Howard-Flanders Designations

[Apophenia]

Howard-Flanders Designations

Hesham mentioned unbuilt projects by British aviation pioneer RL Howard-Flanders.
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,27140.msg279781.html#msg279781

So, I've begun a list of built designs in hopes of stirring up some of those unbuilt projects ... or other Howard-Flanders aircraft designs. I would also appreciate any biographical additions or corrections.

A note on spelling: Richard Leonard Howard-Flanders signed himself 'L. Howard-Flanders' with the hyphen. [1] However, the company name was L. Howard Flanders Ltd. - sans hyphen - and the aircraft designs listed simply as 'Flanders'.

In Flight advertisements, the firms is listed as L. Howard Flanders Ltd., Brooklands Shed 33 and Townsend Rd., Richmond, Surrey. However, on the Aerodrome discussion group, there was mention of "a short lived factory in the Old Drill Hall in 1912" which was taken over first by the Richmond Automobile Company and then by Whitehead Aircraft.

Howard-Flanders Aircraft Designations

I have found no designation for the Neale Pup monoplane designed by Howard-Flanders with (or for) J.V. Neale at Brooklands. Neale's later aircraft were given Roman numeral designations but no designation seems to have been applied to the Pup.

As mentioned, the designs of L. Howard Flanders Ltd. were referred to simply as 'Flanders' followed by a type designation letter and model number. The type designation letters were 'F' (presumably for 'Flanders') applied to monoplanes, 'B' applied to biplanes, and 'S' (for Hesham's mentioned S 1 project). I presume that 'S' was for 'Scout' but don't know for sure.

Flanders designations are shown with and without spaces as well as with periods or hyphens between designation letters and model numbers. I have adopted what seems to be the most common style - using a space but no punctuation.

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[1] Howard-Flanders' personal copy of Balancing of Engines, Steam, Gas, and Petrol by Archibald Sharp (Longmans, Green, and Co, London, 1907), offered for sale by Graham Richards Books of Tunbridge Wells, was signed in this manner.

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Below is some biographical details for R.L. Howard-Flanders

Richard Leonard Howard-Flanders A.F.R.Ae.S., A.M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Ae.E. (Hons.), M.R.S.T
b. 04 Sept 1882 (Italy), d. 12 Aug 1939
-- Obituary https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1939/1939-1-%20-%200598.PDF
-- Portrait https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1913/1913%20-%200345.html

1909 - A.V. Roe (after apprenticing at Brazil Straker/Straker-Squire Ltd)

1910 - Formed his own firm, L. Howard Flanders Ltd. at Brooklands
- Designed/built F 1 monoplane (incomplete due to lack of engine)

1911 - Designed F 2/F 3 monoplane, ordered by RFC as F 4 2-seater

1912 - Handley-Page, Ltd. takes over sales of Howard Flanders aircraft
- Handley-Page also took over Flanders School, Brooklands Aerodrome

1913 - Bankrupcy of L. Howard Flanders Ltd.
- Following severe motorcycle accident in the Autumn of 1913

1914 - January, 6 months in Australia to recuperate from accident

1914 - July, returned to UK, invited to join Vickers at Crayford

1914 - August, Chief Designer, Vickers Ltd. (Aircraft Department)

1915 - Designed Vickers E.F.B.7 (deriv. from Flanders B.2)

1916 - Designed Vickers F.B.11 biplane escort fighter

1917 - Relocated to Vickers Ltd. (Aircraft Dept, Engine Section)

1919 - (?? Date uncertain ??) Moved to English Electric Co.

1920 - (?? Date uncertain ??) Moved to Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.

1920 - UK Patent 27,229 Crankshafts, etc. (173,304.)
- R.L. Howard-Flanders and Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd.

1921-1926 - Honorary Secretary, Institution of Aeronautical Engineers

1930 - Gliding and Motorless Flight, L Howard-Flanders & CF Carr

1930 - Honorary Secretary, British Gliding Association, until 1936
- Also Editor, B.G.A. Journal (British Gliding Association)

1933 - Director, Aviation Developments, Ltd, 'Flying Fair' joy-riding
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200109.html

1935-1938 - Bureau of Information, National League of Airmen

1939 - (?? Date uncertain ??) Returned to Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.

1939 - 12 Aug, died of complications following surgury

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[Apophenia]

R.L. Howard Flanders Aircraft Designs and Designations

Neale Pup - 1909 single-engined, single-seat monoplane
- Pup: Designed with J.V. Neale, 1st flown Dec 1909
-- 1 x 9 hp JAP V-2, span 8.96 m, aileron control
-- http://flyingmachines.ru/Images7/Putnam/Brit_Early/189-1.jpg
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1924/1924%20-%200052.PDF

Howard Flanders 'F' Series Monoplanes

Flanders F 1 - [Project] 1910-1911 twin-pusher 1/2-seat monoplane
- F 1: Single-engine, twin pusher props, lack of suitable engine*
-- F 1 was to have variable incidence wings to aid stability
-- * Intended powerplant was an undelivered 120 hp ABC engine**
-- http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29568.htm
-- ** P.D. Stemp: 'Kites, Birds & Stuff ...', pg 67

Flanders F 2 - 1911 single-seat, shoulder-wing monoplane, span 10.67 m
- F 2: 1 x 60 hp Green, king post-supported wings, wing-warping
-- http://airspot.ru/catalogue_image/filename/19950/flandersf2-5.jpg

Flanders F 3 - 1911 2-seat, shoulder-wing monoplane, 1 x 60 hp Green
- F 3: Adaptation of single-seat F 2, wing-warping, span 10.67 m

Flanders F 4 - 1912 2-seat, shoulder-wing monoplane, span 12.34 m
- F 4: Prod'n vers. of the F 3, 1 x 70 hp Renault, x 4 for RFC*
-- ** Withdrawn 1913, monoplane ban (poss. never entered service)
-- http://airspot.ru/catalogue_image/filename/19954/flandersf4-2.jpg
-- Flanders F 4 No. 281 flown with tapered wings
-- http://flyingmachines.ru/Images7/Putnam/Brit_Early/131-3.jpg
-- Flanders F 4 No. 439 flown with constant-chord wings
-- http://flyingmachines.ru/Images7/Putnam/Brit_Early/131-4.jpg

Flanders F 5 - [Project] No details

Howard Flanders 'B' Series Biplanes

Flanders B 1 - [?? hypothetical designation ??]

Flanders B 2 - 1912 2-bay biplane, 2-seat military trainer
- B 2: Planned 100 hp ABC engine failed tests, span 13.11 m
- B 2: As flown, 40 hp ABC engine, judged underpowered
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1913/1913%20-%200015.html
- B 2: Modified 1913, 1 x 60 hp Isaacson 7-cyl radial
- B 2: Mod'd 1914,* 1 x cowled Gnome, used by Admiralty
-- * Tail & upper wing also modified, aka Flanders B II**
-- ** P.D. Stemp: 'Kites, Birds & Stuff ...', pg 69
-- https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1913/1913%20-%201138.html
-- 3v: https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1913/1913%20-%201139.html

Flanders B 3 - [Project] No details

Howard Flanders 'S' Series - no details

Flanders S 1 - [?? Hypothetical designation]

Flanders S 2 - [Project] No details

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Vickers Ltd (Aircraft Department) Designs

Vickers E.F.B.7 - 1915 2-seat twin-engine sequiplane fighter
- E.F.B.7 : 2 x 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape, crew separated
-- E.F.B.7 is considered a twin-engined Flanders B 2 devel.
-- http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/vickers_fb-7.php
-- http://www.wwiaviation.com/popup/Vickers_EFB-7.html
-- 3v: http://flyingmachines.ru/Images7/Fighters/575-5.jpg
- E.F.B.7A: 2 x 80 hp Renault,* crew moved closer together
-- * Due to shortage of Gnomes, underpowered as a result
-- 11 x E.F.B.7 ordered from Darracq and Co., cancelled
-- Experimental Fighting Biplane No.7, aka F.B.7 or E.B.7
-- NB: E.F.B.8, equal-span redesign by 'Rex' Pierson

Vickers F.B.11 - 1916 single-bay biplane escort fighter
- F.B.11: 3-seat* fighter, 1 x 250 hp RR Eagle III V-12
-- * Pilot, rear gunner, gunner in 'fighting top' nacelle
-- 2 F.B.11 prototypes ordered, 1 canc. after 1st crashed
-- http://www.wwiaviation.com/drawings/vickers_fb-11-sm.png
-- F.B.12 influenced by Howard-Flanders' F.B.11 design**
-- ** According to C. Andrews, Vickers Aircraft since 1908

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[hesham]

Excellent and amazing work my dear Apophenia.