The AD Scout was designed by Harris Booth of the British Admiralty’s Air Department as a fighter aircraft to defend Britain from Zeppelin bombers during World War I.
The Scout was a very unconventional aircraft, a biplane with a fuselage pod mounted on the upper wing.
A twin-rudder tail was attached by four booms, and it was provided with an extremely narrow-track undercarriage.
The primary armament was intended to be a 2-pounder recoilless Davis Gun, but this was never fitted.
Four prototypes were ordered in 1915 and two each were built by Hewlett & Blondeau and the Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company.
Specifications
Crew
1
Length
22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
Wingspan
33 ft 5 in (10.19 m)
Height
10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
Powerplant
1 × Gnome Monosoupape 9 Type B-2, 9 cylinder air cooled rotary piston engine
