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This rotund machine is the Vickers E.S.1 from 1915. The abbreviation E.S stands for Experimental Scout.
The machine was a development from the Barnwell Bullet, a private venture from Harold Barnwell (the brother of Frank Barnwell), the then chief test pilot of Vickers. The Barnwell Bullet was developed out of sight of the management of Vickers. Owing to a crash of the Bullet it dawned on the management that a scout was built and they gave order to another designer to develop this Scout E.S.1.
The E.S.1 was further developed by Vickers into the E.S.2 (or E.S.1 Mk.II), which later progressed to the more succesfull F.B.19 fighter, that even came in service in the Soviet forces (the 'Reds').
Kees
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