The Armstrong Whitworth FK10 Quadraplane
If three wings were the secret to the success of the Sopwith Triplane,
what could be done with four? Perhaps that is the reasoning behind Frederick
Koolhoven's FK9 and 10 Quadraplanes. The FK9 first flew in September 1916,
and was almost immediately redesigned to be a larger aircraft which became
the FK10. AW initiailly built two (A5212, A5213) FK10s, while Angus Sanderson
and Co. were given an order for 50 (A8950-A8999), while Phoenix Dynamo
Manufacturing was given a contract for two (N511, N512). AW delivered
a third one, N514 to the RNAS.
Sanderson completed five of their FK10s before construction was ordered
halted in July, all five were used as non-flying damage assessment targets.
N511 first flew in April 1917, and was deleted in August. N512 was to
be a single seat bomber, but never left the Phoenix factory.
The first FK10 (A5212) was initally equipped with a 110hp LeRhone in
a full circular cowl, this was later changed to a 130hp Clerget in a horseshoe
cowl on all other FK10s.
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