The W.B.IV was crafted to fulfil Admiralty Specification N.1A for a naval land or ship-based fighter aircraft.
The design prioritised the aircraft’s ability to ditch safely and stay afloat.
A substantial permanent flotation chamber was integrated into the fuselage beneath the nose, and the pilot was seated in a watertight cockpit.
The propeller shaft extended under the cockpit from the Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine, positioned over the aircraft’s centre of gravity.
The entire undercarriage was detachable for water landings.
Additional floats were attached to the wing tips, and the aircraft’s two-bay wings were designed to fold for shipboard storage.
The sole prototype took its maiden flight at Beardmore’s Dalmuir factory on December 12, 1917, and was delivered for evaluation at Martlesham Heath in July 1918.
The W.B.IV exhibited inferior performance compared to the simpler, smaller shipborne variant of the Sopwith Camel and was not pursued further.
The only prototype was lost when it submerged during a ditching attempt.
