Bristol Boxkite

Copyright © 2009 Malcolm Auld

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In 1910 the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company at Bristol imported a Voisin designed Zodiac biplane from France with the intention of building similar aircraft under licence in England. Although superbly finished the aeroplane was never flown successfully and plans to build the design were abandoned in favour of a greatly improved version which had been developed by Henri Farman, an Englishman living in France.

The new Bristol machine was an unashamed copy of the Farman but rather better built so that when the Farman companys solicitors threatened to sue a defence claiming substantial improvements ensured that no court proceedings took place. Following trials with alternative power plants, the 50 hp Gnôme rotary engine was adopted and the aircraft flew successfully from Larkhill in July 1910.

The Bristol biplane soon gained the soubriquet Boxkite and equipped the newly formed flying schools at Brooklands and Larkhill. Later, in December 1910, four were shipped in pairs on air missions to India and Australia .

However, the first order from overseas was placed by the Russian Government for eight Boxkites and they were delivered to St Petersburg in April 1911. These aircraft, military versions, had extended upper wings, three rudders, enlarged fuel tanks and more powerful 70 hp Gnôme rotary engines.

The Boxkite was issued to the Royal Naval Air Service in March 1911 and to the Larkhill based Army Air Battalion the following April. Some seventy-six Boxkites were built, which was a large number for the period. However, they proved cumbersome to fly and, by 1915, the majority had ceased to operate.

THIS EXHIBIT: BAPC 2

This aeroplane is a reproduction built by F. G. Miles Engineering Ltd in the 1960s for the film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. As no original Boxkite exists, the Bristol Aeroplane Company acquired it and placed it in the care of the Collection for preservation.

In 1989 the aircraft was modified to improve a number of handling characteristics and is now powered by a Rolls-Royce Continental four cylinder engine of 100 hp. (The greater power of the modern engine is cancelled out by the smaller, higher revving modern propeller which, perhaps surprisingly, does not provide the same thrust as the seemingly lower powered 1910 design.) It flew again in 1992. Like the Blackburn Monoplane, its flying activities are subject to calm weather on public displays.

Specification

Type of Machine Type of Machine
Design Purpose General purpose
Span 34 ft. 6 in. (Military version 46 ft. 6 in.)
Overall length 38 ft. 6 in.
Engine(s) Original: 50hp Gnôme rotary (Military version 70 hp Gnôme)
Reproduction: Rolls-Royce Continental 100 hp
Weight Empty 900 lbs
Weight loaded 1,150 lbs
Maximum speed at 1,000 feet 50 mph (approx).

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