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Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz

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Knowledge Quiz for Warbird wiz

Old 11-17-2022, 02:56 PM
  #21001  
Ernie P.
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Guys; in a few hours, I will be leaving for a week long (actually, nine days) hunting trip. As I'm the lead, with a question on the table, I'm uncertain as to how to proceed. I can post seven more questions, and leave it to you guys to decide whether anyone making a guess is correct. That may make sense, as the answer will be easy to verify when someone make a correct guess. Or we can simply go quiet for a week. I'd prefer one of you go ahead and answer the question this evening. I'm sure at least one of you have a pretty good idea as to the identity of the subject plane at this point. Let me know your thoughts and ideas, please. Thanks; Ernie P.
Old 11-17-2022, 07:02 PM
  #21002  
Ernie P.
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Okay, Guys; here's a few more clues. Unless some one answers this question while I'm gone, I'll see you all in a week. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird do I describe?



1. This aircraft came into being at a period in time when aircraft companies were engaged in intense international competition to set new world records.



2. Advances in aircraft technology were made as a result of this competition.



3. And the laurels were used to demonstrate the technological superiority of the companies, and countries, involved.



4. The expense involved soon grew beyond the reach of a single aircraft company.



5. And those companies were increasingly backed in their attempts by the nations involved.



6. This is the story of one such company, and the plane it produced.



7. This plane was built to counter several foreign planes which set some new records.



8. Our subject plane set several outright world records.



9. And by a fair margin.



10. Interestingly, several of the foreign record setters used engines produced by our subject aircraft’s manufacturer.



11. And yet, the airframes being produced by the same company were lagging behind.



12. A completely new airframe was obviously required for this attempt.



13. And it would be a purpose-built research aircraft designed specifically for this one record attempt.



14. One of the company’s engineers proposed a new aircraft to set the record.



15. But nothing happened until a foreign plane set another record which drew public attention to the situation.



16. The proposal was for a single seat plane using retractable landing gear and a supercharged engine.



17. Although, in the end, it was decided to save weight and use fixed landing gear.



18. The officials finally issued a proposal to several companies, which was for a pair of prototypes.



19. Which were now to use two stage superchargers.



20. The plane was redesigned. The size and layout remained the same, but room for an observer was found for the second, ultimately unused, prototype.



21. And special flight equipment designed for the attempt.



22. The first prototype was delivered and tested using a standard engine, as the supercharged engine wasn’t yet ready.



23. The aircraft was described as the largest single place aircraft ever built to that time.



24. A lot of research was carried out by the government and national laboratories.



25. And an intercooler was used between the two stages of the supercharger.



26. Weight saving was a priority and a wooden shell, with a tube chassis, was used.



27. Only the engine mount and cowling were metal.



28. Specially developed fuel was used for the record flight.



29. A new record was duly set.



30. But which didn’t last long.



31. In the interim, a series of small changes had been made to our subject aircraft, all of which were intended to increase its performance; mainly by reducing drag.



32. A series of further flights were made, during which the record was recaptured.



33. During this flight, a canopy malfunction occurred, but no injury resulted.



34. After the record was recaptured, a number of research flights were made, but no further records were attempted.



35. It was felt these flights gathered invaluable data; particularly regarding pressurization.



36. The second prototype was ordered, and delivered.





37. But no engine was ever fitted.

38. And the airframe was used as a ground instructional trainer.



39. This was the unflown two seat version.



40. At the time, the company which built these two prototypes was best known for building a very successful series of engines.



41. And a couple of iconic WWI aircraft.



42. And a few famous WWII aircraft.



43. And had a large part in building perhaps the most famous passenger plane ever built.



44. The company ultimately merged with several other companies, and is still around in some form today.



45. A lot of research went into designing a suitable flying suit for the record attempts.



46. This area of research was largely conducted by government agencies.



47. The company itself had a distinguished history.



48. But by the late 1920s found itself lagging behind foreign aircraft.



49. Foreign aircraft were setting new records for altitude.



50. And those foreign aircraft were often powered by engines built by our subject aircraft’s parent company.



51. Between 1929 and 1934, a number of altitude records had been set. Many of those records were set by aircraft produced by rival companies, but powered by engines being produced by the parent company of our subject aircraft.



52. Clearly, the parent company was lagging in the designs of the aircraft they produced.



53. Finally, a decision was made by the government to finance a record attempt, by a British company.



54. The British government issued a specification for a pair of prototypes capable of reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet.



55. And our subject aircraft’s parent company was among those invited to submit a proposal for those two aircraft.



56. One of the parent company’s designers, a famous designer in his own right, had previously tried unsuccessfully to interest the British government in backing such an effort.



57. It was only after a new record was set by a flight over Mount Everest that public interest in high altitude flights spurred the British government to act.



58. And so, the Air Ministry issued Specification 2/34.



59. This was released in June, 1934.



60. The first prototype first flew on May 11, 1936.



61. Since the new engine wasn’t ready, it flew with one of the company’s standard engines, driving a three blade propeller.



62. After a total of three test flights, the aircraft was delivered to the RAE at Farnborough.



63. There, the pressure helmet was tested before the aircraft was returned to Filton.



64. Where the special Pegasus engine, and a four bladed propeller were installed.



65. In September, the aircraft returned to Farnborough for more tests.



66. Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain was selected to pilot the aircraft on the high altitude attempts.



67. The Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry personally directed the flight.



68. On 09-28-1936, climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 feet (16,000 meters).



69. The flight lasted two hours, and Swain ran low on oxygen.



70. He had to break the window of the pressure helmet. Fortunately, he had come down to an altitude where he could breathe normally.



71. This flight was recognized as a World Record or 49,967 feet (15,230 meters).



72. After this record breaking flight, further development of the aircraft resulted in a series of small improvements; mostly weight reduction and improving the performance of the supercharger.



73. Six further flights achieved a record altitude certified as 53,937 feet or 16,440 meters.



74. That flight was made by Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adams.



75. That was accomplished on 06-30-1937.



76. The canopy suffered a major crack during that flight, but Adams was saved by his helmet and pressure suit.



77. Research flights continued after that, but there were no further record attempts.
Old 11-27-2022, 09:15 AM
  #21003  
Ernie P.
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I'm back, although I will again be off on another hunting trip in a few days. That will be a short one, though. In the interim, we are still faced with a dilemma. I'm convinced several of you know the answer, but simply don't want to take the lead. If that is the case, the question may never be answered, no matter how obvious the clues. Sunday's clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird do I describe?



1. This aircraft came into being at a period in time when aircraft companies were engaged in intense international competition to set new world records.



2. Advances in aircraft technology were made as a result of this competition.



3. And the laurels were used to demonstrate the technological superiority of the companies, and countries, involved.



4. The expense involved soon grew beyond the reach of a single aircraft company.



5. And those companies were increasingly backed in their attempts by the nations involved.



6. This is the story of one such company, and the plane it produced.



7. This plane was built to counter several foreign planes which set some new records.



8. Our subject plane set several outright world records.



9. And by a fair margin.



10. Interestingly, several of the foreign record setters used engines produced by our subject aircraft’s manufacturer.



11. And yet, the airframes being produced by the same company were lagging behind.



12. A completely new airframe was obviously required for this attempt.



13. And it would be a purpose-built research aircraft designed specifically for this one record attempt.



14. One of the company’s engineers proposed a new aircraft to set the record.



15. But nothing happened until a foreign plane set another record which drew public attention to the situation.



16. The proposal was for a single seat plane using retractable landing gear and a supercharged engine.



17. Although, in the end, it was decided to save weight and use fixed landing gear.



18. The officials finally issued a proposal to several companies, which was for a pair of prototypes.



19. Which were now to use two stage superchargers.



20. The plane was redesigned. The size and layout remained the same, but room for an observer was found for the second, ultimately unused, prototype.



21. And special flight equipment designed for the attempt.



22. The first prototype was delivered and tested using a standard engine, as the supercharged engine wasn’t yet ready.



23. The aircraft was described as the largest single place aircraft ever built to that time.



24. A lot of research was carried out by the government and national laboratories.



25. And an intercooler was used between the two stages of the supercharger.



26. Weight saving was a priority and a wooden shell, with a tube chassis, was used.



27. Only the engine mount and cowling were metal.



28. Specially developed fuel was used for the record flight.



29. A new record was duly set.



30. But which didn’t last long.



31. In the interim, a series of small changes had been made to our subject aircraft, all of which were intended to increase its performance; mainly by reducing drag.



32. A series of further flights were made, during which the record was recaptured.



33. During this flight, a canopy malfunction occurred, but no injury resulted.



34. After the record was recaptured, a number of research flights were made, but no further records were attempted.



35. It was felt these flights gathered invaluable data; particularly regarding pressurization.



36. The second prototype was ordered, and delivered.





37. But no engine was ever fitted.

38. And the airframe was used as a ground instructional trainer.



39. This was the unflown two seat version.



40. At the time, the company which built these two prototypes was best known for building a very successful series of engines.



41. And a couple of iconic WWI aircraft.



42. And a few famous WWII aircraft.



43. And had a large part in building perhaps the most famous passenger plane ever built.



44. The company ultimately merged with several other companies, and is still around in some form today.



45. A lot of research went into designing a suitable flying suit for the record attempts.



46. This area of research was largely conducted by government agencies.



47. The company itself had a distinguished history.



48. But by the late 1920s found itself lagging behind foreign aircraft.



49. Foreign aircraft were setting new records for altitude.



50. And those foreign aircraft were often powered by engines built by our subject aircraft’s parent company.



51. Between 1929 and 1934, a number of altitude records had been set. Many of those records were set by aircraft produced by rival companies, but powered by engines being produced by the parent company of our subject aircraft.



52. Clearly, the parent company was lagging in the designs of the aircraft they produced.



53. Finally, a decision was made by the government to finance a record attempt, by a British company.



54. The British government issued a specification for a pair of prototypes capable of reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet.



55. And our subject aircraft’s parent company was among those invited to submit a proposal for those two aircraft.



56. One of the parent company’s designers, a famous designer in his own right, had previously tried unsuccessfully to interest the British government in backing such an effort.



57. It was only after a new record was set by a flight over Mount Everest that public interest in high altitude flights spurred the British government to act.



58. And so, the Air Ministry issued Specification 2/34.



59. This was released in June, 1934.



60. The first prototype first flew on May 11, 1936.



61. Since the new engine wasn’t ready, it flew with one of the company’s standard engines, driving a three blade propeller.



62. After a total of three test flights, the aircraft was delivered to the RAE at Farnborough.



63. There, the pressure helmet was tested before the aircraft was returned to Filton.



64. Where the special Pegasus engine, and a four bladed propeller were installed.



65. In September, the aircraft returned to Farnborough for more tests.



66. Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain was selected to pilot the aircraft on the high altitude attempts.



67. The Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry personally directed the flight.



68. On 09-28-1936, climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 feet (16,000 meters).



69. The flight lasted two hours, and Swain ran low on oxygen.



70. He had to break the window of the pressure helmet. Fortunately, he had come down to an altitude where he could breathe normally.



71. This flight was recognized as a World Record or 49,967 feet (15,230 meters).



72. After this record breaking flight, further development of the aircraft resulted in a series of small improvements; mostly weight reduction and improving the performance of the supercharger.



73. Six further flights achieved a record altitude certified as 53,937 feet or 16,440 meters.



74. That flight was made by Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adams.



75. That was accomplished on 06-30-1937.



76. The canopy suffered a major crack during that flight, but Adams was saved by his helmet and pressure suit.



77. Research flights continued after that, but there were no further record attempts.



78. The company which built our subject aircraft was one of the first, and one of the most important, British aircraft companies.
Old 11-27-2022, 12:42 PM
  #21004  
Hydro Junkie
 
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I'll throw an answer out that MIGHT fit all the clues:
Martin Baker MB2
I was actually hoping we might get a bit of "new blood" in the thread, so I haven't even been looking at finding an aircraft that fit the clues

Last edited by Hydro Junkie; 11-27-2022 at 12:46 PM.
Old 11-27-2022, 07:10 PM
  #21005  
Ernie P.
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Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie
I'll throw an answer out that MIGHT fit all the clues:
Martin Baker MB2
I was actually hoping we might get a bit of "new blood" in the thread, so I haven't even been looking at finding an aircraft that fit the clues
Not the Martin Baker, HJ; but here's a bonus clue to assist your efforts. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird do I describe?



1. This aircraft came into being at a period in time when aircraft companies were engaged in intense international competition to set new world records.



2. Advances in aircraft technology were made as a result of this competition.



3. And the laurels were used to demonstrate the technological superiority of the companies, and countries, involved.



4. The expense involved soon grew beyond the reach of a single aircraft company.



5. And those companies were increasingly backed in their attempts by the nations involved.



6. This is the story of one such company, and the plane it produced.



7. This plane was built to counter several foreign planes which set some new records.



8. Our subject plane set several outright world records.



9. And by a fair margin.



10. Interestingly, several of the foreign record setters used engines produced by our subject aircraft’s manufacturer.



11. And yet, the airframes being produced by the same company were lagging behind.



12. A completely new airframe was obviously required for this attempt.



13. And it would be a purpose-built research aircraft designed specifically for this one record attempt.



14. One of the company’s engineers proposed a new aircraft to set the record.



15. But nothing happened until a foreign plane set another record which drew public attention to the situation.



16. The proposal was for a single seat plane using retractable landing gear and a supercharged engine.



17. Although, in the end, it was decided to save weight and use fixed landing gear.



18. The officials finally issued a proposal to several companies, which was for a pair of prototypes.



19. Which were now to use two stage superchargers.



20. The plane was redesigned. The size and layout remained the same, but room for an observer was found for the second, ultimately unused, prototype.



21. And special flight equipment designed for the attempt.



22. The first prototype was delivered and tested using a standard engine, as the supercharged engine wasn’t yet ready.



23. The aircraft was described as the largest single place aircraft ever built to that time.



24. A lot of research was carried out by the government and national laboratories.



25. And an intercooler was used between the two stages of the supercharger.



26. Weight saving was a priority and a wooden shell, with a tube chassis, was used.



27. Only the engine mount and cowling were metal.



28. Specially developed fuel was used for the record flight.



29. A new record was duly set.



30. But which didn’t last long.



31. In the interim, a series of small changes had been made to our subject aircraft, all of which were intended to increase its performance; mainly by reducing drag.



32. A series of further flights were made, during which the record was recaptured.



33. During this flight, a canopy malfunction occurred, but no injury resulted.



34. After the record was recaptured, a number of research flights were made, but no further records were attempted.



35. It was felt these flights gathered invaluable data; particularly regarding pressurization.



36. The second prototype was ordered, and delivered.





37. But no engine was ever fitted.

38. And the airframe was used as a ground instructional trainer.



39. This was the unflown two seat version.



40. At the time, the company which built these two prototypes was best known for building a very successful series of engines.



41. And a couple of iconic WWI aircraft.



42. And a few famous WWII aircraft.



43. And had a large part in building perhaps the most famous passenger plane ever built.



44. The company ultimately merged with several other companies, and is still around in some form today.



45. A lot of research went into designing a suitable flying suit for the record attempts.



46. This area of research was largely conducted by government agencies.



47. The company itself had a distinguished history.



48. But by the late 1920s found itself lagging behind foreign aircraft.



49. Foreign aircraft were setting new records for altitude.



50. And those foreign aircraft were often powered by engines built by our subject aircraft’s parent company.



51. Between 1929 and 1934, a number of altitude records had been set. Many of those records were set by aircraft produced by rival companies, but powered by engines being produced by the parent company of our subject aircraft.



52. Clearly, the parent company was lagging in the designs of the aircraft they produced.



53. Finally, a decision was made by the government to finance a record attempt, by a British company.



54. The British government issued a specification for a pair of prototypes capable of reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet.



55. And our subject aircraft’s parent company was among those invited to submit a proposal for those two aircraft.



56. One of the parent company’s designers, a famous designer in his own right, had previously tried unsuccessfully to interest the British government in backing such an effort.



57. It was only after a new record was set by a flight over Mount Everest that public interest in high altitude flights spurred the British government to act.



58. And so, the Air Ministry issued Specification 2/34.



59. This was released in June, 1934.



60. The first prototype first flew on May 11, 1936.



61. Since the new engine wasn’t ready, it flew with one of the company’s standard engines, driving a three blade propeller.



62. After a total of three test flights, the aircraft was delivered to the RAE at Farnborough.



63. There, the pressure helmet was tested before the aircraft was returned to Filton.



64. Where the special Pegasus engine, and a four bladed propeller were installed.



65. In September, the aircraft returned to Farnborough for more tests.



66. Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain was selected to pilot the aircraft on the high altitude attempts.



67. The Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry personally directed the flight.



68. On 09-28-1936, climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 feet (16,000 meters).



69. The flight lasted two hours, and Swain ran low on oxygen.



70. He had to break the window of the pressure helmet. Fortunately, he had come down to an altitude where he could breathe normally.



71. This flight was recognized as a World Record or 49,967 feet (15,230 meters).



72. After this record breaking flight, further development of the aircraft resulted in a series of small improvements; mostly weight reduction and improving the performance of the supercharger.



73. Six further flights achieved a record altitude certified as 53,937 feet or 16,440 meters.



74. That flight was made by Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adams.



75. That was accomplished on 06-30-1937.



76. The canopy suffered a major crack during that flight, but Adams was saved by his helmet and pressure suit.



77. Research flights continued after that, but there were no further record attempts.



78. The company which built our subject aircraft was one of the first, and one of the most important, British aircraft companies.



79. The company built famous aircraft in both World Wars.
Old 11-28-2022, 06:10 AM
  #21006  
Ernie P.
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Monday's clue. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird do I describe?



1. This aircraft came into being at a period in time when aircraft companies were engaged in intense international competition to set new world records.



2. Advances in aircraft technology were made as a result of this competition.



3. And the laurels were used to demonstrate the technological superiority of the companies, and countries, involved.



4. The expense involved soon grew beyond the reach of a single aircraft company.



5. And those companies were increasingly backed in their attempts by the nations involved.



6. This is the story of one such company, and the plane it produced.



7. This plane was built to counter several foreign planes which set some new records.



8. Our subject plane set several outright world records.



9. And by a fair margin.



10. Interestingly, several of the foreign record setters used engines produced by our subject aircraft’s manufacturer.



11. And yet, the airframes being produced by the same company were lagging behind.



12. A completely new airframe was obviously required for this attempt.



13. And it would be a purpose-built research aircraft designed specifically for this one record attempt.



14. One of the company’s engineers proposed a new aircraft to set the record.



15. But nothing happened until a foreign plane set another record which drew public attention to the situation.



16. The proposal was for a single seat plane using retractable landing gear and a supercharged engine.



17. Although, in the end, it was decided to save weight and use fixed landing gear.



18. The officials finally issued a proposal to several companies, which was for a pair of prototypes.



19. Which were now to use two stage superchargers.



20. The plane was redesigned. The size and layout remained the same, but room for an observer was found for the second, ultimately unused, prototype.



21. And special flight equipment designed for the attempt.



22. The first prototype was delivered and tested using a standard engine, as the supercharged engine wasn’t yet ready.



23. The aircraft was described as the largest single place aircraft ever built to that time.



24. A lot of research was carried out by the government and national laboratories.



25. And an intercooler was used between the two stages of the supercharger.



26. Weight saving was a priority and a wooden shell, with a tube chassis, was used.



27. Only the engine mount and cowling were metal.



28. Specially developed fuel was used for the record flight.



29. A new record was duly set.



30. But which didn’t last long.



31. In the interim, a series of small changes had been made to our subject aircraft, all of which were intended to increase its performance; mainly by reducing drag.



32. A series of further flights were made, during which the record was recaptured.



33. During this flight, a canopy malfunction occurred, but no injury resulted.



34. After the record was recaptured, a number of research flights were made, but no further records were attempted.



35. It was felt these flights gathered invaluable data; particularly regarding pressurization.



36. The second prototype was ordered, and delivered.





37. But no engine was ever fitted.

38. And the airframe was used as a ground instructional trainer.



39. This was the unflown two seat version.



40. At the time, the company which built these two prototypes was best known for building a very successful series of engines.



41. And a couple of iconic WWI aircraft.



42. And a few famous WWII aircraft.



43. And had a large part in building perhaps the most famous passenger plane ever built.



44. The company ultimately merged with several other companies, and is still around in some form today.



45. A lot of research went into designing a suitable flying suit for the record attempts.



46. This area of research was largely conducted by government agencies.



47. The company itself had a distinguished history.



48. But by the late 1920s found itself lagging behind foreign aircraft.



49. Foreign aircraft were setting new records for altitude.



50. And those foreign aircraft were often powered by engines built by our subject aircraft’s parent company.



51. Between 1929 and 1934, a number of altitude records had been set. Many of those records were set by aircraft produced by rival companies, but powered by engines being produced by the parent company of our subject aircraft.



52. Clearly, the parent company was lagging in the designs of the aircraft they produced.



53. Finally, a decision was made by the government to finance a record attempt, by a British company.



54. The British government issued a specification for a pair of prototypes capable of reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet.



55. And our subject aircraft’s parent company was among those invited to submit a proposal for those two aircraft.



56. One of the parent company’s designers, a famous designer in his own right, had previously tried unsuccessfully to interest the British government in backing such an effort.



57. It was only after a new record was set by a flight over Mount Everest that public interest in high altitude flights spurred the British government to act.



58. And so, the Air Ministry issued Specification 2/34.



59. This was released in June, 1934.



60. The first prototype first flew on May 11, 1936.



61. Since the new engine wasn’t ready, it flew with one of the company’s standard engines, driving a three blade propeller.



62. After a total of three test flights, the aircraft was delivered to the RAE at Farnborough.



63. There, the pressure helmet was tested before the aircraft was returned to Filton.



64. Where the special Pegasus engine, and a four bladed propeller were installed.



65. In September, the aircraft returned to Farnborough for more tests.



66. Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain was selected to pilot the aircraft on the high altitude attempts.



67. The Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry personally directed the flight.



68. On 09-28-1936, climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 feet (16,000 meters).



69. The flight lasted two hours, and Swain ran low on oxygen.



70. He had to break the window of the pressure helmet. Fortunately, he had come down to an altitude where he could breathe normally.



71. This flight was recognized as a World Record or 49,967 feet (15,230 meters).



72. After this record breaking flight, further development of the aircraft resulted in a series of small improvements; mostly weight reduction and improving the performance of the supercharger.



73. Six further flights achieved a record altitude certified as 53,937 feet or 16,440 meters.



74. That flight was made by Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adams.



75. That was accomplished on 06-30-1937.



76. The canopy suffered a major crack during that flight, but Adams was saved by his helmet and pressure suit.



77. Research flights continued after that, but there were no further record attempts.



78. The company which built our subject aircraft was one of the first, and one of the most important, British aircraft companies.



79. The company built famous aircraft in both World Wars.



80. The first successful aircraft produced was also one of the very first aircraft produced in large numbers; serving as a trainer all through the first World War.

Old 11-29-2022, 01:56 AM
  #21007  
Ernie P.
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All; I'll be out of touch for a few days, so here's clues for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Thanks; Ernie P.


What warbird do I describe?



1. This aircraft came into being at a period in time when aircraft companies were engaged in intense international competition to set new world records.



2. Advances in aircraft technology were made as a result of this competition.



3. And the laurels were used to demonstrate the technological superiority of the companies, and countries, involved.



4. The expense involved soon grew beyond the reach of a single aircraft company.



5. And those companies were increasingly backed in their attempts by the nations involved.



6. This is the story of one such company, and the plane it produced.



7. This plane was built to counter several foreign planes which set some new records.



8. Our subject plane set several outright world records.



9. And by a fair margin.



10. Interestingly, several of the foreign record setters used engines produced by our subject aircraft’s manufacturer.



11. And yet, the airframes being produced by the same company were lagging behind.



12. A completely new airframe was obviously required for this attempt.



13. And it would be a purpose-built research aircraft designed specifically for this one record attempt.



14. One of the company’s engineers proposed a new aircraft to set the record.



15. But nothing happened until a foreign plane set another record which drew public attention to the situation.



16. The proposal was for a single seat plane using retractable landing gear and a supercharged engine.



17. Although, in the end, it was decided to save weight and use fixed landing gear.



18. The officials finally issued a proposal to several companies, which was for a pair of prototypes.



19. Which were now to use two stage superchargers.



20. The plane was redesigned. The size and layout remained the same, but room for an observer was found for the second, ultimately unused, prototype.



21. And special flight equipment designed for the attempt.



22. The first prototype was delivered and tested using a standard engine, as the supercharged engine wasn’t yet ready.



23. The aircraft was described as the largest single place aircraft ever built to that time.



24. A lot of research was carried out by the government and national laboratories.



25. And an intercooler was used between the two stages of the supercharger.



26. Weight saving was a priority and a wooden shell, with a tube chassis, was used.



27. Only the engine mount and cowling were metal.



28. Specially developed fuel was used for the record flight.



29. A new record was duly set.



30. But which didn’t last long.



31. In the interim, a series of small changes had been made to our subject aircraft, all of which were intended to increase its performance; mainly by reducing drag.



32. A series of further flights were made, during which the record was recaptured.



33. During this flight, a canopy malfunction occurred, but no injury resulted.



34. After the record was recaptured, a number of research flights were made, but no further records were attempted.



35. It was felt these flights gathered invaluable data; particularly regarding pressurization.



36. The second prototype was ordered, and delivered.





37. But no engine was ever fitted.

38. And the airframe was used as a ground instructional trainer.



39. This was the unflown two seat version.



40. At the time, the company which built these two prototypes was best known for building a very successful series of engines.



41. And a couple of iconic WWI aircraft.



42. And a few famous WWII aircraft.



43. And had a large part in building perhaps the most famous passenger plane ever built.



44. The company ultimately merged with several other companies, and is still around in some form today.



45. A lot of research went into designing a suitable flying suit for the record attempts.



46. This area of research was largely conducted by government agencies.



47. The company itself had a distinguished history.



48. But by the late 1920s found itself lagging behind foreign aircraft.



49. Foreign aircraft were setting new records for altitude.



50. And those foreign aircraft were often powered by engines built by our subject aircraft’s parent company.



51. Between 1929 and 1934, a number of altitude records had been set. Many of those records were set by aircraft produced by rival companies, but powered by engines being produced by the parent company of our subject aircraft.



52. Clearly, the parent company was lagging in the designs of the aircraft they produced.



53. Finally, a decision was made by the government to finance a record attempt, by a British company.



54. The British government issued a specification for a pair of prototypes capable of reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet.



55. And our subject aircraft’s parent company was among those invited to submit a proposal for those two aircraft.



56. One of the parent company’s designers, a famous designer in his own right, had previously tried unsuccessfully to interest the British government in backing such an effort.



57. It was only after a new record was set by a flight over Mount Everest that public interest in high altitude flights spurred the British government to act.



58. And so, the Air Ministry issued Specification 2/34.



59. This was released in June, 1934.



60. The first prototype first flew on May 11, 1936.



61. Since the new engine wasn’t ready, it flew with one of the company’s standard engines, driving a three blade propeller.



62. After a total of three test flights, the aircraft was delivered to the RAE at Farnborough.



63. There, the pressure helmet was tested before the aircraft was returned to Filton.



64. Where the special Pegasus engine, and a four bladed propeller were installed.



65. In September, the aircraft returned to Farnborough for more tests.



66. Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain was selected to pilot the aircraft on the high altitude attempts.



67. The Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry personally directed the flight.



68. On 09-28-1936, climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 feet (16,000 meters).



69. The flight lasted two hours, and Swain ran low on oxygen.



70. He had to break the window of the pressure helmet. Fortunately, he had come down to an altitude where he could breathe normally.



71. This flight was recognized as a World Record or 49,967 feet (15,230 meters).



72. After this record breaking flight, further development of the aircraft resulted in a series of small improvements; mostly weight reduction and improving the performance of the supercharger.



73. Six further flights achieved a record altitude certified as 53,937 feet or 16,440 meters.



74. That flight was made by Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adams.



75. That was accomplished on 06-30-1937.



76. The canopy suffered a major crack during that flight, but Adams was saved by his helmet and pressure suit.



77. Research flights continued after that, but there were no further record attempts.



78. The company which built our subject aircraft was one of the first, and one of the most important, British aircraft companies.



79. The company built famous aircraft in both World Wars.



80. The first successful aircraft produced was also one of the very first aircraft produced in large numbers; serving as a trainer all through the first World War.



81. Another was a WWI two seater fully capable of holding its own against single seater fighters.



82. And yet another was a famous WWII twin engine aircraft which served in many roles.



83. The company also did much of the preliminary work which led to the production of the famed Concorde supersonic passenger aircraft.
Old 11-29-2022, 07:32 AM
  #21008  
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All I can find, after figuring out it was a Bristol aircraft, is the Bristol 138. The only place I have been able to even find that was on this web site:
http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=14834.0
Old 12-01-2022, 04:45 PM
  #21009  
Ernie P.
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Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie
All I can find, after figuring out it was a Bristol aircraft, is the Bristol 138. The only place I have been able to even find that was on this web site:
http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=14834.0
HJ; you are correct. I can't explain your being unable to find info on the plane. I found at least a dozen sites with info after a single search; although I had more luck searching for "Bristol Type 138" than Bristol 138. But even a quick google search for Bristol 138, I had multiple hits. Either way, you answered the question and you are now up. Good going. I can't believe this one went so long. I included some info about the Bristol Aircraft Company. They produced the Boxkite and the Bristol Fighter of WWI fame. Thanks; Ernie P.
What warbird do I describe?



1. This aircraft came into being at a period in time when aircraft companies were engaged in intense international competition to set new world records.



2. Advances in aircraft technology were made as a result of this competition.



3. And the laurels were used to demonstrate the technological superiority of the companies, and countries, involved.



4. The expense involved soon grew beyond the reach of a single aircraft company.



5. And those companies were increasingly backed in their attempts by the nations involved.



6. This is the story of one such company, and the plane it produced.



7. This plane was built to counter several foreign planes which set some new records.



8. Our subject plane set several outright world records.



9. And by a fair margin.



10. Interestingly, several of the foreign record setters used engines produced by our subject aircraft’s manufacturer.



11. And yet, the airframes being produced by the same company were lagging behind.



12. A completely new airframe was obviously required for this attempt.



13. And it would be a purpose-built research aircraft designed specifically for this one record attempt.



14. One of the company’s engineers proposed a new aircraft to set the record.



15. But nothing happened until a foreign plane set another record which drew public attention to the situation.



16. The proposal was for a single seat plane using retractable landing gear and a supercharged engine.



17. Although, in the end, it was decided to save weight and use fixed landing gear.



18. The officials finally issued a proposal to several companies, which was for a pair of prototypes.



19. Which were now to use two stage superchargers.



20. The plane was redesigned. The size and layout remained the same, but room for an observer was found for the second, ultimately unused, prototype.



21. And special flight equipment designed for the attempt.



22. The first prototype was delivered and tested using a standard engine, as the supercharged engine wasn’t yet ready.



23. The aircraft was described as the largest single place aircraft ever built to that time.



24. A lot of research was carried out by the government and national laboratories.



25. And an intercooler was used between the two stages of the supercharger.



26. Weight saving was a priority and a wooden shell, with a tube chassis, was used.



27. Only the engine mount and cowling were metal.



28. Specially developed fuel was used for the record flight.



29. A new record was duly set.



30. But which didn’t last long.



31. In the interim, a series of small changes had been made to our subject aircraft, all of which were intended to increase its performance; mainly by reducing drag.



32. A series of further flights were made, during which the record was recaptured.



33. During this flight, a canopy malfunction occurred, but no injury resulted.



34. After the record was recaptured, a number of research flights were made, but no further records were attempted.



35. It was felt these flights gathered invaluable data; particularly regarding pressurization.



36. The second prototype was ordered, and delivered.





37. But no engine was ever fitted.

38. And the airframe was used as a ground instructional trainer.



39. This was the unflown two seat version.



40. At the time, the company which built these two prototypes was best known for building a very successful series of engines.



41. And a couple of iconic WWI aircraft.



42. And a few famous WWII aircraft.



43. And had a large part in building perhaps the most famous passenger plane ever built.



44. The company ultimately merged with several other companies, and is still around in some form today.



45. A lot of research went into designing a suitable flying suit for the record attempts.



46. This area of research was largely conducted by government agencies.



47. The company itself had a distinguished history.



48. But by the late 1920s found itself lagging behind foreign aircraft.



49. Foreign aircraft were setting new records for altitude.



50. And those foreign aircraft were often powered by engines built by our subject aircraft’s parent company.



51. Between 1929 and 1934, a number of altitude records had been set. Many of those records were set by aircraft produced by rival companies, but powered by engines being produced by the parent company of our subject aircraft.



52. Clearly, the parent company was lagging in the designs of the aircraft they produced.



53. Finally, a decision was made by the government to finance a record attempt, by a British company.



54. The British government issued a specification for a pair of prototypes capable of reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet.



55. And our subject aircraft’s parent company was among those invited to submit a proposal for those two aircraft.



56. One of the parent company’s designers, a famous designer in his own right, had previously tried unsuccessfully to interest the British government in backing such an effort.



57. It was only after a new record was set by a flight over Mount Everest that public interest in high altitude flights spurred the British government to act.



58. And so, the Air Ministry issued Specification 2/34.



59. This was released in June, 1934.



60. The first prototype first flew on May 11, 1936.



61. Since the new engine wasn’t ready, it flew with one of the company’s standard engines, driving a three blade propeller.



62. After a total of three test flights, the aircraft was delivered to the RAE at Farnborough.



63. There, the pressure helmet was tested before the aircraft was returned to Filton.



64. Where the special Pegasus engine, and a four bladed propeller were installed.



65. In September, the aircraft returned to Farnborough for more tests.



66. Squadron Leader F.R.D. Swain was selected to pilot the aircraft on the high altitude attempts.



67. The Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry personally directed the flight.



68. On 09-28-1936, climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 feet (16,000 meters).



69. The flight lasted two hours, and Swain ran low on oxygen.



70. He had to break the window of the pressure helmet. Fortunately, he had come down to an altitude where he could breathe normally.



71. This flight was recognized as a World Record or 49,967 feet (15,230 meters).



72. After this record breaking flight, further development of the aircraft resulted in a series of small improvements; mostly weight reduction and improving the performance of the supercharger.



73. Six further flights achieved a record altitude certified as 53,937 feet or 16,440 meters.



74. That flight was made by Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adams.



75. That was accomplished on 06-30-1937.



76. The canopy suffered a major crack during that flight, but Adams was saved by his helmet and pressure suit.



77. Research flights continued after that, but there were no further record attempts.



78. The company which built our subject aircraft was one of the first, and one of the most important, British aircraft companies.



79. The company built famous aircraft in both World Wars.



80. The first successful aircraft produced was also one of the very first aircraft produced in large numbers; serving as a trainer all through the first World War.



81. Another was a WWI two seater fully capable of holding its own against single seater fighters.



82. And yet another was a famous WWII twin engine aircraft which served in many roles.



83. The company also did much of the preliminary work which led to the production of the famed Concorde supersonic passenger aircraft.





Answer: Bristol Type 138 High Altitude Monoplane















The Bristol Type 138 High Altitude Monoplane was a British high-altitude single-engine, low-wing monoplane research aircraft developed and produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Company during the 1930s. It set nine world altitude records, with the maximum altitude achieved being 53,937 ft (16,440 m) on 30 June 1937, during a 2Ό-hour flight.



A second aircraft, designated as the Type 138B, was ordered in 1935 but work was abandoned during 1937 without it having flown.


Development



The Type 138 was built during a period of intense competition between aviation manufacturers. Prestige and useful technological progress came from breaking major aviation records, such as airspeed, distance and altitude but by the 1930s, the resources and development work necessary to achieve these records was beyond individual companies, and required government assistance.



Bristol found themselves lagging behind other companies from Germany, Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Between 1929 and 1934, altitude records established by rival aircraft included those set by a Junkers W.34, a Vickers Vespa and a Caproni Ca.113 biplane, as well as the first flight over Everest by a pair of Westland Wallaces in 1933. All of these aircraft had been powered by Bristol engines. Between 1928 and 1938, the altitude record was broken 10 times, once using a Jupiter engine and five times using Pegasus engines which was seen as a major achievement for Bristol's engines.



In November 1933, having observed British Air Ministry interest following the success of the Everest flight, aeronautical engineerFrank Barnwell proposed a purpose-built high-altitude research aircraft. This proposal, designated the Type 138, was a large single-engine, single-seat monoplane, equipped with a retractable undercarriage and a supercharged Pegasus radial engine. Nothing came of this until Italian pilot Renato Donati achieved a new world record during April 1934 prompting public opinion to swing in favour of a government-sponsored record attempt. In June 1934, the Air Ministry issued Specification 2/34, for a pair of prototypes capable of reaching an altitude of 50,000 ft (15,000 m). Bristol was among the companies which were invited to tender proposals.



Barnwell revised the Type 138 proposal, producing the Type 138A whose size and configuration remained the same, but the retractable undercarriage was replaced with a fixed design to reduce weight and it would be powered by a two-stage supercharged Pegasus engine and provision for an observer was made. Using the Pegasus was expected to generate publicity and boost sales.



Considerable research was carried out by both the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) and National Physical Laboratory to fine tune the design of the aircraft, as well as to develop a reliable pressure suit to be worn by the pilot. Sir Robert Davis of Siebe Gorman and Professor J.S. Haldane were instrumental in developing the helmet. During tests, the pressure suit was tested to the equivalent altitude of 80,000 ft (24,000 m).



In early 1936, the airframe was completed and on 11 May 1936 the Type 138A was flown for the first time by Cyril Uwins, Bristol's chief test pilot, who had previously flown the Vickers Vespa on its world record flight. As the engine was not ready, it was powered by a standard Pegasus IV driving a three-bladed propeller for the early flights. Two additional flights were performed at Filton prior to the aircraft being delivered to the RAE at Farnborough where the pressure helmet was tested prior to the aircraft being returned to Filton for the installation of the special Pegasus engine and a four-blade propeller. On 5 September 1936, the Type 138A returned to Farnborough for more test flights.

Design



The Bristol 138 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane designed to fly at extremely high altitudes for the era. Aviation publication 'Flight observed of the aircraft that: "except for its size, reminds one very much of the little Bristol Brownie.... the machine is the largest single-seater aeroplane ever built". The pilot was seated in a spacious cockpit, which was heated by air directed from the oil coolers set within the wings, which could be adjusted. Instrumentation included fore-and-aft levels, oil pressure gauges, airspeed indicator and fuel gauge, engine speed indicator and a pyrometer. Purpose-built recording altimeters, developed by the RAE, were housed within the wings, while a separate altimeter was installed in the cockpit.



The 138 was powered by a single Bristol Pegasus engine fitted with a high pressure two-stage supercharger, which was critical in enabling the engine to deliver the required performance at altitude. The first-stage compressor was permanently engaged, while a clutch was used to manually engage the second-stage on attaining the correct altitude, which was needed to avoid an excessive charge when flown at low altitudes. It employed an intercooler between the first and second stages.



Weight saving was a priority and the airframe, other than the steel tube engine mount and cowling, used a wood shell. It with a plywood skin glued to the mahogany longerons and struts that formed the internal structure, which was faired throughout to reduce drag. A conventional fixed undercarriage was used as it was more important to reduce the weight than the drag, and a retractable undercarriage would have been counterproductive. The wings were constructed in three sections with a centre section integral with the fuselage. Three spars with plywood webs and mahogany flanges were used, covered with plywood sheeting.



In order to cope with the extreme altitudes, the pilot used a specially-developed two-piece suit. This was principally made up of rubberised fabric joined at the waist using a type of pipe-clip. It was provided with a helmet, which featured a large forward window to provide a view. It was completed with closed-circuit breathing apparatus with oxygen being delivered via a small injector jet to provide air circulation. Exhaled air travelled via an external tube to a canister containing carbon dioxide-absorbing chemicals to restore it prior to it returning to the pilot again. The 138 had an internal fuel capacity of 82 imp gal (370 l; 98 US gal), split between a 70 imp gal (320 l; 84 US gal) lower tank and a 12 imp gal (55 l; 14 US gal) upper tank. A specially-developed fuel, known as S.A.F.4, was used for the altitude record flight, derived from standard grade Shell Ethyl aviation gasoline. Of note, this fuel has a high anti-knock value; the high degree of supercharge involved results in the fuel mixture reaching high temperatures, which generally increases the potential for detonation, thus a high anti-knock value was viewed to be of critical importance.


Operational history

Squadron LeaderF.R.D. Swain, who had joined the experimental division of the RAE in 1933, was selected to pilot the high-altitude flights. Both the general research programme and preparations for the first record altitude flight were undertaken under the direction of Mr H. E. Wimperis, the Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry.



On 28 September 1936, Swain took off from Farnborough in the Type 138A; he climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 ft (16,000 m), during which he engaged the auxiliary supercharger at 35,000 ft (11,000 m). Swain ran low on oxygen on the two-hour flight and had to break the window of his pressure helmet after descending to a safe height. The data from this flight were recognised by the Fιdιration Aιronautique Internationale as a world record of 49,967 ft (15,230 m).



After this flight, further development work resulted in a number of small modifications to the aircraft, the typical objective of these being weight savings and improving the performance of the supercharger. In this mildly revised form, the Type 138A conducted six further flights, achieving a maximum altitude of around 50,000 ft (15,000 m). During this period, Italy had been able to recapture the record, achieving a recorded maximum altitude of 51,364 ft (15,656 m). In response, on 30 June 1937, Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adam undertook a 2Ό-hour flight in which he achieved a record altitude which was certified as 53,937 ft (16,440 m) despite the canopy suffering a major crack during the flight, and Adam was protected from injury by his pressure suit and helmet.



Research flights continued, but there were no further attempts to break records. According to the British aerospace company BAE Systems, the test flights had resulted in invaluable flight data being obtained, particularly in the field of pressurisation.



During 1935, a second machine was ordered, designated the Type 138B. This was to be a two-seater powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel S engine, fitted with a similar two-stage supercharger installation, enabling it to generate 500 hp (370 kW). In 1937, the airframe was delivered to Farnborough Airfield for completion, but the engine was never installed, and the 138B was used as a ground instructional trainer instead, and never flown.

Squadron LeaderF.R.D. Swain, who had joined the experimental division of the RAE in 1933, was selected to pilot the high-altitude flights.[9] Both the general research programme and preparations for the first record altitude flight were undertaken under the direction of Mr H. E. Wimperis, the Director of Scientific Research at the Air Ministry.[9]

On 28 September 1936, Swain took off from Farnborough in the Type 138A; he climbed to an indicated altitude of 51,000 ft (16,000 m), during which he engaged the auxiliary supercharger at 35,000 ft (10,668 m). Swain ran low on oxygen on the two-hour flight and had to break the window of his pressure helmet after descending to a safe height.[2] The data from this flight were recognised by the Fιdιration Aιronautique Internationale as a world record of 49,967 ft (15,230 m).[15][9]

After this flight, further development work resulted in a number of small modifications to the aircraft, the typical objective of these being weight savings and improving the performance of the supercharger.[2] In this mildly revised form, the Type 138A conducted six further flights, achieving a maximum altitude of around 50,000 ft (15,000 m). During this period, Italy had been able to recapture the record, achieving a recorded maximum altitude of 51,364 ft (15,656 m).[2] In response, on 30 June 1937, Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adam undertook a 2Ό-hour flight in which he achieved a record altitude which was certified as 53,937 ft (16,440 m) despite the canopy suffering a major crack during the flight, and Adam was protected from injury by his pressure suit and helmet.[5][2]

Research flights continued, but there were no further attempts to break records. According to the British aerospace company BAE Systems, the test flights had resulted in invaluable flight data being obtained, particularly in the field of pressurisation.[2]

During 1935, a second machine was ordered, designated the Type 138B.[2] This was to be a two-seater powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel S engine, fitted with a similar two-stage supercharger installation, enabling it to generate 500 hp (370 kW). In 1937, the airframe was delivered to Farnborough Airfield for completion, but the engine was never installed,[6] and the 138B was used as a ground instructional trainer instead, and never flown.[

Variants



Type 138

Not built.



Type 138A

One built



Type 138B

One built to use a Rolls-Royce Kestrel S engine, never flown and became a ground instructional aircraft

Operators

[img]file:///C:/Users/Ernie/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.gif[/img]United Kingdom

· Royal Air Force

Specifications (138A)

Data from Bristol Aircraft since 1910,[16]BAE Systems[2]



General characteristics

·

· Crew: One

·

· Length: 44 ft 0 in (13.41 m)

·

· Wingspan: 66 ft 0 in (20.12 m)

·

· Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)

·

· Wing area: 568 sq ft (52.8 m2)

·

· Empty weight: 4,391 lb (1,992 kg)

·

· Gross weight: 5,310 lb (2,409 kg)

· Fuel capacity: 82 imp gal (370 l; 98 US gal)

·

· Powerplant: 1 Χ Bristol Pegasus P.E.6S 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 500 hp (370 kW) super-charged with intercooler

·

· Propellers: 4-bladed fixed-pitch propeller



Performance

·

· Maximum speed: 123 mph (198 km/h, 107 kn)

·

· Endurance: 2 hours 15 minutes

·

· Service ceiling: 54,000 ft (16,000 m)

·

· Rate of climb: 7.27 ft/min (0.0369 m/s) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m)

·

· Wing loading: 9.35 lb/sq ft (45.7 kg/m2)

·

· Power/mass: 0.0942 hp/lb (0.1549 kW/kg)





The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aircraft engines. Notable aircraft produced by the company include the 'Boxkite', the Bristol Fighter, the Bulldog, the Blenheim, the Beaufighter, and the Britannia, and much of the preliminary work which led to Concorde was carried out by the company. In 1956 its major operations were split into Bristol Aircraft and Bristol Aero Engines. In 1959, Bristol Aircraft merged with several major British aircraft companies to form the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and Bristol Aero Engines merged with Armstrong Siddeley to form Bristol Siddeley.



BAC went on to become a founding component of the nationalised British Aerospace, now BAE Systems. Bristol Siddeley was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1966, who continued to develop and market Bristol-designed engines. The BAC works were in Filton, about 4 miles (6 km) north of Bristol city centre. BAE Systems, Airbus, Rolls Royce, MBDA and GKN still have a presence at the Filton site where the Bristol Aeroplane Company was located.



The Boxkite (officially the Bristol Biplane) was the first aircraft produced by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company (later known as the Bristol Aeroplane Company). A pusherbiplane based on the successful Farman III, it was one of the first aircraft types to be built in quantity. As the type was used by Bristol for instruction purposes at their flying schools at Larkhill and Brooklands many early British aviators learned to fly in a Boxkite. Four were purchased in 1911 by the War Office and examples were sold to Russia and Australia. It continued to be used for training purposes until after the outbreak of the First World War.



The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British First World War two-seat biplanefighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, "Brisfit" or "Biff".



Although the type was intended initially as a replacement for the pre-war Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c reconnaissance aircraft, the new Rolls-Royce FalconV12 engine gave it the performance of a fighter.



Despite a disastrous start to its career, the definitive F.2B version proved to be a manoeuvrable aircraft that was able to hold its own against single-seat fighters while its robust design ensured that it remained in military service into the early 1930s. Some surplus aircraft were registered for civilian use, and versions with passenger cabins were converted.



The Bristol Bulldog is a British Royal Air Force single-seat biplanefighter designed during the 1920s by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. More than 400 Bulldogs were produced for the RAF and overseas customers, and it was one of the most famous aircraft used by the RAF during the inter-war period.



The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until the end of the war. Development began with the Type 142, a civil airliner, in response to a challenge from Lord Rothermere to produce the fastest commercial aircraft in Europe. The Type 142 first flew in April 1935, and the Air Ministry, impressed by its performance, ordered a modified design as the Type 142M for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a bomber. Deliveries of the newly named Blenheim to RAF squadrons commenced on 10 March 1937. In service the Type 142M became the Blenheim Mk.I which would be developed into the longer Type 149, designated the Blenheim Mk.IV, except in Canada where Fairchild Canada built the Type 149 under licence as the Bolingbroke. The Type 160 Bisley was also developed from the Blenheim, but was already obsolete when it entered service.



In addition to operating as medium bombers, both versions were converted into heavy fighters by the addition of a gun pack with four Browning .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns mounted under the fuselage. The Mk.IV was also used as a maritime patrol aircraft and both aircraft were also used as bombing and gunnery trainers once they had become obsolete as combat aircraft.



The Blenheim was one of the first British aircraft with an all-metal stressed-skin construction, retractable landing gear, flaps, a powered gun turret and variable-pitch propellers. The Mk.I was faster than most of the RAF's biplane fighters in the late 1930s but advances soon left it vulnerable if flown in daylight, though it proved successful as a night fighter. The Blenheim was effective as a bomber but many were shot down. Both Blenheim types were used by foreign operators, and examples were licence built in Yugoslavia and Finland, in addition to Canada.



The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often called the Beau) is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beauforttorpedo bomber. The Beaufighter proved to be an effective night fighter, which came into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Battle of Britain, its large size allowing it to carry heavy armament and early airborne interception radar without major performance penalties.



The Beaufighter was used in many roles; receiving the nicknames Rockbeau for its use as a rocket-armed ground attack aircraft and Torbeau as a torpedo bomber against Axis shipping, in which it replaced the Beaufort. In later operations, it served mainly as a maritime strike/ground attack aircraft, RAF Coastal Command having operated the largest number of Beaufighters amongst all other commands at one point. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also made extensive use of the type as an anti-shipping aircraft, such as during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.



The Beaufighter saw extensive service during the war with the RAF (59 squadrons), Fleet Air Arm (15 squadrons), RAAF (seven squadrons), Royal Canadian Air Force (four squadrons), United States Army Air Forces (four squadrons), Royal New Zealand Air Force (two squadrons), South African Air Force (two squadrons) and Polskie Siły Powietrzne (Free Polish Air Force; one squadron). Variants of the Beaufighter were manufactured in Australia by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP); such aircraft are sometimes referred to by the name DAP Beaufighter.




Old 12-01-2022, 07:17 PM
  #21010  
Hydro Junkie
 
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Actually, I was surprised there were so few guesses. I was holding back so someone else could get it so, with that in mind, I didn't even look for anything until the clue count started to get extreme. With that said, I'm going to hold off on starting a new quiz until after the holidays so, unless someone wants to jump in and start a quiz, I'll put something up in the beginning of January.
Happy Holidays to everyone
Old 12-02-2022, 07:57 PM
  #21011  
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All; HJ is going to hold off until after the holidays. That means those of you who have been lurking about have a chance to ask your first question. Don't worry about it being a good question, or asking it correctly. If you have an idea for a question, but are worrying about how to go about asking the question, just PM me and I'll help you figure it out. Here's your chance. Go ahead!! Thanks; Ernie P.
Old 12-24-2022, 07:46 AM
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To all who regularly visit this forum, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I've enjoyed trying to stump all of you, and trying to answer your questions. Although interest appears to be dying down, I hope we can continue a bit longer. Thanks to all of you. Thanks; Ernie P.
Old 01-09-2023, 09:35 AM
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Okay guys, the holidays are over and we have a choice to make:
Are we going to keep this thread going and I start another quiz or are are we going to shut the thread down?
Let me know what you all want to do and, if you want to keep things going, I'll have a quiz up in a day or two
Thanks Guys
Old 01-09-2023, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie
Okay guys, the holidays are over and we have a choice to make:
Are we going to keep this thread going and I start another quiz or are are we going to shut the thread down?
Let me know what you all want to do and, if you want to keep things going, I'll have a quiz up in a day or two
Thanks Guys
As long as we have even a handful of interested participants, I'll be here. But we do need at least a handful who will participate. Thanks; Ernie P.
Old 01-10-2023, 12:24 PM
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Ernie.. i am sorry to see that the interest in this is going away. Really sad. I have really enjoyed trying to figure out the answers to the questions posed by you and the others. I do not pose a question myself because I don't find the time to do it, but I will try to think of something in the future anyway. I hope the quiz does continue. If not it has been a good run for you and all participants. Any ideas at this point on how to maybe generate more interest... or is this an age related thing.. an older generation of past knowledge that doesn't seem to exist too much any more, ie lack of interest?
I check this quiz page every day to see whats new, and will continue to do so until it is gone.
Old 01-10-2023, 12:37 PM
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Personally, Jack, I would prefer to do another quiz. Unfortunately, the last few that were run were primarily me and Ernie trying to "stump" each other. It would be a lot more fun to have at least 5 or 6 people trying to figure it out, hence the "do we keep going?" question.
As far as an age thing, I'd have to say NO. There are several sources of information out there that can be used to do a quiz, I use primarily two of them. The "lack of interest" in the younger generations could be an issue though, when you really look at it. Many don't want to get involved with something where they actually have to think. I see this every day at work, younger people wanting to be told what to do rather than having to think for themselves
Old 01-10-2023, 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Smiley Jack
Ernie.. i am sorry to see that the interest in this is going away. Really sad. I have really enjoyed trying to figure out the answers to the questions posed by you and the others. I do not pose a question myself because I don't find the time to do it, but I will try to think of something in the future anyway. I hope the quiz does continue. If not it has been a good run for you and all participants. Any ideas at this point on how to maybe generate more interest... or is this an age related thing.. an older generation of past knowledge that doesn't seem to exist too much any more, ie lack of interest?
I check this quiz page every day to see whats new, and will continue to do so until it is gone.
Sir; thanks for your expression of interest. I think the simple answer is that most people simply don't want to go through the bother of posting clues and answering the guesses. There has to be a reason so many people view the forum, but never actively participate. Thanks; Ernie P
Old 01-14-2023, 05:07 PM
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Guys, I'm disappointed in the fact that only Smiley Jack and Ernie have responded to the question of "Do we keep going?" Since this has been the case, I just can't see starting a quiz if only two people are interested in it. If someone else wants to do a quiz, I'll participating in it. With that said, as of right now, I'm thinking this thread is finished due to lack of interest.
Old 01-15-2023, 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Hydro Junkie
Guys, I'm disappointed in the fact that only Smiley Jack and Ernie have responded to the question of "Do we keep going?" Since this has been the case, I just can't see starting a quiz if only two people are interested in it. If someone else wants to do a quiz, I'll participating in it. With that said, as of right now, I'm thinking this thread is finished due to lack of interest.

HJ; I have to agree. As much as I hate to say it, I think we're done here. It's been fun, and it's been a learning experience. But I think it's over. Thanks all; it's been interesting. Thanks; Ernie P.
Old 01-15-2023, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Ernie P.
HJ; I have to agree. As much as I hate to say it, I think we're done here. It's been fun, and it's been a learning experience. But I think it's over. Thanks all; it's been interesting. Thanks; Ernie P.
sorry to hear I really enjoyed the quiz I will still follow the in case it comes back to life it was a great ride !!

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