B.A.T. F.K.26
The B.A.T. FK26 was a commercial is laid out for four passengers, single-engined biplane of the British manufacturer British Aerial Transport Company (BAT ) from the year 1919. Considered the world's first designed for passenger transport aircraft. Since the aircraft market was dominated by low-priced former military machinery, the production ended after only four copies.
History
At the end of the First World War saw the aircraft manufacturer BAT forced to switch production to civilian models. The Dutch Development Director Frederick Koolhoven began in November 1918 with the design of a transport aircraft in its closed cabin four passengers could be accommodated. The pilot was in an open cockpit behind the wings. The commercial aircraft used until then were converted military machines in which the passengers were in most cases in an open cockpit.
The prototype of the FK26 performed its maiden flight in April 1919. Although the former airlines were not interested in this comparatively expensive model, developed to November 1919 three additional copies. They stayed first in the possession of the manufacturer and have been used for charter flights in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
The second aircraft was presented in July 1919 at the air show in Amsterdam. After that, it was the short-lived airline Cobor on the route from London to Amsterdam. Among the founders of the airline also Frederick Koolhoven belonged.
The third model was seen in July 1920 at the Olympia Aero Show. The fourth copy was the last of B.A.T. built airplane. This machine came in 1920 in the possession of the Instone Air Line and was used until July 1922 for charter and scheduled flights between London - Croydon and Paris.
Frederick Koolhoven, who had returned to the bankruptcy of the company in the Netherlands, acquired in 1937 the prototype, let him restore and gave it to the Aviation Museum at Schiphol Airport. After the German occupation had decided in 1940 to take any still airworthy machines back in service, the aircraft was sunk by locals in a polder.
Construction
The aircraft was largely made of wood and was on the outside covered with fabric. The passenger cabin was in the front of the gravity of the machine and had a rectangular cross section. For stability reasons, it could only be accessed by very small doors. The Rolls -Royce Eagle engine in the bow drove a four-bladed propeller.