Bristol F.2B

From Wings of Linen
Bristol F.2B
Role Fighter/Multi-Purpose
Manufacturer Bristol
Designer Frank Barnwell[1]
First flight late 1916[2]
Introduction June 1917[1][2]
Primary user U.K. (RFC/RAF)
Number built 3101[3][1][note 1]
Variants Bristol F.2A
Wingspan 12.0 m (39 ft 3 in) [5][6][4][2]
Propeller Diam. 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)[4][note 2]
Engine 190hp Rolls-Royce Falcon I or
220hp Rolls-Royce Falcon II or
275hp Rolls-Royce Falcon III [7][note 3][note 4]
Armament sync. fixed Vickers
1-2× flexible rear Lewis
110 kg (240 lb) of bombs[6][10]
Ammo 500 rounds (Vickers) + 7 drums of 97 rounds (Lewis)[11]
Max Speed FIII: 195 km/h (121 mph)[12]
to 198 km/h (123 mph) [13][14][15][6]
Climb 1,800 m (6,000 ft) in 6:50(FII) or 5:55(FIII)[13][15]
2,000 m (6,500 ft) in 6:30[10]
3,000 m (10,000 ft) in 13:15/11:15[12][13][15][10]
4,600 m (15,000 ft) in 21:20[10]
Ceiling 5,500 m (18,000 ft)[14][15] to 6,100 m (20,000 ft)[13][12][10][2] to 6,600 m (21,500 ft)[6]
Endurance 3:00 [13][14][6][10][2] to 3:30[15]

While it had a rocky start, it wasn't long before crews figured out how to turn the Bristol Fighter's considerable assets to their advantage, and the plane gained the respect of both crew and adversaries alike. Over three thousand were built by the end of 1918, and they served in France, Italy, Palestine, and on home defense. While experiments were performed with various other engines, the 220hp Rolls-Royce Falcon II powered most Bristols and provided excellent performance, and in later production the Falcon III was used.

The enemy gained such respect for the Bristol Fighter that №11 Squadron found they could not fly in groups of three or more without causing enemy planes to avoid combat.[7]

For more information, see Wikipedia:Bristol F.2 Fighter.

Timeline [note 5]

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Official Stats
Version Availability Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb Points
Vickers+Lewis mid17-end S B/B 16 14 3 91
Vickers+2×Lewis S B/A 16 14 3 111
2×Vickers+Lewis S A/B 16 14 3 111

Plane and Crew Cards

Card Links

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Aircraft Chart

Miniatures and Models

1:100 Scale

1:144 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

1:300 Scale

1:350 Scale

1:600 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

References

Notes
  1. More than 5,500 had been ordered.[4]
  2. 2.84 m (9 ft 4 in) with 4-bladed propeller.[4]
  3. The first 150 used the Falcon I; the next 50 the Falcon II; and subsequent models used the Falcon III.[8]
  4. Many alternative engines were tried as well, since Rolls-Royce production was the bottleneck, but none were built in numbers.[9]
  5. British usage numbers are approximate, derived from the squadron histories.[16]
Citations
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Angelucci, p.56.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Argus Vol. 2, p.6.
  3. Bruce'87, p.1.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Bruce'65, p.10.
  5. Lamberton'62, pp.214-215.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Angelucci, p.46.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Bruce'69, p.130.
  8. Bruce'65, p.5.
  9. Bruce'65, p.7.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Bruce'65, p.12.
  11. Kelly, p.229.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lamberton'60, pp.212-213.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Bruce'69, p.140.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Munson, p.27.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Bruce'87, p.21.
  16. Philpott'13, pp.379-444.
Bibliography
  • Enzo Angelucci, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. New York: The Military Press, 1983 edition. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
  • Argus Books, Airplane Archive: Aircraft of World War One, Volume 2. Great Britain: Argus Books, 1989. ISBN 0-85242-984-3
  • J.M. Bruce. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. Great Britain: Funk & Wagnalls, 1957, 1969. ISBN 0370000382
  • J.M. Bruce, Profile Publications 21: The Bristol Fighter. Great Britain, Profile Publications Ltd., 1965.
  • J.M. Bruce, Windsock Datafile 4: Bristol Fighter. Great Britain, Albatros Publications Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-948414-08-1
  • Kevin Kelly, "Belts and Drums: A Survey of First World War Aircraft Ammunition Totals". Over the Front, Vol. 5, No. 3, Autumn 1990. Walsworth Publishing Co, Inc. and The League of World War I Aviation Historians.
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Limited, 1960.
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Ltd., 1962. ISBN 9780900435027
  • L.A. Rogers, Windsock Datafile 115: Bristol Fighter (Volume 2). Great Britain, Albatros Publications Ltd., 2006. ISBN 1-902207-77-7
  • Kenneth Munson, Fighters 1914-19, Attack and Training Aircraft. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1976. ISBN 0713707607
  • Ian Philpott, The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78159-333-2