 |
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Aircraft of WW1 flown by Aussies |
 |
|
The original Pilot's Wings for Australian flyers was the AMF (Australian Military Forces) type. Note the absence of a crown. This is the 1916 version. An earlier (1915) version had a crown and was approved but may not have been manufactured. |
 |
Many Australians flew in the Royal Flying Corps. This is their shoulder title. |
|
|
AFC Wings ^^ <<AFC Shoulder patch
The story of the planes flown by the AFC and the other facets of early Australian military aviation starts with the Bristol Boxkite and spans 25 other models. They are listed, 6 or 7 to a page, with photos and specifications. Refer to the list below Bristol Boxkite. Somewhat of an anachronism by 1912, the Boxkite was an improved version of the Farman Biplane. Used as a trainer it proved relatively easy to fly. With a maximum speed of about 45 knots it was felt that "very little harm could come to one's person travelling at such a velocity" - which was probably true, however whoever made that assumption seemed to have neglected the height factor. |
| About 150 of these machines were built between 1910 and 1913 by Bristol. A replica is on display at the Museum of Army Aviation and Flying at the home of Australian Army Aviation, at Oakey, Queensland, Australia. | |
 |
| Some Aussies flew in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). This is their eagle badge. |
|
AIRCO |
2 |
These planes are on this page. CLICK HERE or scroll down to see them |
|
AIRCO |
4 |
|
|
AIRCO |
6 |
|
|
ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH |
||
|
AVRO |
540 |
|
|
BE2 |
||
|
BRISTOL |
FIGHTER |
Click here to go to the page with these planes |
|
BRISTOL |
SCOUT |
|
|
CURTIS |
JENNY |
|
|
CURTIS |
HI6 |
|
|
DH5 |
SCOUT |
|
|
FE 2B |
|
|
|
HANDLEY PAGE |
|
Click here to go to the page with these planes |
|
MARTINSYDE |
|
|
|
MAURICE FARMAN |
II |
|
|
NIEUPORT |
11 |
|
|
NIEUPORT |
17 |
|
|
RE8 |
|
|
|
SE 5A |
|
|
|
SOPWITH |
CAMEL |
Click here to go to the page with these planes |
|
SOPWITH |
PUP |
|
|
SOPWITH |
SNIPE |
|
|
SOPWITH |
STRUTTER |
|
|
SOPWITH |
TRIPLANE |
|
|
VICKERS |
GUNBUS |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Airco DH6
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Armstrong Whitworth Also known as
the "Big Ack," the Armstrong-Whitworth F.K.8 biplane bomber
was widely used by the French and British during the last two years of
World War I.
Country: Great Britain |
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| The B.E.2 was ordered along with the Bristol Boxkite and Deperdussin in 1912, to equip the Central Flying School at Point Cook, Victoria. First flown in 1912, this was the first British designed military aircraft. Also known as the Bleriot Experimental - even though it had nothing to do with the Bleriot company - the designers were Geoffrey de Havilland and F.M. Green of the Royal Aircraft Factory. A 70hp Renault inverted V8 gave the B.E.2, a maximum speed of 70kt and a peak altitude of about 10,000ft. The original BE2 model used wing warping for lateral control, the Be2a, of 1913, had unequal span wings (upper longer than lower). The machine's exceptional stability made it an ideal recon platform, however this also meant it became a sitting duck for early fighters. In early 1915, the "C" model introduced ailerons in an attempt to improve combat manoeuvrability, however it was already obsolete. More than 4000 of these aircraft were produced by the time production ceased in early 1916. | |||||||||||||||||||||
