Bristol Boxkite

British and Colonial Aeroplane Company

Industry	Aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1910
Founder	Sir George White, 1st Baronet
Headquarters	Filton , United Kingdom
Products	Boxkite (Bristol Biplane)

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The Boxkite, officially known as the Bristol Biplane, holds the distinction of being the inaugural aircraft manufactured by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, which later became the Bristol Aeroplane Company. This pusher-configuration biplane drew inspiration from the successful Farman III. It was among the earliest aircraft models to be produced in significant quantities. The Boxkite served primarily as a training aircraft at Bristol's flying schools located at Larkhill and Brooklands, where numerous pioneering British pilots received their initial flight instruction. In 1911, four units were procured by the War Office, and additional examples were exported to Russia and Australia. Its role as a trainer persisted well into the early stages of the First World War.

Background

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The Zodiac biplane displayed at the 1910 Aero Show, showcasing its nearly flat wing profile.

Sir George White, 1st Baronet, founder and chairman of Bristol Aircraft, initially aimed to produce licensed versions of the Zodiac biplane designed by Gabriel Voisin. One such Zodiac was imported from France and presented by Bristol at London's 1910 Aero Show in March before being transported to Brooklands for flight trials. Early efforts to achieve sustained flight proved unsuccessful, largely due to the wing design; the Zodiac's wings featured minimal camber, a point noted critically by Flight magazine. Additionally, the aircraft lacked sufficient power relative to its mass. Even after fitting a new set of wings, performance remained unsatisfactory. A brief flight was managed on 28 May by pilot Maurice Edmond, but following damage to its undercarriage on 10 June, further development was abandoned along with five other units under construction at Bristol’s Filton facility.

Following this setback, Sir George received advice to secure rights for producing licensed copies of the proven Farman biplane. However, this was not feasible as George Holt Thomas was already negotiating such rights with Farman. Nevertheless, George Challenger, chief engineer at Filton, believed he could create an effective replica based on detailed plans published in Flight. With Sir George’s approval, Challenger proceeded to design a new aircraft. The first model was assembled within weeks utilizing some components salvaged from the discontinued Zodiac units and delivered to Bristol’s Larkhill flying school on Salisbury Plain. It undertook its maiden flight on 30 July 1910 with Maurice Edmond as pilot. Although Farman initiated legal action against Bristol for patent infringement, Bristol’s legal team successfully argued that their design incorporated significant constructive modifications, leading to the case being dropped.

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A 1964-built replica of the Bristol Boxkite displayed at the Bristol Museum

Design and development

The Boxkite was a two-bay biplane featuring an elevator mounted on booms positioned ahead of the wings and an empennage composed of dual fixed horizontal stabilizers. The upper stabilizer carried an elevator, while a pair of rudders were supported on booms behind the wings. Notably, there were no fixed vertical surfaces present. Control of roll was achieved using ailerons installed on both the upper and lower wings. These ailerons operated in a single-acting manner, with control cables designed to pull them downward exclusively, relying on aerodynamic forces to return them to their neutral position. The wings and fixed rear horizontal surfaces were covered with fabric on one side only, whereas all other control surfaces had fabric covering on both sides.

Typically, propulsion came from a 50 hp Gnome rotary engine, though alternative engines were occasionally fitted. This engine was secured to two robust wooden beams above the lower wing, which extended forward to support tandem seating for the crew, with the pilot positioned above the wing’s leading edge. The landing gear consisted of two elongated skids, each equipped with a pair of wheels suspended by bungee cords, complemented by a single sprung tailskid located beneath the leading edge of the lower tailplane.

The initial two Boxkites, designated as works numbers 7 and 8, exhibited differences from subsequent production models. Their front outrigger booms were reinforced by vertical struts and connected to the ends of the interplane struts—a configuration inherited from the Zodiac aircraft—necessary due to the Zodiac’s front wing spar not forming its leading edge. Additionally, these early versions featured a rear elevator with a straight trailing edge. Number 8 was fitted with double-surfaced wings, whereas number 7 had single-surfaced wings with ribs enclosed in pockets similar to later production aircraft. Initially, No. 7 was powered by a 50 hp Grégoire engine but was replaced by a Gnome for its maiden flight; however, the Grégoire was reinstalled later for testing purposes. No. 8 utilized a 50 hp E.N.V. engine.

The earliest models had upper and lower wings of equal span; however, most units produced featured an extended upper wing variant known as the Military Version. Some units sold to the Russian government and the first aircraft delivered to the British Army incorporated an additional third rudder hinged to the central leading-edge interplane strut of the tailplane, though this feature did not become standard.

Two specially altered Boxkites were created for competition events. The first, No. 44, was a single-seat aircraft designed for participation in the 1911 Circuit of Europe air race; it had a reduced wingspan and included a pilot nacelle similar to that of the Bristol Type T. The second variant, No. 69, was redesigned by Gabriel Voisin—who served as a consultant for Bristol—and featured no front elevator, a monoplane tail with a single rudder, and a decreased gap between wings. Tested at Larkhill in February 1912, this version proved unsuccessful and was subsequently converted back into a standard Boxkite before crashing in November 1912.

Production persisted until 1914, culminating in a total of 78 aircraft constructed: 60 Military Versions with extended upper wings, one racer (No. 44), and one Voisin-modified model (No. 69). Except for the final six units produced at Brislington by Bristol Tramways, all were manufactured at Filton.

Operating history

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Postcard depicting a Bristol Boxkite soaring above Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain

Following the initial successful flight on Salisbury Plain, aircraft No. 7 along with a second machine, No. 8, were dispatched to Lanark in 1910 to participate in the aviation meeting held there in August. Subsequently, these planes were allocated to Bristol's flight training establishments: No. 7 stationed at Brooklands and No. 8 at Larkhill. By September, a third aircraft was completed and delivered to Larkhill; both Larkhill-based aircraft took part in the Army manoeuvres conducted on Salisbury Plain that same month. No. 8 was piloted by Bertram Dickson and was temporarily captured by the Blue team cavalry when it landed to report via telephone, while No. 9, flown by Robert Loraine, featured a radio transmitter for experimental purposes and became the first aeroplane in the United Kingdom to transmit a message by radio.

Between November 11 and 16, 1910, a series of demonstration flights took place in Bristol. Temporary hangars were erected on Durdham Down, and despite weather limitations restricting flying activities, nearly 10,000 spectators witnessed Maurice Tetard complete a fifteen-minute flight on Saturday. The highlight occurred the following Tuesday when approximately ten flights were conducted between 7 and 9 p.m., including a notable fifteen-minute journey by Tetard who flew over Clifton Suspension Bridge and circled above the suburbs of Redland and Westbury. Weather conditions worsened afterward, limiting afternoon flights to just one circuit by Tetard, who curtailed his flight due to turbulent winds caused by the nearby Avon Gorge. On the final day, although crowds gathered early, wind conditions prevented any flying until about half-past three when it was declared that no further flights would occur. Nevertheless, Tetard performed a brief straight-line flight reaching an altitude of no more than 20 ft, earning enthusiastic applause from an audience that had grown to around 12,000.

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Boxkite at Durdham Down with Sir George White standing before the aircraft.

On March 14, 1911, the British War Office placed an order for four Boxkites intended for the newly planned Air Battalion Royal Engineers, marking Britain's first military aircraft production contract. The initial unit, fitted with a 50 hp Gnome engine, was delivered to Larkhill on May 18 of that year. Later that year, an additional four were ordered primarily for training purposes. These aircraft remained operational within both the Air Battalion and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) until December 1912. After the outbreak of the First World War, the RFC acquired four more Boxkites from Bristol’s flying school at Brooklands; the last of these was retired following an accident in February 1915. Additionally, the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) utilized Boxkites as trainers at their schools located at Eastbourne, Eastchurch, and Hendon through at least 1915.

The majority of these aircraft served within Bristol’s flying schools at Brooklands and Larkhill, which were responsible for instructing nearly half of Britain’s licensed pilots before World War I. Numerous notable aviators earned their licenses flying a Boxkite—including Brigadier-General Henderson, who became the first commander of the Royal Flying Corps after completing less than a week of training.

Australia

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Replica of the Bristol Boxkite displayed at the RAAF Museum

In late November 1910, two Boxkites were transported to Australia for a promotional campaign. The first flight of No. 10 in Australia was conducted by Joseph Hammond, who achieved the inaugural aeroplane flight in Western Australia at Belmont Park Racecourse on 3 January 1911. On 20 February that year, Hammond completed the first cross-country flight between Australian towns, flying from Altona Bay to Geelong in Victoria. Shortly after, on 23 February at Altona Bay, he conducted Australia's first passenger flight, carrying his mechanic Frank Coles on a 7½ minute journey. Later the same day, Hammond took his wife on a 12½ minute flight, marking her as the first woman to fly in Australia.

Representatives from the Australian Army observed these demonstrations and also experienced flights firsthand. Despite positive evaluations, no aircraft orders were placed. Following the Melbourne flights, Hammond returned to New Zealand, and his assistant Leslie Macdonald conducted further demonstrations in Sydney. On 6 May, Macdonald took a photographer from the Daily Telegraph on a 25-minute flight over Sydney, capturing the first aerial photographs taken in Australia. By 19 May, No. 10 had completed 72 flights covering a total of 765 miles. Meanwhile, No. 11 remained unassembled in its crate until it was sold to W. E. Hart from Penrith, N.S.W., who became the first Australian to obtain a pilot's licence within the country using this aircraft.

The Central Flying School (CFS), Australia's initial military aviation unit, subsequently ordered Boxkites. Aircraft number 133 performed the CFS's maiden flight—and Australia's first official military flight—on 1 March 1914 under Lieutenant Eric Harrison. This aircraft remained in service until it was retired in 1917. The second Boxkite used by CFS was constructed by the school itself after Bristol ceased production and sales of the model; this made it the first military aircraft assembled domestically in Australia. Altogether, four Boxkites were operated by the CFS to train pilots throughout World War I.

India

Two additional Boxkites were dispatched to India, one of which was No. 12, notable for being the initial model equipped with an extended upper wing. The inaugural flights in India were conducted by Henri Jullerot in Calcutta on 6 January 1911, witnessed by an audience of approximately 100,000 spectators. He received an invitation to participate in the upcoming Deccan cavalry exercises, during which he completed several flights carrying Captain Sefton Brancker as his observer. Jullerot also engaged in the Northern cavalry manoeuvres held at Karghpur. The flying environment there presented significant challenges, including numerous rough landings due to the uneven terrain. Ultimately, No. 9 was dismantled to serve as a source of spare parts to maintain the operational status of No. 12.

Other exports

Aircraft Nos. 27 and 28 were acquired by Belgian aviator Joseph Christiaens, who achieved the first aeroplane flight in Singapore on 16 March 1911 using these machines. Subsequently, he transported the aircraft to South Africa, where he performed a series of demonstration flights in Pretoria. Christiaens later sold No. 28 to John Weston, who became Bristol's official representative in South Africa. Additional units were exported to various countries: two each to Germany and Spain, and single examples sent to Romania, India, Bulgaria, and Sweden.

Flyable reproductions

No original Bristol Boxkite aircraft have survived to the present day; however, three authentic flying replicas were constructed by the F. G. Miles team specifically for the film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. These replicas were initially powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Rolls-Royce Continental A65 air-cooled flat-four engine. This powerplant proved inadequate because its higher RPM combined with a small-diameter modern propeller was inefficient at the relatively low speeds typical of the Boxkite. Consequently, the original engine was replaced with a more powerful 90 hp (67 kW) Continental O-200-B engine. With this upgrade, the replicas demonstrated sufficient performance for cross-country flights between filming locations. An additional testament to the robustness of the original design was that engineering assessments performed during certification revealed that its structural stresses closely aligned with contemporary standards. After filming concluded, one replica was donated to the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, another was placed in the Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire—where it remains operational during airshows when weather conditions allow—and the third found a home at the Museum of Australian Army Flying in Queensland.

For the Australian Centenary of Military Aviation Air Show 2014, a Bristol Boxkite reproduction was built and completed its maiden test flight on 11 September 2013 at RAAF Base Williams, Point Cook. This replica took seven years to construct at the RAAF Museum and is intended for permanent exhibition there.

Military users

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• The Central Flying School RAAF of the Australian Flying Corps stationed at Point Cook, Victoria, Australia, operated four Boxkites between 1914 and 1918. The initial aircraft was manufactured by the British & Colonial Aeroplane Company in 1913. A subsequent order placed with Bristol in 1914 was never fulfilled; instead, the Central Flying School assembled a second aircraft from components in 1915. Additionally, two Boxkite XV models were commissioned in 1916 and constructed by Grahame-White Aviation Company.

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• Bulgarian Air Force

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• Royal Romanian Air Force

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• Imperial Russian Air Service

South Africa

• Union Defence Forces – South African Air Force

Kingdom of Spain

• Spanish Air Force

Sweden

• Swedish Air Force

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• Royal Flying Corps
  • No. 1 Squadron RFC
  • No. 3 Squadron RFC
  • Central Flying School
• Royal Naval Air Service
  • Eastchurch Naval Flying School

See also

• Curtiss Model D
• Short S 27
• Howard Wright 1910 Biplane

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• brief video featuring a Boxkite reproduction in flight
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