Martin & Handasyde F.3 Buzzard

The Buzzard began life as a private venture design by G H Handasyde designated F.3. A single-bay staggered biplane of conventional wooden con-struction with fabric skinning and powered by a Rolls-Royce Falcon engine of 285 hp.

The F.3 appeared in the autumn of 1917 and underwent its first official trials on 3 October, six further prototypes being ordered and a decision to manufac-ture the F.3 in quantity being taken before the end of 1917.

The F.3 was powered by the 275 hp Falcon III engine, but priorities enjoyed by the Bristol Fighter in Falcon engine supplies led to the reworking of the fighter for the 300 hp Hispano-Suiza 8Fb with which it was redesignated F.4 and (from September 1918) officially named Buzzard. It is uncertain as to how many of the original batch of 150 aircraft were completed as Falcon-engined F.3s, but the bulk was certainly finished as HS 8Fb-engined F.4s.

An installation for the 240-hp Lorraine 8Bb eight-cylinder water-cooled engine was designed and may have been made.

On the F.3 the armament could be supplemented by one 0303-in (7,7-mm) Lewis machine-gun mounted on the rear spar of the centre section. The first Buzzard Mk 1a, H6540, at one time had two supplementary Lewis guns partly let into the upper surface of the lower mainplanes, one on each side.

Engine: One 285-hp Rolls-Royce Falcon experimental
Prop: Lang L.P.3770A two-blade wooden airscrew, diameter 2850 mm (9 ft 42 in), pitch 3 050 mm (10 ft)
Normal fuel capacity: petrol 32 Imp gal (145,5 lt), oil 3 gal (13,6 lt), water 6 gal (27,3 lt)
Span, upper, 32 ft l0in (11,0 m), lower 31 ft 6 in (10,6 m)
Length, 25 ft 8 in (7,8 m)
Height, 8 ft 8 in (2,85 m)
Wing area, 337 sq ft (31,34 sq.m)
Armament: Two fixed 0303-in (7,7-mm) Vickers Mark 1* machine-guns synchronized by Constantinesco C.C. Gear Type B with (ultimately) 770 rpg; 1 8-in (45,72-mm) Aldis optical sight and 5-in (127-mm) ring-and-bead sight.

Engine: one 275-hp Rolls-Royce Falcon III 12-cylinder water-cooled
Prop: Lang L.P.3770A two-blade wooden airscrew, diameter 2850 mm (9 ft 42 in), pitch 3 050 mm (10 ft)
Normal fuel capacity: (B1490), petrol 39 Imp gal (177,31), oil 435 gal (19,81)
Span, upper, 32 ft l0in (11,0 m), lower 31 ft 6 in (10,6 m)
Length  25 ft 6 in (7,8 m)
Height, 8 ft 8 in (2,85 m)
Wing area, 337 sq ft (31,34 sq.m)
Armament: Two fixed 0303-in (7,7-mm) Vickers Mark 1* machine-guns synchronized by Constantinesco C.C. Gear Type B with (ultimately) 770 rpg; 1 8-in (45,72-mm) Aldis optical sight and 5-in (127-mm) ring-and-bead sight.