Bristol Gordon England biplanes

Bristol Aeroplane Company

Industry	Aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1910 (1910)
Founder	Sir George White
Headquarters	Filton , United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft, including the Gordon England biplanes

The Bristol Gordon England biplanes represent an early series of British military biplanes crafted by Eric Gordon England for the Bristol Aeroplane Company, with their inaugural flight occurring in 1912. These aircraft were engineered to allow swift disassembly, facilitating straightforward ground transportation.

Design and development

The initial model, designated the G.E.1, featured a two-bay biplane structure with equal wing spans in a tractor configuration. It was powered by a 50 hp Clerget four-cylinder water-cooled engine, which drove a two-bladed propeller through a chain drive that provided a 2:1 reduction in rotational speed. The cockpit was designed for two crew members seated side-by-side, both equipped with dual controls. The tail assembly included a small triangular tailplane with elevators positioned atop the rectangular fuselage section, complemented by elongated triangular vertical fins above and below the fuselage, with an unbalanced rudder attached to the trailing edge.

Following test flights in May and June 1912, modifications were made including the removal of the vertical fins and installation of a larger, aerodynamically balanced rudder. The aircraft was subsequently sold to the Deutsche Bristol Werke (Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke). However, it was deemed unsuitable as a trainer and returned to Bristol's Filton facility in September 1912, where it was dismantled.

The subsequent iteration, the G.E.2, presented an enlarged and improved version of its predecessor. Its fuselage was supported by the innermost pairs of interplane struts, creating a gap between it and the lower wing, while shallow curved fairings were added along the top and bottom surfaces of the fuselage. The tailplane was also increased in size and repositioned mid-fuselage. Two units were constructed: one powered by a 100 hp Gnome double Omega twin-row rotary engine, and another fitted with a 70 hp four-cylinder inline water-cooled Daimler engine. Both participated in the British military aeroplane trials held in August 1912—the former piloted by Gordon England himself and the latter flown by Howard Pixton—but neither advanced beyond the quick-assembly segment. The Daimler-powered version suffered from insufficient power, while the other sustained damage early in the competition, which was ultimately won by the Cody V biplane. Nevertheless, Bristol achieved some success with their monoplane design securing equal third place.

Further development led to the G.E.3, constructed as two examples for the Turkish government. This model featured a fuselage streamlined into a circular cross-section housing two tandem cockpits for crew members, with fuel and oil tanks positioned between them to allow for three hours of flight endurance. It was equipped with an 80 hp Gnome Lambda single-row rotary engine mostly enclosed within a circular cowling. The continuous inner interplane struts were replaced by short struts connecting the lower longerons to the lower wing, complemented by a cabane structure composed of two inverted V-shaped strut sets plus an additional strut linking the upper wing centre to the aircraft's nose. Flight testing revealed excessive flexibility in the wing spars; attempts to reinforce them included adding short kingpost bracing to the rear spar. However, due to Italy's blockade of Turkey at that time hindering delivery, further advancement of this design ceased.

Variants

G.E.1

Only one unit was produced. It featured a 50 hp (40 kW) Clerget inline engine, with dimensions measuring 29 ft (8.84 m) in length and a wingspan of 33 ft 8 in (10.26 m).

G.E.2

Two units constructed—one equipped with a 100 hp (80 kW) Gnome powerplant, and the other powered by a 70 hp (53 kW) Daimler engine.

G.E.3

Two examples built, each powered by an 80 hp (60 kW) Gnome Lambda engine. The aircraft measured 28 ft 5 in (8.63 m) in length and had a wingspan of 39 ft (11.89 m).

External links

• The Transport Archive