Bristol

Bristol Scout "C" by Aeroclub 1/72 scale Injection Mold.

No. 1611 Flown by Capt. L.G. Hawker, DSO, No. 6 Squadron, RFC, June 1915.

BRISTOL SCOUT "D" by Libramodels 1/72 scale vacuform.

Designed by Henri Coanda, 374 Bristol Scouts were built, 210 being "D" models. The "D" had an enlarged tailplane and elevators were standardized and rudder area was also increased. The "D" was delivered into service starting in mid-Feb 1916. The Bristol saw service in most theaters of the war, always in small numbers, always ineffectively or dangerously armed. No attempt was made to synchronize the Vickers guns to the Bristols despite the use of the Scarff-Dibovsky gear since the spring of 1916.

This model depicits a "D" flown by FSL G.T. Bysshe, RNAS "C" Flight, No 2 wing, Imbros, December 1916.

BRISTOL FIGHTER by RODEN 1/72 scale injection mold.

The F2b was the most successful design of Frank Barnwell which was a refinement of the original R.2A biplane. The F2A, the initial order from Bristol, entered service in Sept 1916 and was used as a conventional two seater with disastrous results. The next order was designated F2B and given the name of "Fighter" and was flown using tactics developed for single seat planes. The plane was to become very popular with its crews and was widely used in other theaters of the war. A total of 4,747 were built and the plane remained in service until 1939.

The model depicted flew with No 11 Squardon, RFC, on the Western Front. The pilot was Lt Andrew McKeever and his gunner/observer Lt LF Powell. Lt McKeever would score all thirty of his victories flying the F2B.

The model is built out of the box using the kit decals. The kit has decals for four different planes. There is a two and four blade prop and th option of one or two Lewis machine guns for the gunner/observer. The kit is not designed to be have the engine enclosed. If the engine is enclosed, you will use only four parts of a 20 piece engine. With the exception of the landing gear, the kits assembles with very few problems. The landing gear is complex, fragile and very difficult to work with. Other than that, the model goes together well and is a nice looking kit upon completion.

Designed by Frank Barnwell, the Bristol M.1A was this designer's attempt to produce a fighting aircraft with high performance and optimum view for the pilot. The M.1A's first flight was July 14, 1916 powered by a 110 hp Clerget 9Z engine. The M.1B was delivered on Jan 19, 1917, also powered by the 9Z. The final version, the M.1C, was delivered on Sept 19, 1917 with the 110 hp Le Rhone engine as the standard power unit. 125 M.1Cs were built.

The M.1C was denied all opportunity of making any kind of name for itself, and it is abundantly clear that there was strong official reluctance to use the type operationally. One M.1C was sent to France but the few M.1Cs that saw action were the mere handful that were flown in Macedonia and Mesopotamia. The balance were sent to training units in 1917.

A few Bristol monoplanes acquired civil identities after the war.

The kit was produced in 1984 and would have been built before 1990 as the engine and gun are from Aeroclub. The kit has no metal parts or decals. The interior is scratchbuilt. I have long forgotten the paint used.

Bristol F.2B Fighter by Pegasus, short run injection mold

The F.2B depicted was used by No. 139 Sqn R.F.C. in Italy during the summer of 1918. It was shot down and captured after joining the squadron only one week earlier. The crew, Lts CEG Gill and T. Newry survived and were made prisoners of war.

I found this kit to the hardest of all of my Pegasus kits. The lower wing attachment was fragile at best and glued at four tiny attachment points. It took about six tries before I was able to align the wings to their almost correct position. The kit contains everything needed to build it into a very nice model. Building time was probably 15 to 20 hours.