FBA Type H
Franco-British Aviation · France · first flew 1915 · reconnaissance aircraft
The FBA Type H was a French reconnaissance flying boat produced in large numbers in France and Italy during the First World War. It was built by Franco-British Aviation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.92 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-bay pusher biplane flying boat with a smaller-span lower wing
- Single pusher engine on struts just below the upper wing, its propeller turning in a trailing-edge cut-out
- Rounded, finless rudder above a high tailplane
Look for a pusher biplane flying boat with floats under the outer interplane struts. Two pilots sit side by side with a gunner in the nose, and the rudder has no fin.
Specifications
- The FBA Type H has a length of 9.92 m (33 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.12 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 150 km/h (93 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was a development of the FBA Type A, larger and heavier, based on a Donnet-Leveque design and using a water-cooled engine in place of the earlier rotary. Most French-built examples had Hispano-Suiza 8A V-8 engines of 150 or 170 hp.
Variants
The Type D was a single landplane cannon fighter and the Type S a light patrol bomber with larger folding wings and a longer hull. The Type S entered service in 1917 and lasted until 1923.
Where you'll see it
It was the major production version of the FBA series, used by French, Italian and Belgian air arms. The type was also built under licence in Italy, most importantly by SIAI.
Related aircraft
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