Boulton & Paul Bobolink Aircraft

Production Details

Design Company:

Boulton & Paul Ltd, Norwich

First Flight:

By March 1918

P.3 Bobolink:

1 - Boulton & Paul

Type Specification

Applies to:

Boulton & Paul P.3 Bobolink

Type:

Single seat day fighter to specification A.1A to replace Sopwith Camel

Wing:

Staggered, two bay, equal span wings. Wooden structure with fabric covering. Ailerons on all four wings

Fuselage:

Circular section forward fuselage, with flat sided aft fuselage. Wooden structure with fabric covering

Tail Unit:

Monoplane type braced tailplane with split elevator. Swept fin and single rudder

Landing Gear:

Crossaxle type gear connected by main legs to engine mounts with radius rods to lower wing rear attachment. Tail skid

Power Plant:

One 230 hp Bentley B.R.2 nine cylinder rotary engine in nose driving a two blade airscrew

Accommodation:

Single seat for pilot in open cockpit between the wings

Armament:

Two forward firing Vickers machine guns on fuselage with Lewis on rail on upper wing

Span:

29 ft

Length:

20 ft

Height:

8 ft 4 in

Wing Area:

266 sq ft

Empty:

1,226 lb

Loaded:

1,992 lb

Speed:

125 mph at 10,000 ft

Climb:

5 min 20 sec to 6,500 ft

Service Ceiling:

19,500 ft

Endurance:

3.25 hr

Preserved in British Museums

Web Sites