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FBA Type H/S

Страна: Франция

Год: 1916

FBA - FBA 1 Ca2 Avion-Canon / Type D - 1916 - Франция<– –>Ferber - glider - 1899 - Франция


В.Обухович, А.Никифоров Самолеты Первой Мировой войны


Лучшей летающей лодкой, созданной фирмой, была FBA Н. Она представляла собой значительно переработанную лодку "Левек". Модернизации подверглись корпус лодки, бипланная коробка и хвостовое оперение. Экипаж состоял из трех человек В качестве силовой установки использовались двигатели Клерже или Испано-Сюиза 8Аа (150 л. с). Было значительно усилено вооружение: в носовой части лодки и в задней кабине позади винта размещались турельные пулеметные установки. Лодки широко применялись французской, итальянской и бельгийской морской авиацией для патрулирования прибрежных районов и борьбы с подводными лодками. Всего было произведено около 2000 экземпляров FBA H, из них 982 лодки по лицензии выпустила итальянская компания "Савойя". Они были оснащены двигателем Изотта-Фраскини V4B (150 л. с.) и 7,5-мм пулеметом "Фиат".
   Очередной (и последней периода войны) модификацией летающих лодок стала F.B.A. S. Она отличалась измененным корпусом. Модернизировано было и хвостовое оперение: на лодке установили киль с аэродинамически компенсированным рулем направления. Самолет оснащался двигателем Испано-Сюиза 8В (200 л. с). Кроме Франции, F.B.A. S состояли на вооружении морской авиации США и Бельгии, а в послевоенный период - в Югославии.
  
  
Технические данные F.B.A. H
  
Двигатель 1 x Испано-Сюиза 8Аа (150 л. с.)
Размеры:
   размах х длина х высота 14,12 х 9,92 х 3,10 м
Площадь крыльев 40 м2
Вес:
   пустого 984 кг
   взлетный 1420 кг
Максимальная скорость 150 км/ч
Потолок 4900 м
Дальность 450 км
Вооружение:
   стрелковое 1 х 7,7-мм турельный пулемет "Льюис"
   бомбовое 70 кг
Экипаж 3 чел.


G.Swanborough, P.Bowers United States Navy Aircraft Since 1911 (Putnam)


FBA TYPE H

The Navy operated 11 FBA (Franco-British Aviation) flying-boats, of French manufacture, from its bases in France in 1918 and at least six others of Italian manufacture from its base at Porto Corsini, Italy. These were three-seat reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft with 180 hp Hispano-Suiza engines. Span, 47 ft 7 in; length, 33 ft 2 in; gross weight, 3,218 lb; max speed, 90 mph.


E.Hauke, W.Schroeder, B.Totschinger Die Flugzeuge der k.u.k. Luftfahrtruppe und Seeflieger 1914-1918


Beuteflugzeuge bei den k.u.k. Seefliegern
F.B.A. Type H Nr. 3403 (italienisch) IF 160
F.B.A. Type S (italienisch) Hispano 200


J.Davilla Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 74)


FBA Type H

  One of the most ubiquitous, and important Italian naval aircraft in the First World War, the F.B.A. Type H was used by by 28 Squadriglias.
  The aircraft also helped to provide the fledgling Italian aeronautical industry with experience building flying boats. The SIAI (Societa Idrovolanti Alta Italia = Seaplane Society of Upper Italy) was created to build FBAs under license by Italian entrepreneur Domenico Sanoni and the Caoe brothers woodworking firm. The SIAI firm has enjoyed enormous success, even to this day. License production saved the Italians from having to depend on the overloaded French aircraft and aero engine industry which could not possibly supply all the airframes and engines that were required by their ally.
  The SIAI aircraft were fitted with a 170-hp Isotta-Fraschini engine and had larger dimensions. A total of 982 were built in Italy until production ceased in late 1918.
  Five Type Hs were order by the military, but not by the Regia Marina, but by the Regia Esercito (the Royal Army). Varriale reports that five were ordered by the Esercito even been before the first example had flown. They expanded their order to 48 SIAI Type Hs in June 1916. The first two reached Venice in late August and were assigned to 1a Squadriglia Idro.
  The Regia Marina had evaluated the FBA C but found its Monosoupape to be problematic. Once the Type H became available with the indigenous Isotta-Fraschini engine, they eagerly ordered large numbers of the type. Due to production difficulties at SIAI, they had received only five Type Hs in Venice by October 1916, plus two in Varano, Brindisi, and Valona (in Albania).There were also two with the Taranto flying school; this gives a total of only 13 aircraft.

Variant

  Gallinari proposed an amphibious version of the Type H with the wheels retracting into fairings on the side of the hull. It appears to have been built, but was never tested. Indeed, it may never have flown at all.

Production

  The key to mass producing aircraft in France was the need to use reliable subcontractors. Understanding this, SIAI chose to subcontract work to CIVES in Varazze, Gallinari in Livorno, Savoia e Zari in Bovisio, IAM in Naples and Ducrot in Palermo. Together, by the end of the war these companies would build nearly 1,000 aircraft. Unfortunately, Gallinari and Durcot would have serious production problems that would result in frequent equipment failure in operational service.
  SIAI: 406 aircraft
   1916 - 38 aircraft, 1917 - 294 aircraft, 1918 - 74 aircraft
  Durcot: 120 built (out of 160 ordered)
  Industrie Aviatorie Meridionale: 100 (140)
  Savoia: 100 (100)
  Societa Costruzioni Idrovolanti of the CIVES School of Varazze: 100 (100)
  Societa Industrie Aeronautiche Gallinari of Livorno: 93 (100)
  Zari: 60 (60)
  Total: 1,029 FBAs were produced (almost all Type Hs)

Operational Service

Esercito

  The Army would have a brief flirtation with developing its own naval aviation units. They formed 1a, 2a (at Grado), and 3a Squadriglias, before largely abandoning naval aviation to the Regia Marina.

Regia Marina

  In 1917 there were 367 Type Bs, Cs, and Hs in service. These aircraft flew patrol and bombing missions, but their most important task was anti-submarine duties. Shipping was vulnerable to German and Austro-Hungarian submarines and, as with the Western front, aviation would play a crucial role in limiting the efficacy of sub attacks. Eventually, a network of seaplane stations was created to cover almost the entire coastline of Italy, plus Libya and Albania. Initially operating as seaplane stations, they were redesigned Squadriglias in early 1917 as the number of FBA Type Hs produced began to increase dramatically.
  FBA Hs were assigned as follows on 1 June 1917: Brindisi (12), Valona (18), seaplane carriers (8), and Corfu (6). At the time of the Armistice, the Italian naval air service had a total of nearly 600 FBAs (Cs and Hs) on strength. These were assigned to the following squadriglias: Reconnaissance squadriglias: 254, 255 (based at Varano), 256 (Otranto), 257 (Valona), 58 (seaplane carrier Europa), 263 (Porto Cosini), and 264 (Ancona).
  Patrol squadriglias: 266 (Sanreno), 267 (Porto Maurizio), 268 (Rapallo), 269 (La Spezia), 270 (Palermo), 271 (Civitavecchia), 273 (Livorno), 274 (Piombino), 275 (Ponza),276 (Napoli), 277 (Sapri),278 (Terranova Pausiana), 279 (Cagliari), 280 (Milazzo), 281 (Taormina), 282 (Catania), 283 (Siracusa), 284 (Trapani), 285 (Orbetello).
  The FBAs were effective in reconnaissance missions, but their low ceiling made them vulnerable to AAA. As time progressed, their slow speed was more than matched by the Austro-Hungarian fighters, so they now required fighter escort, often from Macchi M3s. They also reportedly required a higher workload on their pilots, being unforgiving of mistakes. Furthermore, the Durcot and Gallinari machines had so many issues, that units would send officers to their factories in an attempt to determine what the problem was. Varriale notes that Capitano di Corvetta Ponzio, the Regia Marina Director of Aeronautical Services in the Upper Adriatic, decided against using FBAs over fortified targets by day. As a results the FBAs at Venice were moved to quieter sections of the front. Records show that 258a had already made this same decision in 1917; it would seem likely that at least some of the other Squadriglias using the type would come to the same decision.
  The FBA Hs did not have rudders making taxying at sea difficult. The Type Hs relatively low ceiling made it vulnerable to AAA unless the payload was severely restricted. The use of petrol hand pumps proved impractical under combat conditions. The aircraft’s low speed made interceptions of enemy aircraft difficult, if not impossible.
  The FBA Hs also proved useful as dual control trainers in the seaplane flying school. It is reported that one had its top wing removed so it could used as a seaborne “penguin” to teach pilots to taxi on the water. U.S. Naval aviators were also trained on the type prior to being assigned to the now American run 263a Squadriglia.
  Despite all these issues, FBA Type Hs served throughout the First World War in both the Regia Marina and Esercito. They were effective in the maritime reconnaissance role, often operating in pairs for up to four hours on patrol.
  As the war ended the Regia Marina still had 382 FBA Hs in service. Their intended replacement was also built by SIAI as the S.8. It was a fine airplane, but it arrived far too late to replace the FBAs. In April 1919 there were 331 FBAs in service.


Foreign Service

United Kingdom

  During June the Italians presented RNAS Taranto with four FBA flying boats. They were given RNAS serials N.1075-N.1078. Two were retained at Taranto, and the other two were sent to Malta.


Postwar

1919

  The Regia Marina had 140 FBA Hs on strength on 20 April 1919. Including examples with training units and the depots the total comes to 501 FBAs.


Libya

  Three FBA Hs seziones had been established in Libya during the war to patrol for German flying boats; these seziones later merged to form 286a Squadriglia. 286a remained active postwar.
  The Type Hs served alongside the land based aircraft in attacks against local rebellious tribes.


SIAI-built Type H Three-Seat Flying Boat with 170-hp Isotta-Fraschini
  Wingspan 14.55 m; length 10.20 m; height 3.78m; wing area 42 sq. m;
  Empty weight 925 kg; leaded weight 1,400 kg
  Maximum speed: 140 km/h; climb to 1,000 m in 8 min.; climb to 2,000 m in 18 min.; climb to 3,000 m in 31 min.; climb to 4,000 m in 47 min; ceiling 5,000 m, range 600 km
  982 built



Gallinari Seaplanes

  The name isn’t that of an “Italian designer”. Rather, it refers to the wooden boat-building yard, Cantiere Navale G. Gallinari ScC. of Livorno and to its aviation subsidiary, Societa Anonima Industrie Meccaniche Gallinari based at Marina di Pisa. It was formed in 1916 to license-building seaplanes (beginning in 1916 or 1917, sources vary). There are suggestions that sometime during its existence, that the Gallinari plant built a wooden seaplane, but details are lacking.
  It is likely that the firm built FBAs (either parts for the aircraft or the whole airframe).
  There is mention of the Societa Anonima Industrie Meccaniche Gallinari holding a license to build the FBA Type H flying boat in Italy. SIAI (Societa Idrovolanti Alta Italia) however held the rights to license production, so Gallinari’s actual involvement in producing these aircraft, if any, remains in doubt.
  While Type H production remains uncertain, according to Progettazione e produttivita dell’industria aeronautica italiana dalle origini al 1943: Le relazioni della “Direzione Costruzioni Aeronautiche” dell’Aeronautica Militare, Gallinari built 93 aircraft during the war, primarily SIAI S.8 flying boats.
  Societa Anonima Industrie Meccaniche Gallinari closed after WWI. The firm was on shaky ground - Cantieri Gallinari had filed for bankruptcy in 1912 (although the boat-builder is going strong today). In 1921, the German-financed Societa Anonima Italiana Costruzioni Meccaniche (SAICM) took over Gallinari’s Marina di Pisa factory space. Formed to license-build Dorniers, SAICM became the more familiar CMASA (Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche - Societa Anonima) after its 1925 move to Genoa.


Журнал Flight


Flight, April 11, 1918.

FROM OTHER LANDS.
THE F.B.A. FLYING BOAT.

   WE are indebted to our American contemporary Aerial Age for the accompanying illustrations and scale drawings (passed by the U.S. censor) of the F.B.A. Flying Boat, which has been used with such great success by the Allies for over-water scouting and fighting.
   The Franco-British Aviation (Societe Anonyme), Paris, was founded in 1914 by Lieut. Jean de Conneau, (Andre Beaumont, winner of the Paris-Rome, Circuit-European, and Circuit-of-Britain races), and M. Schraeck of the French Wright Co., to exploit the patents pertaining to the Donnet-Leveque and Artois Flying Boats.
   During the war various models of F.B.A. boats have been produced and employed by the Allies, more particularly France and Italy, and these machines, equipped with Gnome, Clerget, or more often Hispano-Suiza engines, have proved very efficient and speedy. The accompanying illustrations and scale drawings show the model fitted with the 130 h.p. Hispano-Suiza as used by the French. The top plane has a span of about 46 ft. 6 ins., and a chord of 6 ft., whilst the span and chord of the lower plane are 35 ft. and 5 ft. respectively. The gap between the planes is 5 ft. 9 ins., and the overall length of the machine is 32 ft. 6 ins.

В.Обухович, А.Никифоров - Самолеты Первой Мировой войны
F.B.A. H
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
FBA Type H #903 '5'
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H #18102 '5'
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H '6'
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H '7', Bolsena NAS
Форум - Breguet's Aircraft Challenge /WWW/
В.Обухович, А.Никифоров - Самолеты Первой Мировой войны
Журнал - Flight за 1918 г.
Three-quarter rear view of the Hispano-Suiza-motored F.B.A. flying boat.
Журнал - Flight за 1918 г.
View from the rear of the Hispano-Suiza-motored F.B.A. flying boat.
Журнал - Flight за 1918 г.
French seaplanes ready for patrol work at a French Seaplane Station on the Mediterranean coast.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H in Italian service at Bolsena, but the first aircraft in line is a Macchi L.3.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H in Italian service at Bolsena.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H #18102 with dramatic marking at Bolsena flying school.
G.Swanborough, P.Bowers - United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 /Putnam/
An Italian built FBA Model H.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H in Italian service.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
FBAs of the 257a Sqa lined up at Valona. The Italians contributed to the operation a large number of seaplanes from all the stazioni in the area, an aspect that post-war British sources had no interest in remembering. AUSMM
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H tactical '5' in Italian service.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
FBAs on the slipways of the seaplane station at Brindisi. In the background, the Bresciani hangars of the station. AUSMM
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
Pushing an FBA into the Northern Bay from the beach of Otranto Porto. The aircraft, probably, is one of the two SIAI-built FBAs of No.6 Wing, possibly N1076. Behind the hangars, the Norman bell-tower {Torre Campanaria) and, further behind, the roof of Otranto's famous Norman Cathedral. A number of details suggest that this photograph was taken in 1917, but N1076 was flown operationally until the spring of 1918. Eugenio Barbera
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H in Italian service.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
FBA 'H' on a beaching dolley.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
FBA 6428 of the Gruppo Squadriglie Idrovolanti being prepared for action at Brindisi. AUSMM
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
A view of the seaplane school established by the Italians on the southern shore of the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, with the apron crowded with L-types. The flying boat coded 'D' that is approaching the station is an FBA H. In the background, the portion of shore opposite Pizzone known as Punta Penna.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H in Italian service.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H in Italian service.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.1: Operations /Centennial Perspective/ (73)
An Italian FBA above RN Aquila. Pierozzi was flying an Italian FBA seaplane like this one during the Battle of the Otranto Straits.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
FBA Type H in Italian service at Brindisi, with a battleship in background..
Журнал - Flight за 1918 г.
American aeroplane types of 1917-18: Wright-Martin "F.B.A." Flying Boat.
В.Обухович, А.Никифоров - Самолеты Первой Мировой войны
Журнал - Flight за 1918 г.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
F.B.A. Type H
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
F.B.A. Type H
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H /Centennial Perspective/ (74)
F.B.A. Type H