Vickers E.F.B.8

The Vickers E.F.B.8 was a prototype British twin-engined fighter of the First World War, abandoned after only one aircraft was built because single-engined fighters were considered more manoeuvrable. In autumn 1915 Vickers was working on the Experimental Fighting Biplane No. 8 alongside the large cannon-armed E.F.B.7, but assigned to Rex Pierson as a smaller, machine gun armed fighter with twice the power of the single-engined F.B.5 Gunbus, which was too slow. Like the E.F.B.7 it was a two-bay biplane with a steel-tube structure and plywood and fabric covering, powered by two tractor Gnome Monosoupape rotary engines between the wings. The gunner with a single Lewis gun sat in the nose, remote from the pilot. It flew in November 1915 and was the fastest twin-engined aircraft of 1915, but was not maneuverable enough and was rejected for production. The experience helped Pierson with the Vimy bomber two years later.