Bristol 75 ten seater
Born of a British Treasury decision to
subsidize the development of a number of approved air transport companies,
the Bristol Type 62 Ten-Seater was originally to have been a six passenger
aircraft (with a crew of two) and powered by a Bristol Jupiter engine.
Early in 1921, however, this powerplant had yet to receive type approval,
and when a 450 hp (336 kW) Napier Lion became available the basic design
was scaled up to carry a pilot and nine passengers.
The first aircraft, erected from one of four sets of detail components
which were manufactured simultaneously, made its first flight on 21st June
1921. Manufacturer's trials followed, and the only major modification was
the removal of the front set of wheels, the main landing gear originally
comprising two sets in tandem, the rear pair being braked. The aircraft
flew a number of experimental services after its arrival at Croydon on 8th
July 1921, and during the following month was flown to the Aircraft and
Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath. Purchased by the
Air Council in December, it was later taken over by the Instone Air Line
for use on the London-Paris route, and was later operated for a time by
Handley Page Transport Ltd.
variants
Type 75: Continued development of the Jupiter engine finally resulted in
the award of type approval in September 1921 and a hinged,
easily-accessible 'power-egg' installation was evolved by Roy Fedden and
Wilfrid Reid for the second Ten-Seater, the Type 75; first flown in June
1922, this was purchased by the Instone Air Line in February 1924,
together with the incomplete fourth airframe for use as spares; when
Instone became part of the Imperial Airways organization, which used only
multi-engined aircraft for passenger services, it was converted for use as
a freighter capable of carrying a payload of 1,800 lb (816 kg), it entered
service on the London-Cologne route on 22nd July 1924, redesignated Type
75A Express Freight Carrier, but was withdrawn from use in 1926.
Type 79 Brandon: The third airframe was also fitted with a Bristol Jupiter
engine and was completed, after some redesign, as the Brandon
troop-carrier and ambulance aircraft it also featured new shorter-span (54
ft 1 in/16.48 m) wings of broader chord, and could carry two stretchers
and four seated patients, or three stretchers and a medical attendant.
Power
Plant: One 425 h.p. Bristol Jupiter IV Span: 56 ft 0 in
Length: 40 ft 6 in Height: 11 ft 0 in Weight (All-Up): 6,755 lb
Max Speed: 110 m.p.h. Cruise: 100 m.p.h. Crew: 2
Passengers: 8
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