The Beardmore W.B.2, also known as the Beardmore W.B.II was a British fighter monoplane prototype of the 1910s.

Development

A two-seat fighter of wooden construction, the W.B.2 was built as a private venture by William Beardmore and Company, based on an original design called the B.E.2c designed by G. Tilghman-Richards in . Powered by a 200hp Hispano-Suiza 8Bd engine, it carried two guns and design finished early in 1917 with the production of the first prototype.

Operational history

The W.B.2 was first flown on 30 August 1917, and performance proved good. However, the Air Ministry deemed that the 8Bd engine, at that time in short supply, was needed more urgently for use in the S.E.5a fighter at that time serving with the Royal Flying Corps in World War I. As such, no further production of the W.B.2 took place, however in 1920 two civil examples were produced, named the W.B.IIB.

Specifications

References

• Green, William; Gordon Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters. Godalming, UK: Salamander Books.