Pemberton-Billing P.B.25

The Pemberton-Billing P.B.25 was a First World War British single-seat scout aircraft built by Pemberton-Billing Limited, later Supermarine Aviation Works Limited.

Design and development
The P.B.23 was designed in 1915 as a single-seat biplane scout. The fuselage nacelle was strut-mounted between the wings. The nacelle had an open cockpit for the pilot at the front and at the rear a 80 hp (60 kW) Le Rhone engine driving a pusher propeller. Twin fins and rudders were mounted on a wide-span tailplane, with an elevator attached, and all connected to the wings structure with four tailbooms, The P.B.23 failed to gain an order after it first flew in September 1915. Twenty of an improved version, the P.B.25, were ordered by the Royal Naval Air Service. The P.B.25 had swept-back wings, a modified landing gear and a revised fuselage nacelle. Although originally powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) Clerget rotary engine, the 20 RNAS aircraft were fitted with Gnome Monosoupape rotary piston engines.

Operational history
The aircraft, which were not used operationally, were based at RNAS Stations at Hornchurch and Hendon; they were probably used in the training role.

Operators

 * Royal Naval Air Service
 * Royal Naval Air Service