×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8


Multirole Biplane Aircraft


United Kingdom | 1917



"The Armstrong Whitworth FK.8 proved to be a highly versatile platform, taking on a variety of sortie types throughout its service life."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 Multirole Biplane Aircraft.
1 x Beardmore inline piston engine developing 160 horsepower.
Propulsion
95 mph
153 kph | 83 kts
Max Speed
12,106 ft
3,690 m | 2 miles
Service Ceiling
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 Multirole Biplane Aircraft.
2
(MANNED)
Crew
31.4 ft
9.58 m
O/A Length
43.5 ft
(13.26 m)
O/A Width
10.9 ft
(3.33 m)
O/A Height
1,918 lb
(870 kg)
Empty Weight
2,811 lb
(1,275 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 Multirole Biplane Aircraft .
STANDARD:
1 x 7.62mm Vickers fixed, forward-firing machine gun.
1 x 7.62mm Lewis machine gun on trainable mount in rear cockpit.

OPTIONAL:
Up to 260lb of conventional drop ordnance.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 family line.
FK.3 - Preceding Model to which the FK.8 replaced.
FK.8 - Base Series Model Designation
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 01/12/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 model series was a biplane aircraft conceived of by aircraft designer and Dutch national Frederick Koolhoven. The aircraft ended as a most versatile platform and saw considerable service during World War 1, proving quite popular with its aircrews. The F.K.8 went on to see production numbers exceed 1,600 and no fewer than 22 British squadrons (including training) equipped with the type. Additional operators included Australia (post-war QANTAS), Paraguay and the Kingdom of Hejas (a part of modern-day Saudi Arabia).

The F.K.8 was of a basic biplane configuration utilizing an upper and lower wing arrangement joined by struts ad cabling. The F.K.8 was intended to supersede the capabilities of the preceding F.K.3 marks as a more powerful and robust improved form (indeed the F.K.8 was something of a scaled-up F.K.3). It retained a twin-seat configuration with the crew seated in tandem, the pilot in a front open-air cockpit and the observer/gunner in the rear cockpit. Armament consisted of a single fixed, forward-firing 7.7mm Vickers machine gun for the pilot and a single (or dual) 7.7mm Lewis machine gun on a trainable mounting in the rear cockpit. Provision was added for bombs (up to 260lbs) which made up the light bombing aspect of the F.K.8. Power was derived from a Beardmore 6-cylinder inline piston engine supplying up to 160 horsepower providing for a maximum speed of 95 miles per hour, a service ceiling of 13,000 feet and an endurance time of 3 hours.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.


The versatility of the FK.8 shown through the variety of sorties the platform was put through. These included both day and night bombing runs, ground attack, close-support, sustained patrol and aerial reconnaissance/scouting. The FK.8 would see combat action through to the end of the war in November of 1918.

During her flying career, the F.K.8 came to be known as "The Big Ack" or, in some circles, as the "Big AW" (alluding to manufacturer "Armstrong Whitworth" whose initials adorned the side of the forward fuselage).

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 1,650 Units

Contractor(s): Armstrong Whitworth - UK
National flag of Australia National flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National flag of the United Kingdom

[ Australia (post-war); Kingdom of Hejaz (Saudi Arabia); Paraguay; United Kingdom ]
1 / 1
Image of the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Going Further...
The Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 Multirole Biplane Aircraft appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
WWI AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)