Bristol M.1

infobox Aircraft
name = M.1 Bullet
type = Fighter
manufacturer = Bristol Aeroplane Company



caption =
designer = Frank Barnwell
first flight = 14 July 1916
introduction = 1917
retired =
status =
primary user = Royal Flying Corps
more users = Chile
produced =
number built = 130
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Bristol M.1 "Bullet" was a British monoplane fighter aircraft of the First World War.

Development

The M.1A prototype was designed by Frank Barnwell in 1916 and built as a private venture by the Bristol Aeroplane Corporation. The War Office ordered four aircraft for evaluation - designated M.1B - which had a single Vickers machine gun mounted on the port wing and a clear-view cut-out in the starboard wing to give the pilot more downward visibility.

Despite excellent performance (it had a maximum speed 30-50 mph faster than any of the contemporary German Fokker Eindecker monoplanes for example) it was rejected by the Air Ministry for service on the Western Front, ostensibly because its landing speed was considered too high for small French airfields, but more likely because of a widespread belief that monoplane aircraft were inherently unsafe in combat.

Nevertheless, a production order for 125 aircraft was placed on 3 August 1917. Designated M.1C, this version was fitted with a Le Rhône rotary engine and had a Vickers machine gun centrally-mounted in front of the pilot.

A single M.1, registered "G-EAVP" was rebuilt as a high-speed testbed for the Bristol Lucifer three cylinder radial engine. This aircraft was designated the M.1D.

Operational history

Thirty-three M.1Cs served in the Middle East and the Balkans in 1917-18, while the rest were used by UK-based training units, where they were popular as personal mounts for senior officers.

Six were sent to Chile in part payment for two warships being built for Chile in Britain but commandeered for the Royal Navy before completion. One of these, flown by Lt. Godoy, was used to fly from Santiago to Mendoza, Argentina and back on 12 December 1918, the first flight across the Andes mountain chain.

Variants

;M.1A:Single prototype with 110 hp (82 kW) Clerget rotary engine.

;M.1B:Four evaluation models.

;M.1C:Series production model, 125 built.

;M.1D:Single M.1C rebuilt as testbed for Bristol Lucifer engine.

Operators

;CHI
*Chilean Air Force

;UK
*Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force
**No. 14 Squadron RAF
**No. 47 Squadron RAF
**No. 72 Squadron RAF
**No. 111 Squadron RAF
**No. 150 Squadron RAF

pecifications (M.1C)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref=Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft [Jackson, Robert, "The Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft", Paragon, 2002. ISBN 0-75258-130-9]
crew= one, pilot
capacity=
length main= 20 ft 5 in
length alt= 6.24 m
span main= 30 ft 9 in
span alt= 9.37 m
height main= 7 ft 9 in
height alt= 2.37 m
area main= 145 ft² Cite book |author=Barnes, C.H.|title=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910 |Edition =First Edition |publisher=Putnam |location= London|year=1964
area alt= 13.6 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 900 lb
empty weight alt= 409 kg
loaded weight main= 1,348 lb
loaded weight alt= 611 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)= Le Rhône 9J
type of prop= rotary engine
number of props=1
power main= 110 hp
power alt= 82 kW
power original=
max speed main= 113 knots
max speed alt= 130 mph, 209 km/h
max speed more=at sea level
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 20,000 ft
ceiling alt= 6,096 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Endurance: 1 hr 45 mins
armament=
* 1 × fixed-forward .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=

lists=
* List of fighter aircraft
* List of aircraft of the RAF
* List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps

see also=

References

External links

* [http://peterlewisdesign.tripod.com/australia/classicaircraftminlaton.htm Original aircraft preserved at Minlaton, South Australia]
* [http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/bristol-m1c.htm RAF Museum]
* [http://www.wwiaviation.com/british1916.shtml WWI Aviation]
* [http://www.btinternet.com/~duxford.legends/pages/M1C.html Duxford legends]
* [http://richard.ferriere.free.fr/3vues/bristolm1_3v.jpgScale plans of the Bristol M.1 Bullet]