billing later known as Supermarine for the P B 29E and Supermarine Nighthawk anti Zeppelin aircraft and the contemporary Wight Quadruplane scout At roughly the same time Sopwith were building the successful Sopwith Triplane fighter The first prototype the F K 9 2 was built and first flown in the summer of 1916 powered by a 110 hp 80 kW Clerget 9Z rotary engine It had a shallow fuselage with the wings joined by plank like interplane struts 3 similar to those used by the Sopwith Triplane After evaluation at the Central Flying School in late 1916 a production order for 50 was placed by the RFC for a modified version the F K 10 2 The production F K 10 had a new deeper fuselage and a new tail but retained the wing planform of the F K 9 The F K 10 showed inferior performance to the Sopwith 1 Strutter which was already in service as a successful two seat fighter and only five were built of the RFC order with a further three built for the RNAS 2 They were not used operationally and the design was not developed further 4 Variants Edit F K 10 F K 9 Prototype powered by 110 hp 80 kW Clerget 9Z engine F K 10 Production version with revised fuselage and tail powered by 130 hp 100 kW Clerget 9B or Le Rhone 9J engine 50 ordered 8 built Operators Edit United KingdomRoyal Flying Corps Royal Naval Air ServiceSpecifications F K 10 130 hp Clerget EditData from Warplanes of the First World War Fighters Volume One Great Britain 5 General characteristicsCrew Two Length 22 ft 3 in 6 78 m Wingspan 27 ft 10 in 8 48 m Height 11 ft 6 in 3 51 m Wing area 390 4 sq ft 36 27 m2 Empty weight 1 236 lb 561 kg Gross weight 2 019 lb 916 kg Powerplant 1 Clerget 9B nine cylinder rotary engine 130 hp 97 kW Performance Maximum speed 84 mph 135 km h 73 kn at 6 500 ft 2 000 m Endurance 2 hr 30 min Service ceiling 10 000 ft 3 000 m Time to altitude 37 min 10 sec to 10 000 ft 3 000 m Armament Guns 1 fixed forward firing 303 in 7 7 mm Vickers machine gun and 1 303 in 7 7 mm Lewis Gun in observer s cockpitSee also EditAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Bristol F 2 Fighter Sopwith 1 Strutter Wight QuadruplaneReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Armstrong Whitworth FK 10 Mason 1992 p 76 a b c Green and Swanborough 1994 p 25 Bruce 1965 p 11 12 Bruce 1965 p 13 Bruce 1965 p 14 Bruce J M 1965 Warplanes of the First World War Fighters Volume One Great Britain London Macdonald Green W Swanborough G 1994 The Complete Book of Fighters New York Smithmark ISBN 0 8317 3939 8 Mason Francis K 1992 The British Fighter since 1912 Annapolis Ma Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 082 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Armstrong Whitworth F K 10 amp oldid 1124759117, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
