Martinsyde F.1

Martinsyde F.1
Role	Biplane fighter aircraft
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Martinsyde
First flight	1917
Primary user	Royal Flying Corps
Number built	2

The Martinsyde F.1 was a British two-seat biplane fighter designed and built by Martinsyde Limited, only two prototypes were built.^[1]

Design and development

The F.1 was designed as a fighter for the Royal Flying Corps and it was a large tractor biplane powered by a 250 hp (186 kW) Rolls-Royce Mk III piston engine.^[1] It had two tandem open cockpits with unusually the observer forward and the pilot behind.^[1] A rectangular aperture was cut-out of the upper wing above the observer's cockpit which would allow the observer to use a gun.^[2] It was tested at Martlesham Heath in July 1917, where it demonstrated good handling but was criticised for the awkward crew arrangement.^[2] It was not ordered into production and only one prototype (of two ordered) was built. It continued in use at Farnborough until after the end of the war.^[1][3][4]

Specifications

Data from War Planes of the First World War: Volume 1 Fighters^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 29 ft 1 in (8.86 m)
• Upper wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)
• Lower wingspan: 44 ft 2 in (13.46 m)
• Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
• Wing area: 467 sq ft (43.4 m²)
• Empty weight: 2,198 lb (997 kg)
• Gross weight: 3,260 lb (1,479 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Mk III water-cooled V-12 engine, 250 hp (190 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 109.5 mph (176 km/h; 95 kn) at 6,500 ft (1,980 m)
• Endurance: 3 hr 45 min
• Service ceiling: 16,500 ft (5,029 m)
• Time to altitude: 13 min 40 s to 10,000 ft (3,050 m)

Armament

• Guns: Possibly 1× Lewis gun operated by observer

References

Notes

1. Orbis 1985, p. 2296
2. Bruce 1965, pp. 154, 156.
3. Bruce 1965, p. 156.
4. Robertson 1987, p. 29

Bibliography

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
• Bruce, J.M. (1965). War Planes of the First World War: Volume 1 Fighters. London: Macdonald.
• Robertson, Bruce (1987). British Military Aircraft Serials 1878-1987. Letchworth, England: Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-61-X.