Bristol Braemar

Infobox Aircraft
name=Bristol Types 24 and 25 Braemar


caption=
type=Heavy bomber
manufacturer=Bristol Aeroplane Company
designer=Frank Barnwell
first flight=1918-08-13
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=
more users=
produced=
number built=2
unit cost=
variants with their own articles=The Bristol Braemar was a British heavy bomber aircraft developed at the end of the First World War for the Royal Air Force. Only two prototypes were constructed.

Development

The prototype Braemar was developed in response to the establishment of the Independent Air Force in October 1917, as a bomber capable of the long-range bombing of Berlin if necessary. A large triplane, it had internal stowage for up to six 250lb bombs.

The initial design featured a unique engine installation with a central engine room housing all four engines. The engines were to be geared in pairs and power taken from the engines to the four propellers by power shafts. This design was abandoned early in development, and both the completed Braemars had a conventional engine installation, with the engines in inline tandem pairs, driving pusher and tractor propellers. However the engine-room design was resurrected later in the Braemar's development life, for the proposed steam-powered Tramp.

The first prototype Braemar flew on 13 August 1917, with four Siddeley Puma engines of 230 hp each. The prototype showed generally good performance with a top speed of 106 mph, but there were complaints from the test pilots about the view from the cockpit and the controls, and so the next aircraft produced was an improved version designated Braemar Mk.II. The Mk.II had considerably more power, in its four Liberty L-12 engines of 400 hp, which gave it an improved speed of 125 mph.

The Braemar never entered service with the RAF, and the two prototypes were the only Braemars built. The Braemar design was subsequently developed as the Pullman passenger aircraft.

pecifications (Braemar Mk.II)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Fact|date=May 2008
crew=6 - two pilots, wireless operator, engineer and two gunners
capacity=
length main=51 ft 6 in
length alt=15.73 m
span main=81 ft 8 in
span alt=24.89 m
height main=20 ft
height alt=6.10 m
area main=1,905 ft²
area alt=177 m²
empty weight main=10,650 lb
empty weight alt=4,840 kg
loaded weight main=18,000 lb
loaded weight alt=8,170 kg
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
engine (prop)=Liberty L-12
type of prop=inline engine
number of props=4
power main=400 hp
power alt=300 kW
max speed main=109 knots
max speed alt=125 mph, 200 km/h
max speed more=at sea level
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
range main=more than 1,000 miles
range alt=
ceiling main=17,000 ft
ceiling alt=5,100 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=9.45 lb/ft²
loading alt=46.2 kg/m²
power/mass main=0.08 hp/lb
power/mass alt=150 W/kg
guns=2× 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns
bombs=1,500 lb (680 kg)

References

*

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Bristol Types 26 and 33 Pullman
* Bristol Types 37 and 44 Tramp
similar aircraft=*Vickers Vimy

*Handley Page V/1500
lists=
* List of bomber aircraft
see also=Boulton Paul Bodmin