Beardmore W.B.XXIV Wee Bee I

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Contents

Type Description

• W.B.XXIV Wee Bee I
• Two seat high-wing monoplane built specifically for the 1924 Lympne Light Aircraft Trials. Its aerodynamically thick wing was divided at the centre and braced, close to the fuselage, by pairs of parallel struts to the lower longerons. The wings, of near retangular planform, were of two spar construction with plywood skinning between the two spars out as far as the bracing; outboard, only the leading edges were plywood covered, with fabric elsewhere. The fuselage was built up on six spruce longerons, with bulkheads of spruce and three-ply. The Wee Bee's decking was concave as it reached the flat fuselage sides, making for a better view from the two tandem cockpits. These were positioned at the leading edge and just behind mid-chord, fitted with dual controls. Both cockpits were semi-enclosed and faired neatly into the upper fuselage/ wing surface. The front one was entered by lifting up a small hinged part of the leading edge, which was locked down for flight. The aft cockpit had a roof hatch with a transparent celluloid window in the upper wings, with good views though openings in the sides below the wing. The engine was hung from a duralumin sheet bracket fixed to the engine bulkhead and positioned below with a pair of duralumin tubes, themselves braced to the lower longerons with steel tubes. It was enclosed in a smooth, streamlined cowling, with the upper cylinder heads protruding for cooling. The fin and tailplane were both integral with the fuselage and narrow in chord, carrying wider control surfaces, the rudder being horn balanced. The main undercarriage was very simple, with two wheels mounted on a bent chrome-nickel alloy tube which passed through the fuselage bottom. Landing loads were absorbed by elastic axle bending. One 32 h.p. Bristol Cherub I powerplant.

Production Details

Production References

1. Beardmore Aviation 1913-1930, Charles MacKay (A. MacKay, 2012)
2. British Civil Aircraft Registers 1919-1928, Peter W. Moss (Air Britain, 1969)