Bristol F.2b Fighter Type 17  -  "Bristol 300"

 

 Single engine twin-seat observation aircraft 

 

   In order to equip two newly established reconnaissance units within the IIIrd Groupe (N° 8 and 9 Squadrons) the Belgian Government ordered 15 reconditioned Bristol Fighters Type 17 aircraft fitted with a 300hp Hispano Suiza 8Fb engine. The aircraft were delivered between October 1921 and July 1922 by the Aircraft Disposal Company (ADC) (unit price: 800£ each) and were ferried from Croydon to Evere with temporary B

British civil registrations:

​

• ​G-EAYQ    ex-RAF   H1389     c/n 5106        Sold:  13 Oct 1921     

• G-EBAK     ex-RAF   H1291      c/n 5008       Sold: 29 Dec 1921

• G-EBAL     ex-RAF   H1292     c/n 5009        Sold: 02 Mar 1922   

• G-EBAM    ex-RAF   H1240     c/n 4957        Sold: 25 Feb 1922

• G-EBAT     ex-RAF   H1242     c/n 4959        Sold: 28 Jan 1922

• G-EBAU    ex-RAF    H1244    c/n 4961         Sold: 15 Feb 1922

• G-EBBD    ex-RAF    D7842    c/n 3492        Sold: 28 Jan 1922

• G-EBBO    ex-RAF    H1258    c/n 4975        Sold: 11 Mar 1922

• G-EBCU    ex-RAF    E2058            -              arr. Evere: 06 May 1922

• G-EBCV    ex-RAF    H1281      c/n 4998        Sold: 12 July 1922

• G-EBCW   ex-RAF    H1245     c/n 4962        Sold: 18 Jul 1922

• G-EBDB    ex-RAF    E5219             -              Sold: 12 Jul 1922

• G-EBDN    ex-RAF    H927              -              Sold: 12 Jul 1922

• G-EBEE     ex-RAF    H926              -              Sold: 18 Jul 1922

 

  -   Possibly also G-EASU, G-EASV as replacement aircraft for one or two machines having been destroyed on or prior to delivery).

  -   Unfortunately no correspondence with Belgian military registrations is known at the moment.

​

++++++++++++++++++++

​

   Once accepted by the Technical Services of the Aviation Militaire Belge they were coded B-3 to B-17 (B-1 and B-2 being the Rolls Royce Falcon III powered "Royal" Bristol F.2b Fighter Type 14) and operated by the 3 reconnaissance squadrons of the IIIrd Group based at Evere airfield. With the restructuring of 29 May 1923 the aircraft type letter became "L" instead of "B" thus becoming L-3 to L-17. Also in 1923, further aircraft arrived when the Bristol Aeroplane Co (Filton) delivered 16 newly-built Hispano-engined Type 17A (s/n’s 6223 to 6238). They were given British Certificate of Airworthiness numbers 623 to 638 on June 6th, 1923. On arrival in Belgium they were given the serial numbers L18 to L33. In the meantime the user squadrons N°s 7, 8 and 9 of the IIIrd Group were renumbered 1st, 2nd, 3rd Squadrons and a new unit was added, N° 4 squadron all belonging now to the IVth Group. In Belgian military service the Brisfits were usually known as the Bristol 300 (because of the 300hp Hispano engine).

As of 1925, no less than forty Bristol F.2b Fighter Type 17A Mk. IV were produced locally by the Société Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aéronautiques (Sabca) which used pattern aircraft G-EBCN c/n 6223, a Type 17A delivered by Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd, Filton on Jan 31st, 1923. These Belgian produced Brisfits received the military registrations L-34 till L-73. After further restructuring efforts in the wake of the Locarno Treaties (formally signed in London on December 3rd, 1925) only two squadrons equipped with Bristols were maintained: N° 9 Squadron (Winged Dragon) and 11 Squadron (Marabou) of the IV Group of the 1st Regiment (9/IV/1Aé and 11/IV/1Aé). As the result of this downgrading too many Bristol Fighters were available and it was decided to transfer a number of these aircraft to the Ecole de Pilotage (Pilot School) of Wevelgem were they soldiered on until 1929/30 when all Bristol's were withdrawn from use in the Aéronautique Militaire Belge.

Meteorological flights: During the mid-twenties an aircraft took off each day from Evere (Bristol Fighter) and Goetsenhoven (type  unknown?) for a meteorological flight, a tin box containing the recording and measuring devices being fitted between the wings. On completion of the flight the crews would land, put the recording tapes in a weighed tube and take off again towards the Royal Meteorological Observatory at Uccle (Brussels), on arrival they threw the tube on to the grass around the observatory.(D. Brackx)