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Felixstowe Fury (Porte Super-Baby)

1918 X-PLANE

History

The brief experience of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) with the 1916 U.S. oversized Curtiss "Wanamaker" (Model T) triplane (detailed elsewhere on this page) led to the development of similar forms of indigenous aircraft. development and function. Although RNAS ordered about 20 Wanamakers for World War I (1914-1918), the only one in production crashed on its maiden flight, ending hopes for the machine to be a long-term solution (20-person The contract was subsequently terminated).

British engineers at the Seaplane Experiment Station (Felixstowe) took this idea and developed it further, producing the Felixstowe "Fury" - an equally large flying craft designed to serve as a long-range maritime patrol bomber in service.

The plane was the brainchild of Royal Navy/RAF officer John Cyril Potter (1884-1919), hence the name "Potter Super Baby". The resulting aircraft was in some ways larger than the earlier Curtiss T and was considered the largest seaplane of its era.

Additionally, the airship was the largest ever built and flown for the UK at the time, and its size was such that servo motors were installed (these were eventually removed) to aid its control - the first ever aircraft.

Like the Curtiss, the Fury has a boat-like fuselage for the necessary landings and takeoffs on waterits structural layout (using cedar wood) is an original Porte design. A triplane main aircraft configuration was used, with three separate elements: upper span, midspan and lower span. The upper and middle elements have the same span, while the lower element is the shortest of the three. Like the Curtiss airship, the engine is mounted on top of the center span.

Parallel brackets and cables are used to support these large components. The tail is of biplane construction (though not like the Curtiss T which has a vertical tail).

Overall dimensions include a length of 63.1 feet, a wingspan of 123 feet and a height of 27.5 feet. Curb weight is 18,565 lbs and MTOW is 33,000 lbs.

As planned, the aircraft should be powered by 3 Rolls-Royce "Condor" engines, each producing 600 hp. Their unavailability resulted in 5 x Rolls-Royce "Eagle VIIs" being replaced in their place, each producing less than 334 horsepower and driving a twin-blade propeller unit. Five units are arranged in two pairs (in a puller-pusher configuration, located off-centerline), with the remaining units set up as conventional pushers (in the middle).

Performance continues to include a top speed of 97 mph (slower than the Curtis) and a service cap of 12,000 feet. The reported rate of climb (slightly slower than the Curtiss model) is 353 feet per minute.

As a military-oriented product, the aircraft is designed to carry no less than 4 Lewis machine guns on various trainable mounts on the fuselage, as well as a modest bomb load. None of these were installed due to the end of the war.

The course of World War I culminated in the conflict ending in an armistice in November 1918. The Fury was completed in early October of that year, but was not delivered to RNAS until the end of the month, meaning the first flight was not recorded until November 11, 1918 - the same day the war officially ended. Therefore, Fury was not pushed to serve in World War I.

Nevertheless, the aircraft underwent various tests until 1919. By then, the design had been successfully demonstrated at a variety of impressive distances and heights. Taking the plane on transatlantic routes was briefly considered, but the logistics of the commercial market company ruled out large military aircraft.

Instead, long-term private tests are planned to further prove the Fury's voice - mainly on routes between the British coast, across Africa and into the South African city of Cape Town.

However, all of this proved moot, however, when on August 11, 1919, while flying at low speed, the plane plunged into the waters near Felixstowe shortly after takeoff. All but one of the seven crew members were rescued by the boat. The plane was towed back to base in time but never flew again.

Of note in relation to the Fury program is the Gosport model G9, a Fury civilian market project intended as a manned carrier. To carry out this duty, the hull should be adapted to carry up to 12 passengers (plus their luggage) and power should come from a three-engine arrangement (3 x Rolls-Royce Condors).

The draft did not go beyond the scope of the proposal.