View source for Engineering:Bristol Biplane Type 'T'

{|{{Infobox aircraft begin
 |name=Bristol Biplane Type 'T'
 |image=
 |caption=<!--image caption; if it isn't descriptive it should be left blank-->
}}{{Infobox aircraft type
 |type=Single-seat sporting biplane
 |manufacturer=British and Colonial Aeroplane Company
 |designer=George Challenger
 |first flight=
 |introduced=1911
 |retired=
 |status=
 |primary user=<!--please list only one-->
 |more users=<!--up to three more. please separate with <br/>.-->
 |produced=<!--years in production, e.g. 1970-1999, if still in active use but no longer built-->
 |number built=5
 |program cost=<!--should be used only for experimental programs-->
 |unit cost=
 |developed from=
 |variants with their own articles=
}}
|} 
The Bristol Biplane Type 'T', sometimes called the '''Challenger-Dickson Biplane''', was a derivative of the Bristol Boxkite. It was  built in 1911 by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company and was designed as a cross-country racing aircraft for Maurice Tabuteau.

==Development==
The Type 'T' was not a development of the Bristol Boxkite but did use some of the experience gained with the Boxkite. It was designed by George Challenger, with the assistance of practical advice from Captain Bertram Dickson, a prominent pilot of the day. It had the same "[[Engineering:Farman III|Farman]]" configuration as the Boxkite, differing principally in having an enclosed [[Engineering:Nacelle|nacelle]] to house the pilot. The structure bearing the front elevator also differed substantially: the elevator was mounted lower down, level with the lower wing, and the undercarriage skids were continued forward and upwards to form part of the elevator mounting. The rear-mounted twin rudders were balanced, unlike those of the Boxkite. 
The first aircraft  (Bristol No.&nbsp;45) was built to compete in the 1911 ''Circuit de l'Europe'' race, with Maurice Tabuteau as pilot, and was powered by a {{convert|70|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Gnome Gamma [[Engineering:Rotary engine|rotary engine]]. Tabateau put up a creditable performance, and completed all of the race's nine stages.<ref>{{cite newspaper The Times|title=The European Circuit: Final Order of Competitors|date=10 July 1911|department=News|column=B|issue=39633|page=12}}</ref>
 
Four more aircraft were built for 1911 Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air Race. These differed from the design of No. 45 in having  a modified nacelle and rudders placed further out, away from the slipstream of the engine.
*No. 51 was to be flown by Graham Gilmour in the race but he was unable to compete because his licence had been suspended. After the race the aircraft was fitted with a 50&nbsp;hp Gnome and sold to Gerald Napier but on 2 August 1911 it crashed at Brooklands, killing Napier.<ref name=timesobit >{{Cite newspaper The Times|title=The Fatal Accident At Brooklands|department=News |date=3 August 1911|page=4|issue=39654|column=A}}</ref>
*No. 52 had a 70&nbsp;hp Gnome engine and was flown by Collyns Pizey. 
*No. 53 had a 70&nbsp;hp Gnome engine and was flown by Gordon England, and was  withdrawn with engine problems.
*No. 54 had a 60&nbsp;hp Renault engine and was to be flown by Howard Pixton, who crashed during the race and did not finish.

Maurice Tabuteau also entered the race in the original Type T No. 45 but none of Type Ts finished the race. After the crash of No.&nbsp;51 none of the Type Ts were flown again. An additional machine, No.&nbsp;59, was modified by Gordon England as the Challenger-England biplane. One more aircraft, No.&nbsp;78, was to be fitted with a 100&nbsp;hp Gnome engine but was never completed.

==The Challenger-England biplane==
Under the direction of Gordon England one aircraft was later converted to a [[Engineering:Tractor configuration|tractor configuration]], powered by a {{convert|60|hp|kW|abbr=on}} E.N.V. Type F water-cooled V-8 engine.

==Specifications (Type 'T'<!-- variant -->) ==

{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Bristol Aircraft Since 1910<ref>Barnes, C.H. ''Bristol Aircraft Since 1910'', p. 59</ref>
|prime units?=imp
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=1
|length ft=24
|length in=6
|length note=
|span ft=35
|span in=0
|span note=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqft=350
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=
|empty weight lb=800
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=1000
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Gnome Gamma
|eng1 type=7-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine
|eng1 hp=70
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=fixed-pitch pusher propeller
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed mph=58
|max speed note=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed note=
|range miles=
|range note=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
}}

==See also==
{{aircontent
|related=
* Bristol Boxkite
|similar aircraft=
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1950/1950%20-%200325.PDF Bristol Aircraft since 1910] - photograph in ''Flight'' 1950

[[Category:Biplanes]]
[[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]]
[[Category:Rotary-engined aircraft]]

{{Sourceattribution|Bristol Biplane Type 'T'}}