56. VICKERS FB5
'GUNBUS'!
THE Vickers FB .5 two-seat pusher enjoyed a remarkable wartime career with a Victoria Cross being awarded to an FB.5 pilot. DATAFILE 56 presents an unmatched historical narrative by Jack Bruce with 79 revealing photos, plus detailed 1:72 and 1:48 scale plans by Ian Stair, over ten official handbook sketches with cockpit and armament details. Series editor Ray Rimell provides the camouflage and markings notes and the three rear cover profiles: a kit listing; leading specifications and full production serial allocation complete the content.
ON 25 July 1915, the first squadron of any air arm created specifically as a fighter unit equipped with a single type, arrived in France: this was No.11 Squadron RFC and the aeroplane was the Vickers Fighting Biplane No.5.In pre-war days the pusher was unofficially dubbed the 'Gun Bus', a sobriquet it has borne ever since and it remains one of WWI's immortals. The VC was awarded to just 19 airmen in that war-one of the little bronze medals went to 2/Lt. Gilbert Insall for an action on 7 November when, with observer/gunner AM T H Donald, he brought down a German Aviatik two-seater. Soon after their success the 11 Sqdn. airmen were themselves downed-by ground fire-and Insall made a good landing behind enemy lines. Despite being shelled overnight, the crew and their Vickers survived the onslaught and at dawn, the aeroplane's punctured fuel tank having been patched up, Insall and Donald safely returned to their airfield at Bertangles...
This is a truly graphic history of the FB.5 with over 77 rare archive photos to support Jack Bruce's stirring narrative. As well as the usual 1:48 and 1:72 scale drawings, there are three pages of factory diagrams, airframe close-ups and detailed 1915 schematics for nacelle fixtures and fittings. Full colours and markings notes are completed by three rear cover colour profiles
