Bristol Type 148

Bristol Aeroplane Company

Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1910 (1910)
Products	Aircraft

Template:Infobox aircraft The Bristol Type 148 was a low-wing, single-engine monoplane designed with two seats, constructed in 1937 in response to an Air Ministry specification for an army cooperation aircraft. It was ultimately unsuccessful in the competition, losing to the Westland Lysander, and only two prototypes were ever completed.

Development

The Bristol 148 was developed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company under an Air Ministry contract to produce two prototype aircraft fulfilling specification A.39/34 for army cooperation roles. This type was intended to supplant the Hawker Audax and Hawker Hector across multiple operational functions. By 1935, Bristol had accumulated expertise in designing cantilever low-wing monoplanes powered by radial engines, as seen in the Types Bristol Type 133 and Bristol Type 146. The Type 148 adopted a similar configuration but incorporated seating for two crew members.

The wings featured stressed-skin construction with a constant chord and rounded tips, while the fuselage employed full monocoque design. Positioned atop the fuselage, the horizontal stabiliser included horn-balanced elevators, and the rudder was notably large and pointed. Fabric covered all flight control surfaces. To enhance low-speed handling as required by the specification, the wings were equipped with split flaps and leading-edge slots at the wingtips. The wide-track main landing gear retracted inward into the wing centre-section, whereas the tailwheel remained fixed and enclosed within fairings. Tandem cockpits under a continuous canopy housed the pilot and observer/gunner/bomb aimer; modifications were made to the rear canopy section when the .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun mounting shifted from a Scarff ring to a pillar mount. Additionally, the observer had access to a prone position on the floor for bomb aiming and release from external racks. Two .303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns were installed in the port wing.

Although originally intended to be powered by the Bristol Perseus, the Type 148 first flew on 15 October 1937 fitted with a Bristol Mercury IX engine. Following a landing mishap during comparative testing against the Westland Lysander, it was re-engined with a Perseus XII. Both contenders satisfied the specification's criteria, including stringent low-speed performance; however, the Lysander's superior visibility due to its high-wing design and its robust fixed undercarriage secured its selection as the winner. The second prototype, designated Type 148B and powered by a Bristol Taurus II engine, took flight in May 1938. These two prototypes served primarily for evaluation and comparison of their respective engines.