Beardmore W.B.II
William Beardmore and Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Beardmore W.B.II was a British biplane fighter prototype of the 1910s. It was designed by G. Tilghman-Richards and built by William Beardmore and Company.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.31 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-seat biplane with the pilot forward and a gunner behind him
- Gunner has a machine gun on a swivelling mount
- Single two-bladed wooden propeller in front of a V-8 engine
A two-seat biplane with a pilot seat in front and a second seat behind for a gunner with a swivelling machine gun. A two-bladed wooden propeller is driven by the Hispano-Suiza engine.
Specifications
- The Beardmore W.B.II has a length of 8.31 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.62 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 193 km/h (120 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The first flight took place on 30 August 1917. Three were built.
Variants
The W.B.II was a two-seat fighter built as a private venture, two built. The W.B.IIa Adriatic was a proposed version with a Galloway Adriatic engine, and the W.B.IIb a fast civil mail-plane, two built.
Where you'll see it
The W.B.II remained a prototype fighter, with three examples built by William Beardmore and Company.
Related aircraft
- Beardmore W.B.III
- Beardmore W.B.IV
- Beardmore W.B.V
- Beardmore Wee Bee
- AEG D.I
- AEG Dr.I
- Albatros C.XIII
- Albatros D.IX
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