A12 Bristol Bulldog
The Bristol Bulldog was an RAF single-seat biplane fighter designed during the 1920s by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, with over three hundred Bulldogs produced, that arguably became the most famous aircraft during the RAF's inter-war period.
In September 1926, the Air Ministry stated a need for a single-seat fighter capable of operating in day and night-time conditions; to be armed with two 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns and to be powered by a radial air-cooled engine. The Bulldog Mk. I took to the skies in May 1927.
The full-production Bulldog came in the form of the Mk.II, which had a modified structure but in every other respects was identical to the original Bulldog; having two 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine guns; a capacity for four 20 lb (9 kg) bombs; a 450 hp (336 kW) Bristol Jupiter radial engine; giving the Bulldog a maximum speed of 186 mph (290 km/h) and a range of 300 miles (480 km). The aircraft then entered production in 1928, entering service the following year, and becoming, during the early 1930s, the most widely used aircraft in the RAF. It was cheap to maintain and thus, at a time of defence budget constraints, was the more preferable option to any other competitors.
The Bulldog proved to be quite a successful and was export to several foreign air forces. The Bulldog was withdrawn from RAF service in 1937.A total of 8 Bulldogs served with the RAAF from 1930 to 1940 at various times flying for 1 FTS, 1 Sqn, 2 Sqn and 21 Sqn
General characteristics
Performance
First flight: January 21, 1928
Entered service: May, 1929
Length: 7.67 m (25ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 10.31 m (33ft 11in)
Height: 2.67 m (8ft 9in)
Weight empty: 1008 kg (2,200 lb)
Maximum takeoff weight: 1601 kg (3252lb)
Engines: Bristol Jupiter VIIF Radial Piston Engine at 490 hp
Service ceiling: 29,300 ft
Range: 483 km (260)
Climb rate: 14.5 mins to 20,000ft (6096 m)
Armament
Bombs: Four 20 lb (9 kg) bombs