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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0323.PDF
FUGHT, 16 February 1950 BRISTO cavalcade A Retrospect of Aircraft, Engine, and Armament Development Over Forty Years 'VEN at the time of its in- ception, in 1910, the Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd., (orig- inally styled the British and Colonial Aeroplane Co., Ltd.), was a firm with a difference. Un- 5., like most of its contemporaries, itwas founded with the specific object of designing and manufac- turing aircraft on a commercial scale. Hear Sir George White, chairman of the Bristol Tramway and Carriage Co., addressing the annual meeting in the Grand Hotel on February 16th, 1910: — "' I may tell you that for some time past my brother and I have been directing our attention to the subject of aviation ... we have determined personally to take the risks and expense of the endeavour to develop the science. ..." He added that several aircraft of the best design hitherto produced were already on order, with the intention of developing a British industry and of making Bristol its headquarters. Three days later the company was formed. Testimony to the abundant fulfilment of Sir George's vision (though he himself did not live to see it—he died on November 22nd, 1916) is borne by the following pages. Herein are depicted in photographs, from the Bristol archives and the files of Flight, all types of Bristol aircraft and engines, together with a large number of variants. Many of these will be unfamiliar, or even, we suspect, quite unknown, except among those few Bristolians concerned Sir George White, Bt,founder of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Co.,Ltd. (b. 1854; d. 1916). with their development. To this pictorial and factual survey of Bristol products, rather than a general history of the organization, our space has been principally apporr tioned, but the main course of the company's development may be traced by way of preface. In furtherance of Sir George White's declared intentions, land was acquired at Filton, the offices being contained in the delightful private residence which still graces the front- age of the vast works. A licence was negotiated for build- ing French Zodiacs, but the first example proved unsatisfac- tory and was abandoned. Undaunted, Sir George engaged his own design staff. Flying schools were established at Larkhill, on Salisbury Plain, and, later, at Brooklands, and the first " Box Kite " (based on thfe Henry Farman design) appeared in June; 1910. Various versions were built, the military type being powered with a 70 h.p. Gnome engine in place of the 50 h.p. unit. (In either case, it is said, these early rotaries used nearly as much oil as petrol.) Piloted by Capt. Bertram Dickson, a Box Kite was the only machine to fly over the 1910 Army Manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain. Onlookers included Sir George French, Lord Kitchener, Lord Roberts and Mr. Winston Churchill. A few days later the first wireless signals were transmitted from a Box Kite to the ground. Within a year some thirty aircraft were built at Filton and six pilots had been trained on Bristol types. Early in 1911 the first government contract was received (from Russia!), and the British Government ordered four aircraft. During 1912 the Military Trials were held on Salisbury Plain, and in addition to two Gordon England biplanes the British and Colonial Aeroplane Co. entered two mono- planes, designed by M. Coanda, a Rumanian. Piloted by Harry Busteed and Howard Pixton, these machines secured
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