WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Here is a diagrammatic drawing of the Robey-Peters Fighting Machine Type 1, which nicely illustrates the aircraft's upper and lower wing-spans, the unusual position of the Pilot's cockpit at the rear of the fuselage, and the two Gunner's nacelles/cockpits mounted on the port ( Lewis machine gun ) and starboard ( Davis Recoilless Gun ) sides of the upper-wing section.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Some reference works either deny or question the existence of two prototypes of the Robey-Peters Fighting Machine having been built, whereas the photographic evidence clearly shows that both a Type 1 Serial No. 9498 and a Type 2 Serial No. 9499 Robey-Peters Fighting Machine were constructed.

 

The two attached IWM photographs show the Type 2 Robey-Peters Fighting Machine built at Robey's Globe Works in Lincoln, which has completely different design features to the Type 1, notably the upper and lower wing-spans on the Type 2 are equal, both measuring 52 feet 6 inches.

The Type 2, also had a fixed tail-fin in addition to the rudder.

Also, in these photographs we can see the unusual location of the Pilot's cockpit at the rear of the fuselage, and the Type 2's addition of the 2 windows set in the port and starboard sides of the fuselage just below the Pilot's cockpit, which were designed to improve the Pilot's field of vision.

 

This first photograph of the Type 2, also gives good details of the size and location of the 2 Gunner's nacelles/cockpits set in the upper-wing section on either side of the fuselage, which on the Type 2, were both intended to be armed with the American ' Davis ' Recoilless Gun.

 

The Type 2 Robey-Peters Fighting Machine made it's maiden test flight on May 17,1917, taking off from the Bracebridge Heath airfield near Lincoln, however, the aircraft's engine stalled on take-off and the Type 2 crashed on the edge of the airfield.

 

LF

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This photograph, shows the Robey-Peters Fighting Machine Type 2 as seen from a different angle.

In this photograph, detailing the front of the Type 2, we can see that while the Type 1 had twin swept back exhaust pipes mounted above the engine, on the Type 2 the exhaust pipes run along and are attached to the front fuselage, and the Rolls-Royce 250 hp V-12 ' Eagle ' piston engine is fitted with an engine cover.

 

LF

 

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This diagrammatic drawing of the Robey-Peters Fighting Machine Type 2, shows the aircraft's equal upper and lower wing-spans each being 52 feet 6 inches, the addition of a fixed tail-fin, the unusual position of the Pilot's cockpit at the rear of the fuselage, and the two Gunner's nacelles/cockpits mounted on the port and starboard sides of the upper-wing section, each armed with ' Davis ' Recoilless Guns.

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[johnboy]

Interesting that the wheel sizes are in metric.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

20 hours ago, johnboy said:

Interesting that the wheel sizes are in metric.

 

johnboy,

 

An interesting point, and I assume whomever prepared the drawing was working from original data.

 

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

While sifting through a batch of photographs relating to WW1 aircraft construction, I was delighted and very surprised to see that one of the photographs taken inside Robey & Co's Clobe Works in Lincoln, actually shows the prototype Robey-Peters Fighting Machine Type 2 under construction.

The partially completed aircraft is mounted on wooden trestles standing on the factory floor, and this photograph gives us some excellent details of it's construction, and it is interesting to see the Pilot's windows are already fitted into the sides of the fuselage just below the Pilot's cockpit.

This is an extremely rare and probably unique photograph of this unusual WW1 aircraft, seen whilst still under construction.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Another very interesting photograph, which shows the Robey-Peters Fighting Machine's co-designer, James Arthur Peters, sitting in the nacelle/cockpit of the Type 2, presumably demonstrating the Gunner's position.

This photograph, gives a good idea of the dimensions of the Gunner's nacelle/cockpit and how vulnerable the Gunner probably would have been when the aircraft was in flight.

 

LF

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Tomo.T]

On 18/09/2016 at 18:17, johnboy said:

Interesting that the wheel sizes are in metric.

 

Wheels are often given metric sizes at his time. Thornycroft 'J' types carried brass plates on their wheels with the Dia in MM engraved thereon. I can only imagine that the solid tyres came in metric sizes from foreign parts and the wheels were made to suit. Any one have any further wisdom ?

 

Tomo

[johnboy]

Seems a lot of tyres were produced by  America. Not renowned for metric. Just seems unusual to mix metric and imperial.  Were the wheels built for the tyres or visa versa?

[Lancashire Fusilier]

18 hours ago, johnboy said:

Seems a lot of tyres were produced by  America. Not renowned for metric. Just seems unusual to mix metric and imperial.  Were the wheels built for the tyres or visa versa?

 

johnboy,

 

Most of the British Army's vehicles used during WW1 were built to WD specifications, and the tyres were manufactured accordingly to fit those standardized wheel sizes.

As Tomo has said, it was not unusual for metric wheel and tyre sizes to be used at that time, and here is a 1919 advertisement for a Martinsyde-Newman motorcycle built in Surrey, and although it is not easy to read, both the wheel and tyre sizes are metric.

 

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Although my final photograph relating to the Robey-Peters Fighting Machine is a little grainy, it is nevertheless an important photograph, in that it shows the Type 2 preparing to take off on it's ill-fated maiden test flight from the Bracebridge Heath airfield, near Lincoln on May 17, 1917.

 

This photograph clearly shows the Pilot in his rear fuselage cockpit, and 2 men seated in the Gunner's port and starboard nacelles/cockpits, which would have been critical and necessary to ensure the aircraft was fully crewed and properly weight balanced for the test flight.

 

Although this maiden test flight resulted in the Type 2 crash-landing due to a stalled engine, fortunately, there are no reports of any injury to the crew. 

 

LF

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The Robey & Co manufactured Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane 

 

The largest number of aircraft produced by Robey & Co. at their Globe Works in Lincoln during WW1, were the 256 ' Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplanes ' manufactured by Robey & Co. between November 1915 and November 1918. In fact, Robey & Co. produced more Short 184 Seaplanes during WW1 than any other of the 10 Short 184 Seaplane subcontracting manufacturers.

 

The Short 184 Seaplane was designed by Horace Short ( of Short Brothers ) in late 1914, and first flew in early 1915. The Short 184 was produced either as a two-seater reconnaissance or torpedo bomber, or as a single-seater bomber.

 

The original first two Short Seaplane prototypes were serial numbered 184 & 185, hence the designation ' 184 ' being chosen for the Short Seaplane's official type naming.

 

Interestingly, those first two Short Seaplane prototypes Nos. 184 & 185 were embarked aboard HMS Ben-my-Chree on 21st March 1915 to take part in the Gallipoli Campaign, and it was on 12 August 1915, that one of those Short 184 Seaplanes armed with a torpedo and flown by Flight Commander Charles Edmonds, spotted a Turkish merchant ship in the Sea of Marmara. The 184 attacked the Turkish ship firing it's torpedo which struck and sank the Turkish merchant ship, and so the Short 184 became the first aircraft to sink a ship using an air-launched torpedo.

 

The Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane's general specifications :

Crew: 1 or 2 - Length: 40 ft 7½ in (12.38 m) - Wingspan: 63 ft 6¼ in (19.36 m) - Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) - Empty weight: 3,703 lb (1,680 kg) - Loaded weight: 5,363 lb (2,433 kg) - Powerplant: 1 × Sunbeam, 260 hp (194 kW) driving a 2 or 4-bladed propeller.

Performance :

Maximum speed: 88.5 mph (77 knots, 142 km/h) at 2,000 ft (610 m) - Endurance: 2¾ hrs - Service Ceiling: 9,000 ft (2,743 m)

Armament :

Guns: 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun in rear cockpit - Bombs: 1 × 14 in (356 mm) torpedo or up to 520 lb (236 kg) of bombs

 

The Attached artwork depicts a 2-seater Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane Serial No. CH N2833 built at Robey & Co's Globe works in Lincoln in 1918, and painted in the colours of the RNAS Seaplane Station at Cherbourg, France, which opened in March 1917.

 

LF

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 September , 2016 by Lancashire Fusilier

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A superb photograph, showing a 2-seater Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane just leaving the water after take-off.

This photograph gives excellent details of the aircraft, and of particular note is the distinctive ' feathering ' to the wing's trailing-edge.

 

LF

 

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This photograph, taken inside Robey & Co's Globe Works in Lincoln, shows numerous Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplanes in various stages of their construction. This excellent photograph is packed full of details relating to the 184's construction at all stages, and shows details of many of the 184's components.

In the bottom right of the photograph are wing sections, which show the ' feathering ' to the wing's trailing-edge.

Also of note, and shown clearly in the centre of the photograph, is the 184's distinctive ' box ' radiator mounted on top of the ' Sunbeam ' 260 hp engine.

The more this photograph is studied, the more excellent information on the 184 it reveals.

 

LF

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This photograph taken inside Robey & Co's Globe Works in Lincoln, shows female workers covering wings for the Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Another very interesting photograph taken inside Robey's Globe Works in Lincoln, which shows a completed Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane ready for painting.

It is rare to be able to see a WW1 aircraft in this stage of it's manufacture with the aircraft fully fabric covered, and from the tight look of the fabric covering, the ' Dope ', a plasticised lacquer used to tighten and strengthen the aircraft's fabric, had been applied, with the next stage in the 184's manufacture being it's painting prior to delivery to the RNAS.

 

There are other interesting details in this photograph apart from the completed 184, there are aircraft engines on wooden trestles, a small vehicle at the back of the factory, and a massive wall to wall overhead crane which ran on rails attached to the factory's walls.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The view of Robey's factory floor used for Short 184 construction shown in post # 5465, was taken from the factory floor end shown in the previous post # 5467, looking down the factory to the other end.

 

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This wonderful photograph, which again is packed full of details relating both to the Robey Short 184 Seaplane and also some Lincoln residents circa 1917.

A Robey manufactured Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane has been set up in the forecourt of Lincoln Railway Station as part of a 1917 Red Cross fundraiser, which allowed local residents to view the Seaplane and make a donation to the Red Cross.

This photograph gives a good sense of the size/scale of the Short 184, and also many details of the clothing worn by local residents of Lincoln at that time, with each person's face in the crowd forever frozen in time, and with the general mood of the crowd being somewhat sombre, no doubt each person having their own preoccupation with the war and each having their own WW1 story to tell.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Edited 25 September , 2016 by Lancashire Fusilier

[Lancashire Fusilier]

An alternative view of the 1917 Robey manufactured Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane on display in the forecourt of Lincoln Station.

 

LF

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This excellent painting depicts a Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane, which having spotted a German U-Boat, is preparing for an attack.

 

LF

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This photograph shows a nice example of a Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane 2-seater Bomber mounted on a 2-wheel transport trailer, sitting on the slipway ready for launching.

The photograph was taken at the Royal Naval Air Service's Calshot Seaplane Station at Calshot Spit in Southampton Water, Hampshire. .

 

This photograph clearly shows the position of the bombs fitted to the 184's underside bomb rack, and also the ' Scarff Ring ' machine gun mount fitted to the rear-cockpit.

Also of note, is the ' feathering ' to the wing's trailing edge.

 

LF

 

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This photograph provides excellent details of the nose of the Short Admiralty Type 184 Seaplane, particularly the ' box ' radiator mounted on top of the Sunbeam 260 hp engine, the exhaust pipe and the 184's large propeller which was either 2-blade or 4-blade.

 

LF

 

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Although we have been reviewing Robey & Co's aircraft production during WW1, they were also major manufactures of steam engines and steam vehicles before, during and after WW1.

Attached, is a photograph of a Robey & Co 1914 5-ton Steam Wagon.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A Robey & Co Steam Wagon advertisement.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.