BAT Basilisk
British prototype fighter biplane of WWI
title: "BAT Basilisk" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1910s-british-fighter-aircraft", "biplanes", "koolhoven-aircraft", "single-engined-tractor-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1918"] description: "British prototype fighter biplane of WWI" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAT_Basilisk" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary British prototype fighter biplane of WWI ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | F.K.25 Basilisk |
| image | BAT F.K.25 Basilisk 010120 p19.jpg |
| aircraft_type | Fighter aircraft |
| national_origin | United Kingdom |
| manufacturer | British Aerial Transport |
| designer | Frederick Koolhoven |
| status | Prototype |
| number_built | 3 |
| first_flight | September 1918 |
| :: |
| name = F.K.25 Basilisk | logo = | logo_size = | image = BAT F.K.25 Basilisk 010120 p19.jpg | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Fighter aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United Kingdom | manufacturer = British Aerial Transport | design_group = | designer = Frederick Koolhoven | builder = | issuer = | status = Prototype | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 3 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = September 1918 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = The BAT F.K.25 Basilisk was a prototype British fighter aircraft of the First World War. A single engined biplane intended to meet a requirement to replace the Sopwith Snipe, the Basilisk was unsuccessful, only three being built.
Development and design
In 1918, the British Air Ministry issued the RAF Type 1 specification for a single-seat fighter, powered by the new (and untried) ABC Dragonfly air cooled radial engine to replace the Sopwith Snipe. To meet this requirement, Frederick Koolhoven, (formerly of Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft and before that Deperdussin) chief designer of the British Aerial Transport Company of London, designed the F.K. 25 Basilisk.
Like Koolhovens earlier F.K.23 Bantam, the Basilisk was a two-bay biplane with a wooden monocoque fuselage, but was larger and heavier to accommodate the larger engine and the equipment required by the Specification. Armament was two Vickers machine guns mounted ahead of the pilot, and enclosed in a large fairing that formed the upper coaming of the pilot's cockpit.
Three prototypes were ordered in early 1918, and the first one flew in September 1918. It was destroyed on 3 May 1919 when attempting to break the World altitude record, its engine catching fire and BAT's test pilot, Peter Legh, being killed after he jumped clear. The second and third prototype were fitted with modified, horn balanced ailerons, with the second prototype tested at Martlesham Heath in October 1919. While its performance was good (although not as good as claimed by BAT), the Dragonfly engine was hopelessly unreliable, with further development or production abandoned earlier in the year, and the Basilisk was abandoned when Koolhoven left BAT at the end of 1919.
Specifications (Second prototype)
|ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919 War Planes of the First World War: Fighters Volume One |prime units?=imp General characteristics
|genhide=
|crew=1 |capacity=448 lb disposable load |length m= |length ft=20 |length in=5 |length note= |span m= |span ft=25 |span in=4 |span note= |upper span m= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |mid span m= |mid span ft= |mid span in= |mid span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |swept m= |swept ft= |swept in= |swept note= |dia m= |dia ft= |dia in= |dia note= |width m= |width ft= |width in= |width note= |height m= |height ft=8 |height in=2 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=212 |wing area note= |swept area sqm= |swept area sqft= |swept area note= |volume m3= |volume ft3= |volume note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=1,350 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=2,085 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity=40 impgal |lift kg= |lift lb= |lift note= |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=ABC Dragonfly |eng1 type=9-cyl. air-cooled radial piston engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=320 |eng1 shp= |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf= |eng1 note= |power original= |thrust original= |eng1 kn-ab= |eng1 lbf-ab=
|eng2 number= |eng2 name= |eng2 type= |eng2 kw= |eng2 hp= |eng2 shp= |eng2 kn= |eng2 lbf= |eng2 note= |eng2 kn-ab= |eng2 lbf-ab=
|eng3 number= |eng3 name= |eng3 type= |eng3 kw= |eng3 hp= |eng3 shp= |eng3 kn= |eng3 lbf= |eng3 note= |eng3 kn-ab= |eng3 lbf-ab= |more power=
|prop blade number=2 |prop name=BAT tractor 8 ft pitch |prop dia m= |prop dia ft=8 |prop dia in=8 |prop dia note=
|rot number= |rot dia m= |rot dia ft= |rot dia in= |rot area sqm= |rot area sqft= |rot area note= Performance
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=162 |max speed kts= |max speed note=at sea level :*154 mph at 10,000 ft :*141 mph at 15,000 ft :*132 mph at 20,000 ft
- Landingspeed: 52 mph |max speed mach= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=22,500 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=2,500 |climb rate note= |time to altitude=5,000 ft in 2 minutes :*10,000 ft in 5 minutes :*20,000 ft in 16 minutes 24 seconds |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft=9.25 |wing loading note= |disk loading kg/m2= |disk loading lb/sqft= |disk loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass=0.173 hp/lb (0.285 kW/kg) |thrust/weight=
|more performance= Armament
|guns= 2× forward firing, synchronised 0.303 in Vickers machine guns |bombs= |rockets= |missiles= |hardpoints= |hardpoint capacity= |hardpoint rockets= |hardpoint missiles= |hardpoint bombs= |hardpoint other=
|avionics=
Notes
References
- "The Late Peter Legh." Flight, 8 May 1919, No. 641 Vol. XI. p. 616.
- "Some "B.A.T." Aeroplanes". Flight, 1 January 1920, pp. 18, 19.
- Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.
- Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Fighters Volume One. London:Macdonald, 1965.
- Lewis, Peter. The British Fighter since 1912. London:Putnam, Fourth edition 1979. .
- Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. .
References
- Lewis 1979, pp.128, 130.
- Mason 1992, p.140.
- Bruce 1957, p.75.
- ''Flight'' 8 May 1919, p.616.
- Grey, C.G.. (1969). "Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919". David & Charles (Publishing) Limited.
- Bruce 1965, p.64.
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