Heading into 1918 during World War 1, there was already work being done to find a viable successor to the classic Sopwith Camel biplane fighter. The Camel appeared in June of 1917 and, by wartime standards, it lived a healthily long service life amidst changing technologies and tactics concerning the air war. The Austin Osprey, a single-seat triplane fighter - was developed with the hopes that it could follow the veteran design but it eventually lost out to the Sopwith Snipe - of which nearly 500 were produced from 1918 onward. For the Osprey, only a single prototype was ever made by the Austin Motor Company and the design quickly forgotten.
The original requirement was made by British authorities in 1917 (Specification A.1.A) calling for a single-seat, twin-gunned mount to succeed the venerable Camel. At this point in the war, the Austen Motor Company, like other concerns in British industry, were already helping in the war effort by producing other company's aircraft designs to meet demand. When the specification came down, Austen decided to try its hand in the design and development of a suitable fighter. The result was the A.F.T.3 "Osprey" of which three prototypes were ordered. Interestingly, engineers elected for a triple-wing arrangement over the standard two wings common to many fighters of the period.
On the whole, the Osprey utilized proven construction internally and out as well as traditional design techniques which did little to set it apart from the competition. Dimensions included a length of 17.6 feet, a wingspan of 23 feet and a height of 18.7 feet. Empty weight was 500 kilograms to a loaded weight of 860 kilograms. Power was served from a Bentley BR2 series rotary engine of 230 horsepower fitted to the nose and driving a two-bladed wooden propeller. Performance specs included a maximum speed of 119 miles per hour, a service ceiling of 19,000 feet and endurance up to three hours in the air. The triple-wing arrangement was all equal-span with a forward cant and parallel strut works.
Armament was the usual pairing of 2 x .303 Vickers machine guns in fixed, forward firing positions over the nose and synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades. Another interesting quality of the Osprey was the placement of a third machine gun, this being a Lewis Gun, set upon the center section of the middle wing assembly. Additionally this installation was trainable to an extent but its flexibility added little.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
✓X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.
Length
17.6 ft (5.35 m)
Width/Span
23.0 ft (7.00 m)
Height
10.7 ft (3.25 m)
Empty Wgt
1,102 lb (500 kg)
MTOW
1,896 lb (860 kg)
Wgt Diff
+794 lb (+360 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Austin A.F.T.3 production variant)
Installed:
1 x Bentley BR.2 rotary engine developing 230 horsepower and driving two-bladed propeller at the nose.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Austin A.F.T.3 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
STANDARD:
2 x .303 Vickers machine guns in fixed, forward-firing positions over the nose and synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades.
OPTIONAL:
1 x .303 Lewis Gun in central wing assembly on trainable mounting.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
A.F.T.3 "Osprey" - Base Series Designation; single prototype completed.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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United Kingdom (cancelled)
