The Bristol F.2B is a British 2-seat fighter/reconnaissance aircraft that served during World War 1 on the Western Front with the Royal Flying Corps.
History
In the Autumn of 1915 the RFC needed a new aerial reconnaissance and artillery spotting aircraft to replace their aging, pre-war Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c. Along with being a reconnaissance and spotting aircraft the RFC wanted an aircraft that not only had good performance, they wanted an aircraft that was more than capable of defending itself during aerial combat. The Royal Aircaft Factory would offer it’s R.E.8 design, which would later become the Bristol F.2B.
The first prototype of the Bristol F.2B took flight in September 1916 with the finished design entering service in April 1917 during the Battle of Arras. Throughout the rest of the war the Bristol F.2B would be used for various missions over the battlefield in including aerial combat, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions in which it would prove to be a resounding success, it was said that in the hands of skilled pilots the Bristol F.2B was able to compete with many of the enemy fighters.
Many pilots skilled with flying the Bristol F.2B became Aces earning them many awards, a few notable aces were:
[British] 2nd Lt Charles Gass, credited with 39 victories and awarded the Military Cross
[Canadian] Lt Colonel Andrew McKeever, credited with 31 victories and awarded the Military Cross, Military Cross Bar and the Distinguished Service Order
[British] Captain Samuel Thompson, credited with 30 victories and awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross
After the end of the war the RAF adopted the Bristol F.2B as it’s standard army cooperation machine, where it would go on to be used all over the world, most particularly in the Middle East and India. Post War the Bristol F.2B was also adopted and used by many other nations including:
- Afghanistan
- Argentina
- Australia
- Belgium
- Bolivia
- Canada
- Honduras
- Ireland
- Greece
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Peru
- Poland
- Soviet Union
- Spain
- Sweden
- Yugoslavia
The Bristol F.2B would serve with the RAF until 1932 with the last of them world wide being retired in 1936 in New Zealand.
Specifications
*Crew - 2
1 x Pilot
1 x Rear Gunner
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Engine
Rolls-Royce Falcon III - 275hp (205kW) -
Weight
Empty - 973kg (2,145lbs)
Max Takeoff - 1,471kg (3,243lbs) -
Size
Wingspan - 11.96m (39ft 3in)
Length - 7.87m (25ft 10in)
Height - 2.97m (9ft 9in)
Wing Area - 37.6m² (405sq ft) -
Armament
Guns:
1 x Forward firing .303 Vickers Machine Gun
1-2 x Rear Facing .303 Lewis Guns in the observer’s cockpit
Bombs:
12 x 20lbs Bombs
Performance
Max Speed - 198kph (123mph)
Range - 594km (369mi)
Service Ceiling - 5,500m (18,000ft)
Rate of Climb - 4.52m/s (889ft/min)
Pictures
Working Bristol F.2B from The Shuttleworth Collection.
A Bristol F.2B of 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps.
A pair of Bristol F.2B’s in flight.
A preserved Bristol F.2B at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford.
Working Bristol F.2B with 2 x rear mounted Lewis Guns from The Shuttleworth Collection
- Yes
- No
- Reserve
- 0.0
- 0.3
- 0.7
- I Said No
- Standard Tree - Researchable
- Standard Tree - Event
- Standard Tree - Premium
- Separate WW1 Tree
- I Said No
