Bristol Boarhound

infobox Aircraft
name = Boarhound
type = Army co-operation
manufacturer = Bristol

---

caption = Boarhound I
designer = Frank Barnwell
first flight = 8 June 1925
introduction = 1928
retired =
produced =
number built = 4
status =
unit cost =
primary user = Mexico
more users =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Bristol Boarhound was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft of the 1920s. It was a two-seater biplane with wings of equal span, of steel frame with fabric covering.

Design and development

The Boarhound was built as a private venture to an Air Ministry Specification 8/24 (later superseded by Specification 20/25) for an Army co-operation aircraft to replace the Bristol F.2, first flying on 8 June 1925 Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K |title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location= London |year=1994 |isbn= 0 85177 861 5 as the Type 93 Boarhound.

The Boarhound was a two bay biplane designed by Captain Frank Barnwell in 1924, using a method of steel construction which involved high tensile steel strips, rolled into cusped and flanged sections, which were riveted together to form longerons and struts. The resulting structure was lighter and stronger than one made from drawn tubes and very much cheaper. It had a deep fuselage allowing bulky radio and camera equipment to be carried, Cite book |author=Barnes, C.H.|title=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910 |Edition =First Edition |publisher=Putnam |location= London|year=1964 and was powered by a Bristol Jupiter IV engine with variable timing.

The Boarhound was evaluated alongside the Armstrong Whitworth Atlas, de Havilland Hyena and Vickers Vespa. The Jupiter's the variable timing gear gave poorer power at low altitudes, a disadavantage for an army co-operation aircraft, and the Atlas was considered superior.

The Directors of Bristol decided, however, to continue development of the aircraft as a private venture for a General Purpose bomber to replace the Airco DH.9A. A second aircraft was therefore built, the Type 93A Beaver, flying on 23 February 1927. This was rejected in favour of the Fairey IIIF, which used the preferred Napier Lion engine, of which large numbers were in store.

The Boarhound I (registered G-EBLG) and the Beaver (registered G-EBQF) were withdrawn from use at Filton Aerodrome in April 1927. Cite book |author=Jackson, A.J. |title=British Civil Aircraft since 1919 (Volume I) |Edition =Second Edition |publisher=Putnam |location= London|year=1973|isbn=0 370 10006 9

A further two aircraft were produced as reconnaissance fighters as the "'Type 93B Boarhound II".

Operational history

The two Boarhound IIs were sold to Mexico in 1928, these being used against rebel forces in April 1929. The Boarhounds proved successful in Mexican service, their metal structure proving suitable for the climate.

Variants

;Type 93 Boarhound:Army Co-operation Aircraft, powered by Jupiter IV engine. One built;Type 93A Beaver:General Purpose Aircraft. One built.;Type 93B Boarhound II:Fighter-reconnaissance aircraft for Mexico, powered by 450 hp Jupiter VI engine. Two built.

Operators

;MEX;UK

pecifications (Boarhound I)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910
crew=Two, pilot and observer
capacity=
length main=31 ft 6 in
length alt=9.60 m
span main=44 ft 9 in
span alt=13.64 m
height main=11 ft 8 in
height alt=3.56 m
area main=464 ft²
area alt=43.1 m²
empty weight main=2,900 lb
empty weight alt=1,318 kg
loaded weight main=4,460 lb
loaded weight alt=2,027 kg
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
engine (prop)=Bristol Jupiter IV
type of prop=radial engine
number of props=1
power main=425 hp
power alt=317 kW
max speed main=117 knots
max speed alt=135 mph, 217 km/h
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=22,000 ft
ceiling alt=6,700 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=9.61 lb/ft²
loading alt=47.0 kg/m²
power/mass main=0.095 hp/lb
power/mass alt=0.16 kW/kg
more performance=*Endurance: 3 hours
*Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 10 min 38 sec
armament=
*One forward-firing .303 (7.7mm) Vickers machine gun on side of fuselage
*One Lewis gun on Scarff ring (observer)
*Two 112 lb (50 kg) bombs

Notes

References

* Donald, David, and Lake, Jon, eds. "Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft". London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-880588-24-2.

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=162 British Aircraft Directory]
* [http://www.transportarchive.org.uk/getobject.php?rnum=G1472&searchitem=&mtv=&pnum= The Transport Archive - Bristol Boarhound]

ee also

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