Vockers FB5

The Vickers FB5, nicknamed Gunbus, was the first British plane designed to mount a machine-gun. The first of these planes arrived on the Western Front in December 1914. The Gunbus was no match for the faster and better-armed Fokker E and after a few months the plane was withdrawn from front-line fighting duties and was used for reconnaissance work.

Performance Data of the Vickers FB5

Type

fighter

Engine

100 hp Gnome Monosoupape

Wing Span

36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)

Length

27 ft 2 in (8.2 m)

Height

11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)

Maximum Speed

70 mph (113 kph)

Maximum Height

9,000 ft (2,743 m)

Endurance

4 hours 30 minutes

Armament

2 machine-guns