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Страна: Великобритания

Год: 1917

Варианты

C.Andrews, E.Morgan Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 (Putnam)

Pemberton Billing

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  In 1915 the bombardment of Britain by the German airships posed a real threat to national morale, however minimal the total effect was in comparison with similar action in the Second World War. In consequence, anti-Zeppelin measures were introduced and one of these was to encourage the design and construction by Pemberton Billing of a slow-flying aeroplane of offensive capability. This was the P.B.29E, a quadruplane of large wing area and high aspect ratio to promote high flying. The somewhat crude appearance of this aeroplane is shown in the picture but its improved version, the P.B.31E, presented a more sophisticated outline and concept, with every known aid incorporated to improve its combat efficiency.
  Although the P.B.31E, better known as the Supermarine NightHawk, could scarcely be described as a weapons system in the modern sense, a fleet of such aircraft might have settled the airship threat further afield than was eventually accomplished by conventional short-range aeroplanes and anti-aircraft weapons. The NightHawk is interesting because in fully-equipped form it embodied the Davis non-recoil gun firing a 1 1/2 pound shell and a Lewis machine-gun on a Scarff mounting, both on the top wing, with another Lewis, similarly mounted, in the fuselage nose. A gimbal-mounted searchlight was located in the front end of the fuselage and was probably the first instance of such a use. Similarly, the installation of auxiliary power for the searchlight, by means of a 5 hp ABC flat-twin engine and generator, was probably the first example, certainly in British practice. Two NightHawks were ordered by the Admiralty, with serial numbers 1388 and 1389, but only the first was built. Before its completion the company had been reconstituted as the Supermarine Aviation Works Limited in which control passed to Hubert Scott-Paine.
  The P.B.29E crashed soon after its first flight, but the P.B.31E had greater success during its tests in the hands of Clifford B. Prodger at Eastchurch. The NightHawk proved to be underpowered with its two 100 hp Anzani radial engines but reached 75 mph top speed with a landing speed of only 35 mph, the latter an essential characteristic at that time for night operation.
  Pemberton Billing continued to evolve unorthodox concepts for aircraft and aids to flying, such as his idea for a mechanical height indicator for the landing approach, later revived at the RAE, Farnborough. A type list of the Pemberton Billing projects is given in the appendices as far as they properly come in the purview of Supermarine history. The story of his colourful career outside those interests is not within the scope of this study although he certainly achieved notoriety in political and juridical matters.


P.B.31E - Two 100 hp Anzani. Two pilots, supernumeraries optional.
   Span 60 ft (18-28 m); length 37 ft (11-27 m); height 17 ft 81 in (5-39 m); wing area 962 sq ft (89-37 sq m).
   Empty weight 3,677 lb (1,667 kg); loaded weight 6,146 lb (2,787 kg).
   Maximum speed 75 mph (120-7 km/h); landing speed 38 mph (61-1 km/h); normal duration 9 hr; maximum duration 18 hr.
   Armament. One 1 1/2 pdr cannon and 20 rounds of ammunition and two Lewis guns.

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Описание:

  • C.Andrews, E.Morgan Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 (Putnam)
  • P.Lewis The British Fighter since 1912 (Putnam)
  • F.Mason The British Fighter since 1912 (Putnam)
  • W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters
  • J.Bruce British Aeroplanes 1914-1918 (Putnam)
  • H.King Armament of British Aircraft (Putnam)
  • Jane's All The World Aircraft 1919
  • C.Owers British Aircraft of WWI. Vol.7: Experimental Fighters Part 3 (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 81)