The Beardmore WB.III was a British carrier-based fighter biplane during World War I.
It was an adaptation of the Sopwith Pup, which Beardmore was manufacturing under licence, specifically modified for shipboard operations.
The design included a reconfigured wing cellule without stagger and additional inboard struts to allow the wings to fold for storage.
The fuselage was altered to include emergency flotation gear, and the main undercarriage was designed to fold on the WB.IIIF model.
Subsequent versions, known as the WB.IIID, had the capability to jettison their undercarriage to facilitate safer water landings.
Approximately one hundred units were produced, with a few deployed on various Royal Navy vessels, such as the carriers HMS Furious, HMS Argus, and the seaplane tenders Nairana and Pegasus.
Its performance was inferior to the Sopwith Pup, leading to its eventual replacement by the Sopwith 2F1 Ship’s Camel.
Specifications
Length
20 ft 3 in (6.17 m)
Wingspan
25 ft (7.6 m)
Height
8 ft 1 in (2.46 m)
Wing area
243 sq ft (22.6 m2)
Empty weight
890 lb (404 kg)
Gross weight
1,290 lb (585 kg)
Powerplant
1 × Le Rhône 9C,
9-cylinder air cooled rotary piston engine,
80 hp (60 kW)
Propellers
2 bladed fixed pitch propellers
Performance
Maximum speed
103 mph (166 km/h, 90 kn)
Endurance
2 hours, 45 minutes
Service ceiling
12,400 ft (3,800 m)
Rate of climb
534 ft/min (2.71 m/s)
Armament
Guns
1 × fixed, forward firing .303 in Lewis gun.
Sources
Aircraft Colour Profile by Bob Pearson. The British Fighter since 1912-F K Mason. Beardmore Aircraft of WWI-C A Owers. British Prototype Aircraft-R Sturtivant. Beardmore Aviation 1913-1930-A Mackay.
