Single seat two-bay fighter biplane featuring a semi-monocoque fuselage. One
120 h.p. A.B.C. Mosquito powerplant. Unofficially known as the Bat, it later became the Bantam. Six aircraft were ordered
of a developed version, each of which was to be of a different configuration. See Note 1.
Final developed version of the Wasp powered Bantam, combining the large fuselage, with new, longer span wings,
the long chord fin and rudder of the small fuselage machines and new rectangular tailplane. One 170 h.p. A.B.C. Wasp powerplant.
1 aircraft built as a
private venture by the British Aerial Transport Co. of Willesdon, underc Ministry of Munitions Licence No.11. First flown
September 1917
none
none
1
6 aircraft ordered from the British Aerial Transport Co. of Willesdon, to contract A.S.25314. 4 aircraft
delivered between January and March 1918.
12
aircraft ordered from the British Aerial Transport Co. of Willesdon, to contract 35A/577/C488. 4 aircraft delivered between
April and December 1918 before cancellation of contract.
5 of the remaining 8 were completed as indicated.
F1653 - F1656
14-17
4
F1654 to civilian register
as K-123/G-EACN
F1655 to civilian register,
alloted K-154/G-EAFM but never worn.
To U.S.A. as A.S.94111/P-167
F1657
18
1
Retained by B.A.T.; alloted K-155/G-EAFN but never worn.
F1658
19
1
Retained by B.A.T.; became
K-125/G-EACP. See note 2.
F1659
20
1
Retained by B.A.T. See note
2.
F1660
21
1
To G-EAJWP. See note 2.
F1661
22
1
Retained by B.A.T. for Wasp II trials; became G-EAYA.
F1662
23
1
Prospectively G-EAMM
for Wasp II trials; not completed.
F1663
- F1664
24-25
Not completed, but see
below.
2 aircraft ordered from the British Aerial Transport
Co. of Willesdon, to contract 35A/453/C445 to meet Specification DofR Type 1. Assembled at Farnborough in November 1920.
Per Jackson [1], aircraft
powered by one 170 h.p. A.B.C. Wasp were known as Type F.K.22/1, aircraft powered by one 100 h.p. Gnome Monosoupape B.2 were
known as Type F.K.22/2. Additionally, each Wasp powered machine varied by fuselage and wing configuration. The F.K.22/2 utilised
the long fuselage, the tailplane of which was the same as the original Mosquito powered machine, whereas that of the short
fuselage was of a new, rectangular, design. The six machine configurations were:
B9944 - F.K.22/1, large fuselage
(22'-8"), small wing (20'-0"). Aircraft completed but not flown.
B9945 - F.K.22/2, first flew late 1917.
B9946 - F.K.22/2. aircraft completed but not flown.
B9947 - F.K.22/1, small fuselage (length unknown), small
wing. First flown January, 1918.
B9948 - F.K.22/1, small fuselage, large wing (24'-7"). First flown March
1918.
B9949 - F.K.22/1, large fuselage, large wing. Aircraft completed but not flown.
Eventually,
B9947 was deemed sufficiently different as to merit a new designation, becoming the first F.K.23. However, it differed significantly
from what became the definative F.K.23. Apparently the construction of all six machines began simultaneously, therefore
the c/n order does not match the serial sequence, but would appear from [1] that c/n.1 applied F.K.22/1 to B9944, c/n.2 to
F.K.22/2 B9945.
Precise correlation between military serial and civil registration of these three
machines can no longer be made [1].
The use of the designations "Bantam I" and "Bantam
II" is unclear and most likely a more recent invention to differentiate between the F.K.22 and F.K.23.
Production References
Aeroplane
Monthly, March to June, 1983.
Royal Air Force Aircraft J1 - J9999, RAF Aircraft Register Series (Air-Britain
Publications, 1987)
Air Pictorial, April 1960
British Isles Civil Aircraft Register 1919-2011
(LAAS International)
