Bristol-Coanda Monoplanes

__NOTOC__ infobox Aircraft
name = Bristol-Coanda Monoplanes
type = Trainer
manufacturer = Bristol Aeroplane Company

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designer = Henri Coandă
first flight = 1912
introduced =
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number built = 37
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variants with their own articles = Bristol TB.8The Bristol Coanda Monoplanes were a series of monoplane trainer aircraft designed by the Romanian designer Henri Coandă for the British company Bristol.

Development and design

The Romanian aircraft designer Henri Coandă joined the Bristol Aeroplane Company in January 1912. His first design for Bristol was a two seat monoplane trainer, a development of the Bristol Prier Monoplane, controlled by wing warping. The first prototype flew in March 1912. A series of similar aircraft followed with both tandem and side-by-side cockpits, known as the School Monoplane and the Side by Side Monoplane.

A more powerful derivative was built for a competition to provide aircraft for the British War Office. Two aircraft, known as Competition Monoplanes were built and entered into the competition, together with two Bristol Gordon England biplanes. These did well in the competition, which resulted in their being purchased by the War Office for use as trainers by the Royal Flying Corps. These two aircraft formed the basis for a revised military trainer, the Military Monoplane, which had increased wingspan.

The Military Monoplane later formed the basis for the Bristol TB.8, several being rebuilt into TB8s.

Operational history

The first School and Side by Side monoplanes entered service with flying schools operated by Bristol at Larkhill and Brooklands. One tandem and two side by side machines were sold to Italy, with four tandem and three side-by side aircraft being sold to Romania.

The two Competition Monoplanes were purchased by the War Office after the Military Aircraft Competition, being used as trainers for the RFC. However, on 10 September 1912, one of the Competition Monoplanes crashed, killing both crew. [cite web |url= http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1912.html|title= RAF Museum|accessdate=2007-07-19 |format= |work= ] While this was traced to one of the bracing wires becoming detached, it resulted in a five month ban of flying of all monoplanes by the military wing of the RFC..

Despite this ban, Military Monoplanes were purchased by Romania and Italy, with a production license being granted to Caproni (although this license was later cancelled, only two being built by Caproni).

Variants

;School Monoplane:Trainer aircraft with tandem cockpits. Powered by 50 hp Gnome engine. Six built.;Side by Side Monoplane:Trainer aircraft with side-by-side cockpit. Powered by 50 hp Gnome engine. Six built.;Competition Monoplane:Two aircraft built for War Office Military Aeroplane Competition. Powered by 80 hp Gnome engine.;Daimler Monoplane:Single aircraft powered by 70 hp Daimler engine. Overweight and unsuccessful.;Military Monoplane:Improved development of Competition Monoplane with increased wingspan. Powered by 80 hp Gnome engine. 21 built.

Operators

;ITA;ROM;UK
*Royal Flying Corps

urvivors

A single Bristol Coanda Monoplane survives, in the Gianni Caproni Air Museum, Trento, Italy, being the oldest surviving Bristol aircraft still in existence. This aircraft was a pattern aircraft sent to Caproni as a basis for their licensed production.cite web |url= http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/bristol.html|title= The Pioneers : An Anthology : Sir Stanley White and his Bristol Aeroplanes 1910 - 1918|accessdate=2007-07-19 |format= |work= ] , never being flown, but was restored to a complete example for display at the museum [cite web |url= http://www.mtsn.tn.it/caproni/velivoli/caproni-bristol.html|title= Museo G. Caproni - aeronautica, scienza e innovazione|accessdate=2007-07-19 |language= Italian]

pecifications (Military)

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

ref=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910 Cite book |author=Barnes, C.H.|title=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910 |Edition =First Edition |publisher=Putnam |location= London|year=1964

crew=Two
length main= 29 ft 2 in
length alt= 8.89 m
span main= 42 ft 9 in
span alt= 13.03 m
height main= 7 ft 0 in
height alt= 2.13 m
area main= 280 ft²
area alt= 26.0 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,050 lb
empty weight alt= 477 kg
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max takeoff weight main= 1,775 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 807 kg
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engine (prop)= Gnome
type of prop=Rotary engine
number of props=1
power main= 80 hp
power alt= 60 kW
power original=
max speed main= 62 knots
max speed alt= 71 mph, 114 km/h
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References

External links

[http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=139 British Aircraft Directory]
[http://avia.russian.ee/air/england/bristol_coanda.php Virtual Aircraft Museum]

ee also

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related=Bristol TB.8

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