Bristol Primary Trainer

infobox Aircraft
name = Primary Trainer
type = Trainer
manufacturer = Bristol Aeroplane Company


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1923
introduced = 1923
retired = 1933
status =
primary user = Chile
more users = United Kingdom Hungary Bulgaria
produced =
number built = 28
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Bristol Taxiplane and Bristol Primary Trainer were British single engined biplane light aircraft built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in the early 1920s. A total of 28 were built, being mainly used as trainers.

Design and development

In 1922, the Bristol Aeroplane Company developed a pair of related light aircraft designs, powered by the Bristol Lucifer three-cylinder radial engine, the Type 73 Taxiplane, a three-seat light utility aircraft and tourer, and the Type 83 Primary Trainer, a two-seat trainer intended for use for primary training at Reserve Flying Schools Cite book |author=Barnes, C.H.|title=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910 |Edition =First Edition |publisher=Putnam |location= London|year=1964 .

The Taxiplane was of wooden construction with fabric covering, and was fitted with single bay biplane wings. It carried two passengers side-by-side in a cockpit behind the pilot. The first Taxiplane, registered "G-EBEW", flew on 13 February 1923 , but could only be certificated as a two-seater, being overweight with two passengers and a pilot. Only two more Taxiplanes were built cite book |last= Jackson|first= A.J.|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1|year= 1974|publisher= Putnam|location= London|isbn=0 370 10006 9 ] . The Primary Trainer, also known as the Bristol Lucifer used the same wings, tail and undercarriage as the Taxiplane, but with a new narrower fuselage containing two tandem cockpits. The Primary Trainer showed better performance owing to its slimmer fuselage and lower weight, and was more successful, 24 being built.

A further aircraft, the Bristol Type 83E, was built as a testbed for development of the five-cylinder Bristol Titan radial engine.

Operational history

The first six Primary Trainers entered service with the Reserve Flying School at Filton in July 1923, continuing in service until December 1931, when they were replaced by de Havilland Moths. One of the surviving aircraft was modified as a three-seater and was used for sightseeing. It was scrapped in December 1933.

The remainder of the Type 83s were produced for export, with twelve being sold to Chile, five to Hungary and one to Bulgaria, all in 1926.

Variants

;Type 73 Taxiplane:Three seat light aircraft. Powered by 100 hp Bristol Lucifer engine, 3 built.

;Type 83 Primary Trainer:Two seat tandem trainer, 24 built.

;Type 83E:Testbed for 250 hp Bristol Titan engine, one built.

Operators

;flag|Bulgaria|1878

*Bulgarian Air Force received one aircraft.

;CHI

*Chilean Air Force received 12 aircraft.

;flag|Hungary|1940

*Hungarian Air Force received 5 aircraft.

;UK

* Filton Reserve Flying School

pecifications (Type 83)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910 .

crew=Two
capacity=
length main= 24 ft 4 in
length alt= 7.42 m
span main= 31 ft 1 in
span alt= 9.45 m
height main= 8 ft 10 in
height alt= 2.69 m
area main= 284 ft²
area alt= 26.4 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,340 lb
empty weight alt= 609 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 1,900 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 864 kg
more general=

engine (prop)=Bristol Lucifer
type of prop= 3 cylinder radial
number of props=1
power main= 120 - 140 hp
power alt= 90 - 104 kW
power original=
max speed main= 83 knots
max speed alt= 96 mph, 155 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= 6.69 lb/ft²
loading alt= 32.7 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=

avionics=

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=

lists=

see also=

References

External links

[http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=154 British Aircraft Directory - Primary Trainer]