Vickers Type 161 Cow Gun Fighter
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johnbr
2nd Lieutenant
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johnbr
2nd Lieutenant
The unconventional Vickers Type 161 was designed around its 37mm Coventry Ordnance Works cannon.
The Vickers Type 161 (J9566) is one of several unconventional designs produced in response to Specification F.29/27.
This also sought a 'point defence interceptor' designed around the powerful COW 37mm (Coventry Ordnance Works) cannon. The gun was designed to fire upwards into the enemy aircraft and thus a steady gun platform was an important element of the requirements. The Type 161 configuration was almost a throw-back to the First World War Vickers Gunbus being a single seat biplane of pusher configuration.
Despite its unusual appearance, the machine flew well (after some initial problems with yaw stability) and firing the gun produced no unusual effects on the aircraft or its performance. Power was provided by a Bristol Jupiter VIIF radial and the aircraft made its first flight on 21st January 1931.
Official trials took place in September 1931 and the type was well received by the service pilots that flew it.
However, no production order was ever received and the type remains a curiosity as the value of high calibre cannon armament for an interceptor fighter became readily apparent during the Second World War.
The Coventry Ordnance Works (C.O.W.) designed and built in 1915 a small 37 mm cannon capable of firing a 1 pound, and then later 1.5 pound high-explosive shell. Vickers had acquired in the early twenties the rights for this gun and after a proposal to the Air Staff a specification was issued to develop a dedicated aircraft to carry such a large calibre weapon. Originally the design was specified for a twin-engine plane carrying two of the '1.5 pounder' 37 mm weapons, which was more widely known as the C.O.W.-gun. Although two such cannon-planes were actually built (the Bristol Bagshot and the Westland Westbury) they simply lacked the power and performances, and the idea never materialized. Later, a new specification, Spec. F29/27 was issued for a bomber-destroyer carrying a single COW gun. Vickers submitted their Type 161 to meet this specification."
Wikipedia
Vickers Type 161 - Wikipedia
"General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Wingspan: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)
Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Wing area: 270 ft2 (25.1 m2)
Empty weight: 2,318 lb (1,051 kg)
Gross weight: 3,350 lb (1,520 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Jupiter VIIF 9-cylinder radial, 530 hp (395 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: (at 10,000 ft, 3,048 m) 185 mph (298 km/h)
Rate of climb: (to 10,000 ft, 3,048 m) ft/min (8.76 m/s)
Armament
1× 37 mm (1.46 in) COW automatic gun"
The Vickers Type 161 (J9566) is one of several unconventional designs produced in response to Specification F.29/27.
This also sought a 'point defence interceptor' designed around the powerful COW 37mm (Coventry Ordnance Works) cannon. The gun was designed to fire upwards into the enemy aircraft and thus a steady gun platform was an important element of the requirements. The Type 161 configuration was almost a throw-back to the First World War Vickers Gunbus being a single seat biplane of pusher configuration.
Despite its unusual appearance, the machine flew well (after some initial problems with yaw stability) and firing the gun produced no unusual effects on the aircraft or its performance. Power was provided by a Bristol Jupiter VIIF radial and the aircraft made its first flight on 21st January 1931.
Official trials took place in September 1931 and the type was well received by the service pilots that flew it.
However, no production order was ever received and the type remains a curiosity as the value of high calibre cannon armament for an interceptor fighter became readily apparent during the Second World War.
The Coventry Ordnance Works (C.O.W.) designed and built in 1915 a small 37 mm cannon capable of firing a 1 pound, and then later 1.5 pound high-explosive shell. Vickers had acquired in the early twenties the rights for this gun and after a proposal to the Air Staff a specification was issued to develop a dedicated aircraft to carry such a large calibre weapon. Originally the design was specified for a twin-engine plane carrying two of the '1.5 pounder' 37 mm weapons, which was more widely known as the C.O.W.-gun. Although two such cannon-planes were actually built (the Bristol Bagshot and the Westland Westbury) they simply lacked the power and performances, and the idea never materialized. Later, a new specification, Spec. F29/27 was issued for a bomber-destroyer carrying a single COW gun. Vickers submitted their Type 161 to meet this specification."
Wikipedia
Vickers Type 161 - Wikipedia
"General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Wingspan: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)
Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Wing area: 270 ft2 (25.1 m2)
Empty weight: 2,318 lb (1,051 kg)
Gross weight: 3,350 lb (1,520 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Bristol Jupiter VIIF 9-cylinder radial, 530 hp (395 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: (at 10,000 ft, 3,048 m) 185 mph (298 km/h)
Rate of climb: (to 10,000 ft, 3,048 m) ft/min (8.76 m/s)
Armament
1× 37 mm (1.46 in) COW automatic gun"
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johnbr
2nd Lieutenant
Good shots!
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Very interesting!
