White & Thompson Bognor Bloater
White & Thompson · United Kingdom · first flew 1915 · reconnaissance aircraft
The White & Thompson Bognor Bloater was a British First World War two-seat reconnaissance biplane. It was designed and built by White & Thompson at Middleton-on-Sea, near Bognor Regis, as a competitor to the Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Copper-sewn cedar monocoque fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Conventional unequal-span tractor biplane
- Copper-sewn cedar monocoque fuselage
- Powered by a 70 hp Renault engine
The nickname came from the unusual copper-sewn cedar monocoque fuselage, built by S.E. Saunders. It was the first production aircraft to use the monocoque technique.
Specifications
- The White & Thompson Bognor Bloater has a length of 8.61 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.28 m (37 ft).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The prototype was first flown on 8 March 1915 at Bognor by Gordon England. Twelve were ordered but only ten were delivered, the other two being kept for spares.
Variants
White & Thompson designated it the N.T.3 and it was known in service as the Bognor Bloater. Twelve were ordered and ten delivered.
Where you'll see it
The Bloaters entered Royal Naval Air Service service in 1915. They saw limited use in communications and training and mainly flew coastal patrols from Eastbourne, Great Yarmouth and Killingholme.
Related aircraft
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