Description

This is the most complete book yet produced on this genuinely iconic aircraft. Renowned aviation author Philip Jarrett has updated and expanded the original draft of Ray Sturtivant, Gordon Page and James J Halley.

After a faltering introduction into Royal Flying Corps service in the spring of 1917, owing to its crews’ initial failure to exploit the this two-seat fighter’s outstanding capabilities, the Bristol Fighter rapidly gained a reputation as a formidable opponent. Such was its success in several war theatres that it became one of the few First World War types to continue in RAF service well into the interwar years. During this later period the Bristol Fighter also served in other roles, notably as an army co-operation aircraft, both at home and abroad. Such was its fame that the type was adopted by many foreign air arms, and contributions from several historians worldwide provide unprecedented coverage of this aspect. The type’s outstanding reliability resulted in its use as experimental test bed, undergoing all manner of modifications, the pioneering of in-flight refuelling techniques being a typical example. Moreover, a good number of Bristol Fighters and their derivatives served in civilian roles in the UK and elsewhere, and these too are covered in detail.

As well as chronicling the Bristol Fighter’s extraordinary history from its origins to its final years, this volume also provides individual histories, technical data, production and rebuild listings, scale drawings and colour side elevations. First-hand pilots’ accounts of their experiences while flying the type in service enable the reader to gain intimate insight into the often demanding operational conditions encountered. In addition, survivors and reproductions are described and their histories recorded. The text is embellished with an unprecedented collection of over 950 images, both monochrome and colour, many hitherto unpublished. There are 5 pages of excellent new three view line drawings by Cross and Cockade’s Mick Davis and 32 superb colour sides views by Juanita Franzi. 955 photographs, 12 line drawings, 32 colour side views.