Bristol F.2 Fighter
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The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, ''"Brisfit"'' or ''"Biff"''. Although the type was intended initially as a replacement for the pre-war Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c reconnaissance aircraft, the new Rolls-Royce Falcon
V12 engine A V12 engine is a twelve-cylinder piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more common than V10 engines. However, they are less common than V8 engines. The f ...
gave it the performance of a fighter. Despite a disastrous start to its career, the definitive F.2B version proved to be a manoeuvrable aircraft that was able to hold its own against single-seat fighters while its robust design ensured that it remained in military service into the early 1930s. Some surplus aircraft were registered for civilian use, and versions with passenger cabins were converted.


Development


Origins

In the Autumn of 1915, the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) needed a new
aerial reconnaissance Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of i ...
and artillery spotting aircraft to replace the pre-war Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c. Among other attributes and performance requirements, emphasis was placed upon the ability to defend itself in aerial combat.Bruce 1965, p. 3. Several new types were developed; the
Royal Aircraft Factory Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a c ...
offered its
R.E.8 The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War designed and produced at the Royal Aircraft Factory. It was also built under contract by Austin Motors, Daimler, Standard ...
design and
Armstrong Whitworth Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. With headquarters in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth built armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles and ...
produced the design that eventually emerged as the F.K.8. In March 1916, Frank Barnwell of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, commenced work on a replacement for the B.E.2. This initially took two forms, the Type 9 R.2A, to be powered by the 120 hp Beardmore engine and the similar Type 9A R.2B, powered by the 150 hp Hispano-Suiza.Barnes 1970, p. 104.Bruce 1965, p. 97. Both designs had the fuselage mounted between the wings, with a gap between the lower longerons and the wing, along with a substantial part of the fin beneath the fuselage. These features were intended to improve the field of fire for the observer; the positioning of the fuselage also resulted in the upper wing obscuring less of the pilot's field of view. The crew positions were placed as close together as possible, to help communication between the pilot and observer. Before either the R.2A or R.2B could be built, the new 190 hp (142 kW) Rolls-Royce Falcon inline engine became available. Barnwell drafted a third revision of his design around the new engine, with its decidedly superior power/weight ratio. The anticipated improvement in performance changed the emphasis in its intended operational use; it was now seen as a replacement for the F.E.2d and Sopwith 1½ Strutter two-seat fighters, rather than a competitor with the pedestrian reconnaissance designs that were to replace the B.E.2. The resulting Type 12 F.2A, was a two-bay equal-span biplane, closely based on the R.2A and R.2B designs.


Prototypes

In July 1916, work commenced on the construction of a pair of prototypes; on 28 August 1916, an initial contract was awarded for fifty production aircraft. On 9 September 1916, the first prototype performed its
maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alw ...
, powered by a Falcon I engine.Barnes 1964, p. 106. It was fitted with B.E.2d wings (Bristol were major contractors for the type) to save time; its lower wings were attached to an open wing-anchorage frame and had end-plates at the
wing root The wing root is the part of the wing on a fixed-wing aircraft or winged-spaceship that is closest to the fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, o ...
s.Hare 2012, p. 117. On 25 October 1916, the second prototype was completed, powered by a Hispano-Suiza engine and differing from the first prototype in its tail-skid, which was integrated into the base of the
rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally air or water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adve ...
. It was found that the prototype's radiator arrangement obscured the pilot's field of view and the nose was redesigned around a new circular-shaped frontal radiator in the cowling. Other changes made to the first prototype during flight testing included the elimination of the end-plates from the lower wing roots and the addition of a shallow coaming around the cockpits.Bruce 1965, pp. 3–4. Between 16 and 18 October 1916, the type underwent its official trials at the
Central Flying School The Central Flying School (CFS) is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 at the Upavon Aerodrome, it is the longest existing flying training school. The school was based at ...
,
Upavon Upavon is a rural village and civil parish in the county of Wiltshire, England. As its name suggests, it is on the upper portion of the River Avon which runs from north to south through the village. It is on the north edge of Salisbury Plain ...
, during which it was tested with a four-bladed 9 ft 2 in propeller and a two-bladed 9 ft 8 in propeller. By the time of its arrival at the experimental armament station at
Orfordness Orford Ness is a cuspate foreland shingle spit on the Suffolk coast in Great Britain, linked to the mainland at Aldeburgh and stretching along the coast to Orford and down to North Weir Point, opposite Shingle Street. It is divided from the m ...
it had also been fitted with a Scarff ring mounting over the rear cockpit and an Aldis
optical sight A sight is an aiming device used to assist in visually aligning ranged weapons, surveying instruments or optical illumination equipments with the intended target. Sights can be a simple set or system of physical markers that have to be aligne ...
.Bruce 1965, p. 4. Only 52 F.2A aircraft were manufactured before production began of the definitive model, the F.2B (retrospectively named Bristol Type 14), which first flew on 25 October 1916. The first 150 or so F.2Bs were powered by either the Falcon I or Falcon II engine but the remainder were equipped with the 275 hp (205 kW) Falcon III. The additional power gave the F.2B a advantage in level speed over the F.2A, while it was three minutes faster in a climb to .


Armament

The Bristol F.2 Fighter was armed in what had by then become standard for a British two-seater military aircraft: one synchronised fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm)
Vickers machine gun The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more men to move and o ...
(in this case mounted under the cowling to avoid freezing) and a .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun on a Scarff ring over the observer's rear cockpit. The F.2B often carried a second Lewis gun on the rear cockpit mounting, although observers found the weight of the twin Lewis gun mounting difficult to handle in the high altitudes at which combat increasingly took place in the last year of the war, many preferring one gun. Attempts were made to add a forward-firing Lewis gun on a
Foster mounting The Foster mounting was a device fitted to some fighter aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. It was designed to enable a machine gun (in practice, a Lewis Gun) to fire ''over'', rather than ''through'' the arc of the sp ...
or similar on the upper wing either instead of (or with) the Vickers gun. Among other problems this caused interference with the pilot's compass, which was mounted on the trailing edge of the upper wing: to minimise this effect the Lewis gun was offset to starboard.Bruce ''Air Enthusiast'' Thirty-five, pp. 43–45.


Alternative engines

Rolls-Royce aero engines Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is a British multinational aerospace and defence company incorporated in February 2011. The company owns Rolls-Royce, a business established in 1904 which today designs, manufactures and distributes power systems for ...
of all types were in short supply, which frustrated plans to increase production to enable the F.2B to become the standard British two-seater, replacing the R.E.8 and F.K.8. Efforts were made to find an available alternative
powerplant Propulsion is the generation of force by any combination of pushing or pulling to modify the translational motion of an object, which is typically a rigid body (or an articulated rigid body) but may also concern a fluid. The term is derived from ...
that was both reliable and sufficiently powerful. The Type 15 was fitted with a 200 hp (150 kW) Sunbeam Arab engine. In expectation of a reduction in performance with the less powerful engine, it was planned to supply the Arab-powered Fighters to the "corps" reconnaissance squadrons, reserving Falcon powered examples for fighter–reconnaissance operations. The Arab engine was to be fitted to Fighters produced by sub-contractors under licence, while Bristol-built Fighters would continue to use the Falcon. In the event the Arab engine was not a success; it was found to suffer from serious weaknesses in cylinder and crank-chamber design that led, among other faults, to chronic and severe vibration, while the cooling system also required repeated modification. The "Arab Bristol" was never to become a viable combination, in spite of prolonged development. A few Arab-engined Bristols were at the front late in the war but the British reconnaissance squadrons had to soldier on with the R.E.8 and F.K.8 until the end of hostilities.Bruce 1965, pp. 6–7. The Type 16 was fitted with a 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine. This worked better than the Arab but there was already a severe shortage of Hispano-Suizas for other types, such as the S.E.5a and the Sopwith Dolphin. The 300 hp (220 kW) version of the Hispano-Suiza, suggested for the Type 17, was not available in quantity before the end of the war. Other engines tried or suggested for the F.2B were the 200 hp (150 kW)
RAF 4 The RAF 4 was a British air-cooled, V12 engine developed for aircraft use during World War I. Based on the eight–cylinder RAF 1 it was designed by the Royal Aircraft Factory but produced by the two British companies of Daimler and Siddeley-D ...
d, the 180 hp (130 kW)
Wolseley Viper The Wolseley Viper is a British-built, high-compression derivative of the Hispano Suiza HS-8 liquid-cooled V-8 engine, built under licence by Wolseley Motors during World War I. It powered later models of the S.E.5a, SPAD VII and other Bri ...
and the 230 hp (170 kW)
Siddeley Puma The Siddeley Puma was a British aero engine developed towards the end of World War I and produced by Siddeley-Deasy. The first engines left the production lines of Siddeley-Deasy in Coventry in August 1917, production continued until December 1 ...
.Bruce 1965, pp. 7–8. Trials of the Puma engine were carried out in February 1918; it was found to confer marginally better performance than the Hispano-Suiza and Arab engines but was difficult to install and unreliable. In September 1918, trials of a high-compression model of the Puma were carried out but it was found to have no significant performance benefit and this avenue was not pursued. The Type 22 was a proposed version adapted for a
radial Radial is a geometric term of location which may refer to: Mathematics and Direction * Vector (geometric), a line * Radius, adjective form of * Radial distance, a directional coordinate in a polar coordinate system * Radial set * A bearing f ...
or
rotary engine The rotary engine is an early type of internal combustion engine, usually designed with an odd number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration. The engine's crankshaft remained stationary in operation, while the entire crankcase and its ...
, either a 200 hp (150 kW)
Salmson Salmson is a French engineering company. Initially a pump manufacturer, it turned to automobile and aeroplane manufacturing in the 20th century, returning to pump manufacturing in the 1960s, and re-expanded to a number of products and services ...
radial, a 300 hp (220 kW)
ABC Dragonfly The ABC Dragonfly was a British radial engine developed towards the end of the First World War. It was expected to deliver excellent performance for the time and was ordered in very large numbers. It proved, however, to be extremely unreliable ...
radial (Type 22A) or a 230 hp (170 kW) Bentley B.R.2 rotary (Type 22B). The type number was eventually used for the Bristol F.2C Badger, a completely new design.


The ''All-Metal Bristol Fighter''

The
Bristol M.R.1 The Bristol M.R.1 was an experimental biplane with an aluminium monocoque fuselage and metal wings, produced by Bristol during the First World War. Two were built to government order. Development Early in the development of powered flight, some ...
is often described as an all-metal version of the F.2b but was a new design, although its fuselage was positioned between the upper and lower wing as with the F.2b. Two prototypes were built; the first flew on 23 October 1917, but the M.R.1 never entered mass production.


American versions

When the US entered the war, the
Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the aerial warfare service of the United States from 1914 to 1918, and a direct statutory ancestor of the United States Air Force. It absorbed and replaced the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and con ...
of the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
lacked any competitive combat aircraft either in inventory or under construction.Bruce 1965, p. 8. On 1 August 1917, General
John Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...
, the commander of the
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...
on the Western Front, issued his personal recommendation for the Bristol Fighter to be built in the United States, leading to plans for the development and production of an American version of the Fighter by the United States Army Engineering Division. Original proposals for American production had the Hispano-Suiza engine. On 5 September 1917, a F.2B Fighter was delivered to the
Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
,
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, United States. Attempts to begin production in the United States floundered due to the decision by Colonel V. E. Clark of the Bolling Commission to redesign the Fighter to be powered with the Liberty L-12 engine. The Liberty was unsuitable for the Bristol, as it was far too heavy, bulky and the aircraft had a nose-heavy attitude during flight.Bruce 1952, p. 591. A contract for 1,000 aircraft was placed initially with the Fisher Body Corporation then cancelled and reallocated to the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. On 7 December 1917, the order was doubled to 2,000 aircraft. On 25 January 1918, the first aircraft, which was given the name ''U.S.A 0-1'', was completed, despite the misgivings of Barnwell, who was not satisfied with some of the modifications made, particularly in the use of the Liberty L-12 engine.Bruce 1965, pp. 8–9. According to Bruce, misdirections attributed to Major E. J. Hall of the U.S. Signals Corps had led to roughly 1,400 production drawings produced by Curtiss being rendered obsolete. The reputation of the type was also tarnished by three early crashes, although one had been attributed to pilot error and the other two to faulty workmanship.Bruce 1965, p. 9. Efforts to change the engine of American-built Bristol Fighters to the more suitable Liberty 8 or the Wright-Hisso came up against political as well as technical problems. By July 1918, the only specimen of the American-built Hispano-Suiza engine had been installed in a Fighter; the combination soon gained the favour of the U.S. Air Board, which suggested to Curtiss that all work on the Liberty L-12 version of the aircraft be abandoned in favour of the Hispano-Suiza version. In spite of protests by Curtiss, the contracts for the U.S.A. 0-1 were terminated, leading to only a pair of prototypes and 25 production aircraft out of the planned 2,000 aircraft being constructed.Bruce 1952, p. 591. W. C. Potter, Assistant Director of Aircraft Production, suggested that the original Bristol Fighter should be produced exactly as per Barnwell's original design, save for the use of either the Liberty 8 or Hispano-Suiza engine. Potter's proposal was overlooked; instead it was decided to produce eight aircraft, four being fitted with the Hispano-Suiza engine, as the Engineering Division USB-1A and four being powered by the Liberty L-8 engine, as the Engineering Division USB-1B; only one each were built. When fitted with a new plywood semi-
monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...
fuselage designed by the Engineering Division of the US Army Air Service and powered by a Wright-Hispano engine, the US-built Bristol Fighter was called the XB-1A and XB-1B. The XB-1A was armed with a pair of
Marlin Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes about 10 species. A marlin has an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long, rigid dorsal fin which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to deri ...
machine guns at the pilot's position while the XB-1B was armed with a pair of
Browning machine gun Browning machine guns are a family of machine gun designs by John Browning, a prolific weapon designer. These include: *M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun, based on a design dating to 1889, was the first successful gas-operated machine gun to ent ...
s. These aircraft were reportedly intended for use as night observation aircraft. Three prototypes were built by the Engineering division at
McCook Field McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station in Dayton, Ohio, United States. It was operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and its successor the United States Army Air Service from 1917 to 1927. It was named f ...
, with a further 44 aircraft built by the
Dayton-Wright Company The Dayton-Wright Company was formed in 1917, on the declaration of war between the United States and Germany, by a group of Ohio investors that included Charles F. Kettering and Edward A. Deeds of Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company ( DELCO) ...
.Wegg 1990, pp. 37–38. According to Bruce, despite substantial efforts to differentiate and modify the aircraft's design, none of the American-built Fighters performed any better than the original Bristol.


Postwar developments

Postwar developments of the F.2B included the F.2B Mk II, a two-seat army co-operation biplane, fitted with desert equipment and a tropical cooling system, which first flew in December 1919, of which 435 were built. The Type 96 Fighter Mk III and Type 96A Fighter Mk VI were structurally strengthened aircraft, of which 50 were built in 1926–1927. Surplus F.2Bs were modified for civilian use. The Bristol Tourer was an F.2B fitted with a Siddeley Puma engine in place of the Falcon and with canopies over the cockpits; The Tourer had a maximum speed of .


Operational history

Days prior to Christmas 1916, the first deliveries of production F.2A Fighters were completed, No. 48 Squadron at
Rendcomb Rendcomb is a village in the Cotswold local authority area of the English county of Gloucestershire. It is about five miles north of Cirencester in the Churn valley. History Etymology Remdcomb is thought to get its name from the stream runn ...
being the first operational unit of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to receive the type. On 8 March 1917, No.48 and its Fighters were deployed to France in preparation for action on the Western Front;
Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard Marshal of the Royal Air Force Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard, (3 February 1873 – 10 February 1956) was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force. He has been described as the "Father of the ...
was keen to get the F.2A Fighter and other newly introduced aircraft ready for the upcoming Second Battle of Arras, aiming to surprise German forces with the hitherto unknown type, and this led to restriction on its deployment prior to the battle to avoid alerting the Germans to the presence of the Fighter. Accordingly, the first offensive action that involved the F.2A Fighter crossing the frontline occurred on 5 April 1917, which had been deliberately timed to coincide with the British offensive at Arras. The very first F.2A patrol of six aircraft from 48 Squadron RFC, led by William Leefe Robinson VC, ran into five
Albatros D.III The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service ('' Luftstreitkräfte'') during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service ( ''Luftfahrtruppen''). ...
s from ''Jasta'' 11 led by
Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of ...
. Four out of the six F.2As were shot down – including that of Robinson, who was captured – and a fifth was badly damaged.Bruce 1952, p. 588. Other early experiences with the F.2A Fighter contributed to doubts over its effectiveness. The month in which the type had been introduced to offensive operation became known as
Bloody April Bloody April was the (largely successful) British air support operation during the Battle of Arras in April 1917, during which particularly heavy casualties were suffered by the Royal Flying Corps at the hands of the German ''Luftstreitkräfte' ...
: casualties were high throughout the RFC, and initially the Bristol fighter proved to be no exception. At this period, contemporary two-seater aircraft were far less nimble than fighter aircraft, and many types lacked the structural strength to carry out the aggressive manoeuvres needed for dogfighting. The first "Brisfit" aircrews were accustomed to the standard doctrine of maintaining formation and using the
crossfire A crossfire (also known as interlocking fire) is a military term for the siting of weapons (often automatic weapons such as assault rifles or sub-machine guns) so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I. S ...
of the observers' guns to counter enemy fighter aircraft. Pilots soon realised that the Bristol Fighter was a strong and agile aircraft, capable of manoeuvring with single-seat fighters, despite some rumours that the type lacked the necessary structural strength to be flown as a fighter. While its fixed forward-firing machine gun could be used as the primary weapon, the observer could use his flexible, rear-mounted gun to provide protection from attacks from the rear. Flown in this manner, the Bristol Fighter achieved a 'remarkable' level of success and proved to be a formidable opponent for German fighters. From May 1917 onwards, the definitive F.2B Fighter quickly supplanted and replaced the earlier F.2A model.Bruce 1965, p. 5. In July 1917, the
War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...
decided to adopt the F.2B Fighter as the equipment of all fighter-reconnaissance squadrons, leading to a significant increase in production. Despite the issuing of contracts for further large batches of aircraft, it was apparent that the rate of production could not keep up with demand for the type.Bruce 1965, pp. 5–6. Perhaps one of the best known
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
s to use the type was Canadian
Andrew Edward McKeever Andrew Edward McKeever DSO, MC & Bar, DFC (21 August 1894 – 25 December 1919) was a Canadian World War I two-seater flying ace who, in conjunction with his gunners, was credited with 31 victories. He was the highest scoring pilot on Br ...
, and his regular observer L.F. Powell. By the end of 1917 McKeever had accumulated 30 shoot-downs of enemy aircraft, while Powell had achieved eight aerial kills, while operating the Fighter. McKeever later became a flying instructor stationed in England before becoming the commanding officer of No. 1 Squadron of the newly formed
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
(RCAF), where he continued to use the Fighter as his personal aircraft, which was later transferred to Canada. Near the end of the war, the Bristol Fighter was used in a pioneering new capability in the form of
radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...
communications; No. 11 Squadron was the first such squadron to be equipped. Only the flight commander's Fighter would be equipped with a transmitter while others were outfitted with receivers, allowing for one-way communication of orders; as the trailing aerials employed needed to be wound in prior to aerial combat, this requirement reduced the usefulness of the system. The Fighter also participated in experiments held by the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) into the use of parachutes, resulting in several aircraft being modified to carry static-line parachutes within the underside of the fuselage; these trials continued following the signing of the Armistice. In September and October 1917, orders for 1,600 F.2B Fighters were placed; by the end of the First World War, the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(RAF) had a total of 1,583 F.2Bs in squadron service; it was in service with six reconnaissance squadrons stationed in France and five Home Defence squadrons, while further squadrons operating the type were positioned in the Middle East and Italy. A total of 5,329 aircraft were eventually constructed, mostly by Bristol but also by
Standard Motors The Standard Motor Company Limited was a motor vehicle manufacturer, founded in Coventry, England, in 1903 by Reginald Walter Maudslay. For many years, it manufactured Ferguson TE20 tractors powered by its Vanguard engine. All Standard's trac ...
,
Armstrong Whitworth Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. With headquarters in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth built armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles and ...
and even the
Cunard Steamship Company Cunard () is a British shipping and cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its three ships have been registered in Hamilton, Berm ...
.Bruce 1965, p. 6. According to Bruce, by the time of the
Armistice of 11 November 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
, the "Bristol Fighter ended the war supreme in its class".


Postwar

Following the end of the First World War, the F.2B Fighter was soon adopted by the RAF as its standard army cooperation machine. The type continued to operate in army cooperation and light bombing roles in the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
, in particular the Middle East and India. In line with this role, which led to its use in a hot climate, Bristol introduced models of the Fighter equipped with 'tropical' radiators and provision for desert equipment. There had also been considerations made into deploying the Fighter as a carrier-based aircraft, which led to an engineless airframe participating in immersion trials in November 1918 and an aircraft being used in deck landing tests, reportedly on board HMS Eagle. It was not until 1932 that the F.2B was withdrawn from RAF service, the last "Brisfit" unit being No. 20 Squadron RAF stationed in India. The type lasted a further three years in New Zealand. Surplus aircraft were allocated to ADC Aircraft, a British company established to act as a seller for wartime aircraft, which passed on large quantities of Fighters to other nations, normally to military operators.Bruce 1965, p. 10. Bristol also continued to manufacture and refurbish the type for some time. During the 1920s Bristol proceeded to develop and introduce numerous variants and derivatives of the Fighter, typically capable of carrying higher loads, revised tail units and strengthened undercarriages. The F.2B Fighter was adopted by the New Zealand Permanent Air Force and the
Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF), as well as by the air forces of Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Greece, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Spain and Sweden. According to Bruce, relatively few Fighters entered service with the air forces of the various Commonwealth nations, greater quantities having been sold to other nations. Belgium purchased several from ADC Aircraft, and later arranged to produce the Fighter under licence at Sociétés Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques (SABCA).Bruce 1965, pp. 9–10. In 1920 Poland bought 106 Bristol Fighters (104 with Hispano-Suiza 300 hp/220 kW engines, two with Falcon IIIs) (other sources claim 107). Thus it became the second largest user of this type. It was also one of most numerous Polish aircraft at that time. Forty Fighters were used during the Polish-Soviet War from July 1920, among others in the Battle of Warsaw, performing reconnaissance and close air support missions. The rest of the order became operational only after the end of hostilities. During the war, a pair were shot down by ground fire, while another was captured by the Soviets and several more were lost in crashes. Survivors of the conflict continued in Polish service in the reconnaissance and training roles until 1932.Kopański 2001, pp. 11–40.


Operators

; * Afghan Air Force operated three aircraft from 1919 and retired them by 1929. ; * Argentine Army Aviation Service - purchased 28 aircraft from 1920 to 1924, with a further 10 built under license by FMA from 1930 to 1931. Retired in 1932.Rivas 2019, p. 9 ; *
Australian Flying Corps The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was the branch of the Australian Army responsible for operating aircraft during World War I, and the forerunner of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The AFC was established in 1912, though it was not until ...
operated the Bristol Fighter from 1917 to 1918. ** No. 1 Squadron in Palestine ** No. 6 (Training) Squadron in the United Kingdom ; * Belgian Air Force ; *
Bolivian Air Force The Bolivian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Boliviana or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces. History By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft (Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Co ...
; *
Canadian Air Board The Air Board was Canada's first governing body for aviation, operating from 1919 to 1923. The Canadian government established the Air Board by act of Parliament on June 6, 1919, with the purpose of controlling all flying within Canada. Canada wa ...
*
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
; *
Honduran Air Force The Honduras Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Hondureña, sometimes abbreviated to FAH in English) is the air force of Honduras. As such it is the air power arm of the Honduras Armed Forces. History The first Honduras military flying took place ...
- Honduras received a single F2.B in 1921, its first military aircraft. It was burned during an attempted revolution in 1924.Rivas 2019, p. 67 ; *
Irish Air Service Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
*
Irish Air Corps "Watchful and Loyal" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = ''see list of wars'' , decorations = , battle_honours = , battle_honours_label = , fl ...
; *
Hellenic Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 8 November , equipment = , equipment_label ...
* Hellenic Navy ; *
Mexican Air Force The Mexican Air Force (FAM; es, Fuerza Aérea Mexicana) is the primary aerial warfare service branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It is a component of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat ( SEDENA). The objective of ...
; * New Zealand Permanent Air Force operated seven Bristol F.2B Fighters from 1919 to 1936. During its 16 years of service with the
NZPAF The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeal ...
, it was used as an army co-operation, aerial-survey and advanced training aircraft. ; *
Norwegian Army Air Service The Norwegian Army Air Service (NoAAS) ( no, Hærens flyvåpen) was established in 1914.Official Norwegian Defence Force websiteHistory of the Royal Norwegian Air Force Its main base and aircraft factory was at Kjeller. On 10 November 1944, the ...
purchased five aircraft in 1922. ; *
Peruvian Air Force The Peruvian Air Force ( es, link=no, Fuerza Aérea del Perú, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguardin ...
- Three F.2Bs were purchased in 1921. They were grounded by engine problems and a lack of spare parts in 1923 and scrapped.Rivas 2019, p. 81 ; * Polish Air Force operated 107 Bristol F.2B Fighters in 1920–1932.Holmes ''Aeroplane'' June 2015, p. 91. ; *
Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
operated two aircraft. ;
Kingdom of Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
* ''Aeronáutica Militar'' ; *
Royal Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
operated one aircraft only ; * Royal Yugoslav Air Force operated one aircraft only. ; * Royal Flying Corps /
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
** No. 2 Squadron RAF **
No. 4 Squadron RAF No. 4 Squadron, normally written as IV Squadron, of the Royal Air Force operates the BAE Hawk T2 in the training role from RAF Valley. History Formation and First World War IV Squadron formed at Farnborough in 1912 as part of the Royal Fly ...
** No. 5 Squadron RAF ** No. 6 Squadron RAF ** No. 8 Squadron RAF ** No. 9 Squadron RAF ** No. 10 Squadron RAF ** No. 11 Squadron RAF ** No. 12 Squadron RAF ** No. 13 Squadron RAF ** No. 14 Squadron RAF ** No. 16 Squadron RAF ** No. 20 Squadron RAF ** No. 22 Squadron RAF **
No. 24 Squadron RAF No. 24 Squadron (also known as No. XXIV Squadron) of the Royal Air Force is the Air Mobility Operational Conversion Unit (AMOCU). Based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, 24 Squadron is responsible for aircrew training on C-130J Hercules, A400 ...
** No. 28 Squadron RAF ** No. 31 Squadron RAF ** No. 33 Squadron RAF ** No. 34 Squadron RAF ** No. 35 Squadron RAF ** No. 36 Squadron RAF ** No. 39 Squadron RAF ** No. 48 Squadron RAF **
No. 62 Squadron RAF No. 62 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was originally established as a Royal Flying Corps squadron in 1916 and operated the Bristol F2B fighter in France during the last year of the First World War. After the war the squadron was disbanded and it ...
** No. 67 Squadron RAF ** No. 75 Squadron RAF ** No. 76 Squadron RAF **
No. 81 Squadron RAF No 81 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It flew Fighter aircraft during the Second World War, and reconnaissance aircraft in the Far East after the war and was disbanded in 1970. History First World War No. 81 Squadron Royal Flyin ...
** No. 88 Squadron RAF ** No. 100 Squadron RAF ** No. 105 Squadron RAF ** No. 111 Squadron RAF ** No. 114 Squadron RAF ** No. 138 Squadron RAF ** No. 139 Squadron RAF ** No. 140 Squadron RAF ** No. 141 Squadron RAF ** No. 186 Squadron RAF ** No. 208 Squadron RAF


Survivors

There are three airworthy Bristol Fighters as of 2007 (and several replicas): * The Shuttleworth Collection contains one airworthy F.2B Fighter, identity ''D8096'', that still flies during the British summer. * The Canada Aviation and Space Museum, in Ottawa, Ontario, owns a second example, ''D-7889''. * The New Zealand film director Peter Jackson owns ''D-8084'', which flies from the Hood Aerodrome, in Masterton, New Zealand, Masterson. The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, at Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenheim holds a second, original fuselage. Substantially original aircraft are on static display at the: * Royal Air Force Museum London, UK * Imperial War Museum Duxford, UK * Museo del Aire (Spain), Museo del Aire, Madrid, Spain * Musée Royal de l'Armée, Brussels, Belgium * Polish Aviation Museum, Kraków Restorations of original airframes include: * Original fuselage being rebuilt into a flyable aircraft, Ross Walton Family Collection, Bardstown, Kentucky. * In 2016, Aerospace Bristol, Filton Airfield, Bristol, UK, purchased an airframe from a private collection in the US for restoration and display in its new museum. This sale was erroneously reported to be from Ross Walton. In addition, a number of replicas are operated or displayed in locations around the world. These include: * Engineers at Rolls-Royce, Airbus and GKN Aerospace-Filton have built a full-scale replica F.2B in celebration of 100 years of aircraft manufacture at Filton Bristol, where the original fighters were designed and built."News and Press: Bristol Fighter."
''bac2010.co.uk''. Retrieved: 21 June 2010.


Specifications (F.2B)


See also


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* Barnes, C. H. ''Bristol Aircraft since 1910''. London: Putnam, 1964. * Barnes, C. H. ''Bristol Aircraft since 1910'' (2nd ed). London: Putnam, 1970. . * Bruce, J. M

''Flight International, Flight'', 7 November 1952, pp. 587–591. * Bruce, J. M. "Aircraft Profile No. 21: The Bristol Fighter". ''Profile Publications Ltd'', 1965. * Bruce, J. M. "Bristol's Fighter Par Excellence". ''Air Enthusiast'', Thirty-five, January–April 1988. pp. 24–47. . * Bruce, J. M. ''Warplanes of the First World War, Vol. 1''. London: Macdonald, 1965. * Cheesman, E. F. (ed). ''Fighter Aircraft of the 1914–1918 War''. Letchworth, Harleyford, UK: Aero Publishers, Inc., 1960. * * Gutman, J. ''Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War 1''. London: Osprey Publishing, 2007. . * Hare, Paul R. ''Fokker Fodder''. United Kingdom: Fonthill, 2012. . * Holmes, Tony. "Database: Bristol Fighter". ''Aeroplane Monthly, Aeroplane'', June 2015, Vol. 43, No. 6. pp. 79–93. . * * Kopański, Tomasz Jan. ''Samoloty brytyjskie w lotnictwie polskim 1918–1930'' (British Aircraft in the Polish Air Force 1918–1930) (in Polish). Bellona, Warsaw: 2001. . * * Morgała, Andrzej. Samoloty wojskowe w Polsce 1918-1924 [Military aircraft in Poland 1918-1924] (in Polish). Warsaw: Lampart, 1997. . * Rivas, Santiago. ''British Combat Aircraft in Latin America''. Manchester, UK: Crécy Publishing, 2019. . * * Wegg, John. ''General Dynamics Aircraft and Their Predecessors''. London: Putnam, 1990. .


External links


Austin & Longbridge Aircraft Production

Bristol F.2B – World Military Aircraft


* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100412125339/http://www.field-recording.org.uk/bristol-fighter/ Sound recordings of the Bristol Fighter preserved by the Shuttleworth collection] {{Authority control Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes 1910s British fighter aircraft Bristol Aeroplane Company aircraft, F.2 Fighter Military aircraft of World War I Aircraft first flown in 1916