Vickers E.F.B.8

The Vickers E.F.B.8 was a prototype British twin-engined fighter of the First World War. It was abandoned after only one aircraft was built, single-engined fighters being considered to have superior manoeuvrability.

Development and design
In autumn 1915, as well as the big, cannon armed, Vickers E.F.B.7, Vickers were working on the design of a second twin-engined fighter, the E.F.B.8 (Experimental Fighting Biplane No. 8). This design, which was assigned to Rex Pierson was for a smaller, machine gun armed fighter. With twice the power of Vickers' single-engined pusher Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus, which, while possessing an effective armament, was far too slow, the E.F.B.8 was hoped to have adequate performance. Like the E.F.B.7, the E.F.B.8 was a two-bay biplane with a steel-tube structure with plywood and fabic covering, and powered by two tractor Gnome Monosoupape rotary engines mounted between the wings. It was however, much more compact, with a wingspan 20 ft less and 500 lb (230 kg) lighter. The gunner, armed with a single Lewis gun was sat in the nose, while the pilot again like the E.F.B.7. sat under the trailing edge of the wings, remote from the gunner and hindering co-operation between them in battle.

The E.F.B.8 flew in November 1915, demonstrating good performance, being the fastest twin-engined aircraft of 1915, although not as good as expected. It was not considered manoeuvrable enough for use as a fighter, and with the prospect of better performing single-engined fighters with synchronised guns, was rejected for production. The experience designing it proved useful to Pierson, however, when two years later, he came to develop the Vickers Vimy bomber, much larger but of similar layout.