Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.9

Due to a malfunction in the power supply, we're posting later than usual.
The M.F. 9 was a Norwegian floatplane fighter which was unofficially known as the "Hoverjager". It was designed by Johan Hover and built by the Marinens Flyvebätfabrikk (Navy Flying Boat Factory) at Horten, Norway. The prototype was flown for the first time on 4th June 1925 and was an unequal-span unstaggered single-bay biplane made out of wood powered by a 300hp Hispano-Suiza Type 42 eight-cylinder water-cooled engine with strut-mounted Lamblin radiators. It was armed with one synchronised 7.62mm Colt machine gun. Three additional machines were built for evaluation by Marinens Flyvevaesen and flown in May 1926. By that time the prototype had already stablished a new European altittude record of 28.215ft (8.600m).
To correct the prototype's spinning flaws, these and the next four M.F.9s, which were completed during July and August 1928 were fitted with a larger rudder, being called M.F.9B. The original prototype was lost in an accident and a replacement was built and flown in June 1930 with six further ones built during the spring and summer of 1932, being two of those replacements for another two aircrafts lost in accidents. The last production aircraft was fitted with redesignated tail surfaces, with the tailplane raised and strut-braced with a central fin added. One aircraft was experimentally fitted with a licensed-built 425hp Bristol Jupiter engine air-cooled radial engine.
The tendency to spin and its extreme control sensibility rendered this fighter very unpopular among Norwegian pilots, but it remained in active service until 1936 nonetheless. Every M.F.9 was scrapped during the second half of the 1930s except for one which was kept by the ministry of defence to be preserved in a museum. It was, however, burnt by the German occupation forces.

Sources:
1. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marinens_Flyvebaatfabrikk_M.F.9

Avro 504K European Users, part two

Now's the time for the second part of the European users of the Avro 504K.

• Ireland: The Irish Air Corps had six of them from 1922 until 1932. Further details are unknown.
• Latvia: The Latvian air force adquired two Avro 504K in 1924 and 1925 which were active until 1930 when they were replaced by the German Udet U.12 Flamingo.
• Norway: The Norwegian Army Air Service used some 504K apparently during the 1920 with a modified engine. Further details are, unknown.
• Poland: The Polish Air Force had one in inventory during the 1920s. 
• Russian Republic (Whites): Apparently one was used by the Slavonic-British Air Corps during the Northern Campaign of the Russian Civil War. Interestingly enough, it was used in the recon role, hence the observer machine-gun, instead in the training role.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Irish_Air_Corps

2. http://latvianaviation.com/Avro_504K.html

3. http://www.avro504.org/ActualAircraft.html

Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 - Foreign Users Part Two

Note: This post is just a re-arrangement of the original one, the Hansa-Brandenburg W.29, in order to cope with the new national -and historical tags - As the drawings aren't new, we haven't announced it through twitter.

The countries covered here are:

Japan: The imperial Japanese Navy used them. They were locally produced by Aichi and Nakajima and featured a locally produced engine. They were named Type Hansa Surveillance Floatplane.

Netherlands: Apparently one ex-German floatplane serving in the Seeluftstation Flandern had to make an emergency landing in the neutral Holland. The Dutch captured the airplane and commissioned it into service with their navy.

Norway: The Royal Norwegian air force received two W.29 and used them to support the coastal artillery units. It was designated as Måke I  and they served in that role until 1928 when they were transfered to the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

Note: Apparently there's a lot of confusion about the Norwegian W.29. It seems that the W.29 were named Måke I, and, contrary to what wikipedia claims, it wasn't produced by the Kjeller factory. The Måke II and Måke III were produced by that factory but they were based on the W.33 not on the W.29.