Bristol Fighter F2b 1919 - 1928

BRISTOL F2B

Design:
F S Barnwell

Company:
Bristol

UK
British and Colonial Aircraft Co

USA
Curtis

Developed from:
Bristol R2A

Wing Span:
39 ft 3 in. 11.96 M

Wing Area:
406 sq ft, 2.97 sq M

Length:
25 ft 10 in. 7.87 M

Height:
9 ft 9 in. 2.97 M

Ceiling:
20,000 ft 6,096 M

Speed at 6,500 ft
119 MPH 191.5 KPH

Range:
3 Hours

T/O Weight:
2.779 lbs 1,261 Kg

Crew:
Pilot
Rear Gunner

Role:
General Purpose
Survey
Army Co-operation

Total Manufactured:
5,500 all marks

First Flight:
9 Sep 1916

Armament:
1 Synchronized Vickers
1 or 2 Lewis on scarf ring in the rear cockpit
12 x 20 lb bombs under wing

Years Served in NZ:
1919 to 1936

Quantity Served:
7

ENGINE

Type:
Rolls Royce Falcon 111
12 cylinder, 60 ^ vee, in line, water cooled,

Horse Power:
275 HP

Bore:
4 in 101.6 mm

Stroke:
5.75 in 146 mm

Volume:
865.5 cu in 14.2 L

Compression Ratio:
5.3 : 1

T/O [Max] RPM:
2,300 RPM

Fuel:
40 - 50 octane

Length:
68 in 1,727 mm

Width:
40.3 in 1,024 mm

Height:
37.2 in 945 mm

Weight:
715 lb 324 kg

Power to Weight Ratio:
0.4 hp/lb 0.66 KW/Kg

H 1557

Mark F2B
Constructors No.: 5274
Imperial Gift Aircraft
Arrived In Christchurch on SS Mataua on 27 Aug 1919
Crashed at Christchurch, doing aerobatics at 2,000 Ft
Entered left-hand spin and crashed into a
property at Harewood Road 17 Mar 1926
The pilot, Capt Frederick Horrell, and passenger
Lewis Reid were killed,
Pupil Lt P Turner was seriously Injured
This was the first military aviation death in NZ

H 1558

Mark: F2B
Constructors No.: 5275
Imperial Gift Aircraft
Arrived in Christchurch on SS Mataua on 27 Aug 1919
First NZ flight 4 Sep 191
Damaged during refresher course in 1929
Repaired and returned to service
Reduced To Produce Late 1930/early 1931

H 6856

Mark: F2B Mk 11
Reconditioned by Bristol Aeroplane Co
Left England on SS Suffolk Oct 1925
Withdrawn from service and converted to
training airframe at TTS Wigram Nov 1936
Reduced To Produce Burnt Late 1939

H 6859

Mark: F2B Mk 11
Reconditioned by Bristol Aeroplane Co
Left England on SS Suffolk Oct 1925
Withdrawn from service and converted to
training airframe at TTS Wigram Nov 1936
Reduced To Produce burnt late 1939

H 7120

Mark: F 2B Mk 111
Dual controls
Arrived 1927
Withdrawn from service and converted to
training airframe at TTS Wigram Nov 1936
Reduved To Produce burnt late 1939

H 7121

Mark: F2B Mk 111
J Type
Arrived at Wigram 3 Aug 1927
Crashed Lake Ellesmere during
a refresher course in 1936
A/C dived toward the target on bombing range,
Failed to pull out
F/O Graham Owen died of injuries in hospital
Total flying Time 669 15 Hrs

H 7122

Mark F2B Mk 111
J Type
Arrived at Wigram Aug 1927
Withdrawn from Service and converted to
Training Airframe at TTS Wigram Nov 1936
Reduced to Produce burnt late 1939

H7120 was the last aircraft to fly operationally in 1914 – 1918 War

The instructional airframes were sent to Palmerston North Technical College, Wellington Aero Club,

Also served on No 75 Sqn RAF

photos official

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner