Vickers Type 143

The Vickers Type 143, also called the Bolivian Scout, was a British single-seat fighter biplane designed and built by Vickers in 1929 and 1930. Bolivia, engaged in border disputes with Paraguay over the Gran Chaco and building up its air force, ordered six in early 1929. The Type 143 developed the earlier Type 141 by replacing the Rolls-Royce Kestrel with a Bristol Jupiter VIA, which already powered other Bolivian aircraft, and by adding a stronger undercarriage for rough Bolivian airfields. It was an all-metal, single-bay biplane. It first flew on 11 June 1929 and met all its performance requirements, and deliveries to Bolivia began in January 1930. Three of the six had been written off before the Chaco War escalated; the survivors fought in the war until they were superseded by Curtiss Hawks, and damaged at least one Paraguayan Wibault 73 in air combat. A seventh aircraft, the Type 177, was built as a naval fighter prototype and did not enter production.