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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1605.PDF
45 Nieuport 17 sesquiplane fighter of 1916. was flying the metal airplane: 'Are you so tired of life, then, that you are flying a machine without bracing wires?' The trial flights, however, gave splendid results." Illustrative of French development at this period is the Morane Bullet (41), with the steel bullet-deflecting plates to which we have already referred, and a twin-engined Caudron G.IV (42), used for reconnaissance and bombing. A G.IV is still flying. 1916 In Britain during 1916 were flown the prototypes of some of the world's finest military aircraft, notable among which were the S.E.5 single-seat fighter (43) and the D.K.4 fast day bomber (44). Though the particular S.E.5 illustrated is the prototype, developed production-type machines of the series (mostly bearing the suffix "A") were essentially similar. A dis tinctive feature was the armament, comprising a single fixed Vickers gun set in the cowling, and a Lewis carried above the top wing on a Foster mounting, whereby it could be used in conjunction with the Vickers as a fixed forward-firing weapon, or pulled down on its track to fire upwards. Though it is commonly believed that the first day bomber which could outstrip contemporary fighters was the Fairey Fox of 1925, the distinction is rightly accorded the D.H.4, the proto type of which flew as early as August 1916. Finest of the many versions was that with the 375 h.p. Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII. Without its bombs this could achieve 143 m.p.h. A Vickers gun fired ahead, a free Lewis covered the rear, and four 112 lb bombs could be slung under the wings. Experiments were made with D.H.4s mounting an upward-firing Impounder gun. Though biplanes predominated in World War I, sizeable quantities of monoplanes were engaged in the first two years or so of the conflict. Very successful, too, were sesquiplanes, appro priately represented by the Nieuport 17 at 45, and triplanes, exemplified by the Sopwith at 46. A Fokker triplane estab lished a reputation for itself late in 1917. Though relatively slow, these "three-deckers" were extremely manoeuvrable. Once out of true, however, they were a little difficult to re-rig. 1917 Preferences in the matter of fighting qualities varied sharply between individuals and units, and there was a case of an R.N.A.S. squadron, equipped with French Spads of the type represented at 47, arranging a "swop" with an R.F.C. squadron armed with "Tripehounds". There will always be contention, moreover, as to which was the finest of all Allied fighters, the S.E.5 or the Sopwith Camel (48). Of the two, the S.E. was the more tractable; the Camel, in fact, was something of a handful, being hypersensitive on the controls. But the fact remains: more enemy aircraft were shot down by Camels than by any other type of fighter of World War I. A formidable German fighter which was among those "seen off" by the Camel was the Albatros D.III (52). Its fuselage was plywood-covered and the engine was a 176 h.p. Mercedes. The usual German fighter armament of two Spandau machine guns was mounted. It has been noted how the Curtiss flying-boats were to influ ence design abroad, and especially is this apparent in the case of the Felixstowe ("F") boats produced in Britain under the supervision of W/C. J. C. Porte. The F.2A, as shown at 49, is rightly famous for its dangerous and arduous North Sea patrols, which demonstrated in dramatic fashion the possibilities of the flying-boat in military service. Similarly, Germany's Gotha bombers (represented at SO) showed that high-flying formations could attack England by night or day, though by mid-1918 our defences had caused them to desist. The somewhat uninteresting-looking aeroplane at 51 is the Breguet 14 and it has a place here for two reasons: it was largely of aluminium construction, and it was a "classic" general- purpose type in the French Air Force. 51 The breguet Type 14 maid-of-all-work, 1917. 4* The highly manoeuvrable, fast-climbing Sopwith Triplane of 1916. 47 A famous French fighter of 1917—the Spad S.VII. 48 The highly sensitive, but highly successful Sopwith Camel of 1917. 49 Famous for its North Sea patrols, the Felixstowe (Porte) F.2A of 1917. 50 One of the dreaded Gotha bomber family, the G.V of 1917. 52 A famous German vee-strutter fighter of 1917—the Albatros D.III.
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