Norman Thompson N.1B
Norman Thompson Flight Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Norman Thompson N.1B was a prototype British flying boat fighter of the First World War. A single example was built in 1917 and no production followed.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8 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 equal-span wings that fold forwards
- Single Hispano-Suiza engine mounted between the wings driving a four-blade propeller
- Crew of two in separate tandem cockpits ahead of the wings
It has ailerons on both upper and lower wings and a 200 hp Hispano-Suiza 8 V-8 engine.
Specifications
- The Norman Thompson N.1B has a length of 8 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.44 m (34 ft).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was built to Admiralty Specification N.1B, which asked for a single-seat floatplane or flying boat fighter for the Royal Naval Air Service. The prototype N37 was ordered in April 1917 and first flew in October 1917.
Variants
Only one was built. The two-seat layout gave it the alternative name TNT (Tandem Norman Thompson), although the specification called for a single seat.
Where you'll see it
Norman Thompson claimed a speed of 108 mph, but in official tests at Port Victoria the performance was much less and did not meet the specification. It was struck off charge by October 1918.
Related aircraft
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