# BAT Bantam > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/BAT_Bantam > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/BAT_Bantam.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAT_Bantam > Source revision: 1338836670 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **BAT F.K.23 Bantam** was a British single-seat [fighter](/source/Fighter_aircraft) [biplane](/source/Biplane) produced by [British Aerial Transport Company Limited](/source/British_Aerial_Transport) of [London](/source/London) during [World War I](/source/World_War_I). ## Design and development [Frederick Koolhoven](/source/Frederick_Koolhoven)'s first design for the British Aerial Transport Company (BAT) was the **F.K.22** single-seat fighter. It was a two-bay biplane of wooden construction. It was planned to have a 120 hp (90 kW) [A.B.C Mosquito](/source/ABC_Mosquito) [radial engine](/source/Radial_engine) but the failure of this engine led to the installation of the 170 hp (127 kW) A.B.C.Wasp I in the first and third aircraft. The second machine was fitted with a 100 hp (75 kW) [Gnome Monosoupape](/source/Gnome_Monosoupape) [rotary engine](/source/Rotary_engine) and was the first to fly at Martlesham Heath in January 1918. The original contract called for six development aircraft but three aircraft were built as the **F.K.23 Bantam I**, the second prototype then being renamed the **Bantam II**. The Bantam I was the same wooden structure but was slightly smaller. Two further prototypes of the larger design were also built followed by at least 9 development aircraft. One aircraft was delivered to the [Royal Aircraft Establishment](/source/Royal_Aircraft_Establishment) on 26 July 1918, one was delivered to the French at [Villacoublay](/source/V%C3%A9lizy_%E2%80%93_Villacoublay_Air_Base) and a further aircraft to the [United States Army Air Corps](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Corps) at [Wright Field](/source/Wright-Patterson_Air_Force_Base) in 1922. The production Bantam had to be modified due to unsatisfactory [spin](/source/Spin_(flight)) characteristics of the [prototypes](/source/Prototype). Continuous engine problems and downsizing of the [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) were factors in no more orders for the Bantam. Koolhoven returned to [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands) with one aircraft where it was re-engined with a 200 hp (149 kW) [Armstrong Siddeley Lynx](/source/Armstrong_Siddeley_Lynx) radial engine. Several examples were operated as civil racing aircraft. ## Variants **F.K.22 Bantam I**- Prototypes and evaluation version, 2 built. **F.K.23 Bantam II**- Production aircraft, 3 prototypes + 9 aircraft were built. ## Operators - [French Air Force](/source/French_Air_Force) received 1 aircraft for evaluation. - [Koolhoven](/source/Koolhoven) factory operated 1 aircraft. - [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) operated 1 aircraft. - [United States Army Air Corps](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Corps) received 1 aircraft for evaluation. ## Survivors - One aircraft, registered K-123, originally on display at the [Aviodome](/source/Aviodome), [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands). The airplane was acquired[1] by the [Rijksmuseum](/source/Rijksmuseum) in [Amsterdam](/source/Amsterdam). - The remains of a second FK 23 are used to build a flying example. It is a project from the "vroege vogels" from Lelystad in the Netherlands. ## Notes 1. [B.A.T. F.K.23 Bantam moves to Rijksmuseum](http://www.aviazine.nl/bat-fk-23-bantam.html) The Rijksmuseum, the Dutch National museum for classic art and history in Amsterdam that is most of all known for [Rembrandt](/source/Rembrandt)'s [The Night Watch](/source/The_Night_Watch), recently acquired the B.A.T. (Koolhoven) F.K.23 Bantam. It will be part of a future exhibition on the twentieth century. The B.A.T. F.K.23 Bantam was restored by members of the Koolhoven Aeroplanes Foundation. ## References - Bruce, J.M. (1965). *War Planes of the First World War: Volume One: Fighters*. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) - Grey, C.G. (1969). *Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919*. Facsimile ed. David & Charles (Publishing) Limited. pp. 79a to 80a. ISBN 978-0-7153-4647-1. - *The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)*. Orbis Publishing. - Jackson, A. J. (March 1983). "Bats and Bantams – Part 1". *[Aeroplane Monthly](/source/Aeroplane_Monthly)*. Vol. 11, no. 3. pp. 150–155. [ISSN 0143-7240](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0143-7240) - Jackson, A. J. (April 1983). "Bats and Bantams – Part 2". *Aeroplane Monthly*. Vol. 11, no. 4. pp. 205–208. [ISSN 0143-7240](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0143-7240) - Jackson, A. J. (May 1983). "Bats and Bantams – Part 3". *Aeroplane Monthly*. Vol. 11, no. 5. pp. 274–277. [ISSN 0143-7240](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0143-7240) - Jackson, A. J. (June 1983). "Bats and Bantams – Part 4". *Aeroplane Monthly*. Vol. 11, no. 6. pp. 339–342. [ISSN 0143-7240](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0143-7240) - Jackson, A. J. (1974). *British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1*. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10006-9. ## External links - [BAT FK23 Bantam Walkaround photos at IdFlieg.com](http://www.idflieg.com/lelystad_BAT_FK23_Bantam.htm) - ["The B.A.T. Bantam"](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200662.html). *[Flight](/source/Flight_(magazine))*. **XI** (21): 662–667. 22 May 1919. No. 543. Retrieved 12 January 2011. Contemporary technical description of F.K.23 Bantam with photographs and drawings. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [BAT Bantam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAT_Bantam) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAT_Bantam?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.