C.Andrews Vickers Aircraft since 1908 (Putnam)
The Evolution of the Gunbus
At first the only types of instructional aeroplanes used by Vickers Flying School were the various Vickers monoplanes. Towards the end of 1912, however, three Farman-type biplanes were purchased for pupil training from Vickers' next-door neighbours at Brooklands, Hewlett and Blondeau. With some reconstruction these biplanes became known as Vickers Boxkites and were numbered 19,20 and 21. In December 1913 an equal-span version of the Vickers Boxkite appeared, with a primitive enclosed nacelle to afford the instructor and pupil some protection from the wind. They sat side by side in staggered seats, and the odd-looking structure which resulted from this arrangement led to the aeroplane becoming known as the Pumpkin, bearing the Vickers number 26. A 50 hp Vickers-Boucier static radial engine was fitted, but this was eventually replaced by the 70 hp Gnome.
Vickers School Biplane - Boxkite - One 50 hp Gnome. Span 51 ft 3 in; length 39 ft; wing area 433 sq ft. Gross weight 835 lb.
M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
VICKERS No.26 'Pumpkin' biplane
At the flying school at Brooklands, Vickers had operated three Farman type pusher biplanes built by Hewlett and Blondeau. Vickers may have made changes to these machines, identified as Nos. 19-21, and referred to as Vickers Boxkites (see Hewlett & Blondeau).
In 1913 a version of the Boxkite was built by Vickers with a nacelle seating two crew side by side. The engine was a 50hp Vickers-Boucier seven-cylinder air-cooled radial, later replaced by a 70hp Gnome. The machine was first tested on 17 September 1913 with Vickers engine at Brooklands by Barnwell and on 17 February 1914 with the Gnome.
P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)
Vickers Pumpkin
The Pumpkin of 1913 was the Vickers version of the Hewlett and Blondeau-built Farman two-seat pusher biplane and was constructed for school work at Brooklands. Side-by-side seats were fitted in a long covered nacelle, which carried at its rear end a seven-cylinder radial engine of 50 h.p. which was built by Vickers to designs by Mons. Boucier.
