In 1922 a Chinese War Lord had imported a dismantled Avro 504K and ‘Ted’ Fresson, a former WWI pilot, assembled it for $250 over a period of a fortnight. This was followed by two more years of test flying various Avro’s and Curtiss aircraft in and around Hankow.
In 1924-25 Governor Yen, the Chinese Governor of Shansi Province, asked Fresson to establish an aircraft factory at Tai Yuan Fu, within the walls of the local Arsenal. This was in an area surrounded by warring local factions and was not particularly safe area to work.
Fresson began designing the Fr.FBI based on the Armstrong-Whitworth FK.8 design and ordered materials from the Aircraft Disposal Company in London. The design was drawn up in Shanghai and construction began in the spring of 1924.
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