Flanders F.4
Encyclopedia
The Flanders F.4 was a 1910s British
experimental military two-seat monoplane aircraft designed and built by Howard Flanders as a development of the Flanders F.3
.
in the spring of 1912, the British War Office
ordered four Flanders monoplanes for use by the newly formed Royal Flying Corps
. The aircraft had the same configuration as the F.3 but was improved with larger cockpits, accommodating a crew of two in tandem, was powered by a 70 hp (52 kW) Renault engine driving a four-bladed propeller and had other modifications to improve reliability and maintainability. The fixed landing gear of the F.3 was improved with the addition of coil-spring suspension. The first aircraft was flying at Brooklands
by 6 July 1912, with all four flown and delivered to the RFC by 2 January 1913. Testing showed the monoplanes flew well, but following the fatal crashes of a Deperdussin
and a Bristol-Coanda Monoplane
on 6 and 10 September 1912, the Royal Flying Corps had banned the use of monoplanes and the aircraft were not used, with their engines being removed to power Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
s.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
experimental military two-seat monoplane aircraft designed and built by Howard Flanders as a development of the Flanders F.3
Flanders F.2
|-References:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft , 1985, Orbis Publishing-See also:...
.
Development
Following success with his F.3 experimental monoplaneMonoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
in the spring of 1912, the British War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
ordered four Flanders monoplanes for use by the newly formed Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. The aircraft had the same configuration as the F.3 but was improved with larger cockpits, accommodating a crew of two in tandem, was powered by a 70 hp (52 kW) Renault engine driving a four-bladed propeller and had other modifications to improve reliability and maintainability. The fixed landing gear of the F.3 was improved with the addition of coil-spring suspension. The first aircraft was flying at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
by 6 July 1912, with all four flown and delivered to the RFC by 2 January 1913. Testing showed the monoplanes flew well, but following the fatal crashes of a Deperdussin
Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés
SPAD was a French aircraft manufacturer between 1911 and 1921. Its SPAD S.XIII biplane was the most popular French fighter airplane in World War I.-Deperdussin:...
and a Bristol-Coanda Monoplane
Bristol-Coanda Monoplanes
-External links:* *...
on 6 and 10 September 1912, the Royal Flying Corps had banned the use of monoplanes and the aircraft were not used, with their engines being removed to power Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine two-seat biplane which was in service with the Royal Flying Corps from 1912 until the end of World War I. The "Bleriot" in its designation refers to the fact that, like the Bleriot types it was of tractor configuration, with the...
s.