Aircraft Quiz #51

[Doug Robertson]

This built aircraft carried axes for use by the nervous aircrew with which to hack their way out in an emergency: I am NOT putting you on!

Don't even consider fire department or police helicopters or any Search And Rescue birds or military patrol aircraft. Instead, look/think back about 98 years. There was also a very unusual coupling between the engine/s and the propeller/s that you must explain.

1a. Maker?, 1b. Model name?

2. What aircraft was the 1a,1b questions aircraft derived from? 2a. Maker?, 2b. Model name?

3. What was the unwanted feature that so scared the crew, causing them to carry axes aboard?

4. State/describe most unusual coupling between engine/s and the propeller/s.

5a. Engine/s make and model nomenclature?, 5b. Engine/s horsepower?

Bonus for 6. What was another oddity about this aircraft?

[SunvisorFlyer]

So an older 1917-18 aircraft? "Hack their way out" sounds like it had an enclosed cockpit of some kind, which was not as common at that time.

This is a bit of a challenge. Initial thoughts are the Framan F.60 and Junkers F.13, but neither seem to fit the bill. (also 1919 first flight)

[Doug Robertson]

Yes, it is a challenge and please keep trying.

[SunvisorFlyer]

Hmm...now I think its not an aeroplane, but a dirigible that I need to be searching for.

[Doug Robertson]

Well, please redirect that search. Sought is a powered, built aircraft by a major commercial aircraft builder at the time.

[Doug Robertson]

With over 500 views and no right answers; here they are.

The British Bristol works was an unsuccessful contender for a large torpedo-bomber requirement in 1917 with their Bristol Braemar four engine triplane entrant, so they used the basis of the Braemar for the Bristol Pullman passenger aircraft. The Pullman was so named as the interior resembled a first-class railway coach.

The Bristol Pullman was a large (for the time) airliner with an ENCLOSED cockpit, differing from the Braemar OPEN cockpit with it's gun position as well, and also had a rectangular tapered box-shaped fuselage. The Pullman's forward cockpit was enclosed by multiple flat clear panes forming a "semi-rounded" wraparound enclosed fuselage nose. The design was for a crew of three and 14 passengers; with four engines enclosed also IN THE FUSELAGE!. These engines were coupled to two four-blade large propellers mounted outboard on the center wing of three wings via a system of cables and pulleys. (I am NOT making this up!) The nervous crew flew with axes to help exit in an emergency. The Pullman was a taildragger triplane with two tandem sets of large fixed main wheels, four in all with one small diameter tail wheel. RAF test pilots who test flew the Pullman preferred the Braemar open cockpit.

Here are the answers:

1a. The Bristol Works. 1b. Bristol Pullman.

2. The Bristol Works. 2b. Bristol Braemar.

3. A fully enclosed cabin and cockpit. Heretofore most aircraft were open cockpits with a windscreen.

4. The four engines mounted WITHIN the fuselage were coupled to the propellers with a system of cables and pulleys which never worked reliably or well.

5a. Powerplants were four Liberty 12 in-line piston engines. 5b. 400 Hp each.

6. BONUS-The oddity in addition to the engine/prop couplings was that the Bristol Pullman NEVER carried a paying passenger!

Pullman Specs:

Crew: 3 and 14 passengers
Powerplant: Four Liberty 12 inline, piston engines, 400 Hp each.
Max speed: 135 mph
Wingspan: three wings stacked of 81' 8" each
Length: 52'
Height: 20'
Weight: loaded, 17,750 lbs.

There is more to the history. Despite the aeronautical difficulty, the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company became interested in a Bristol version of the Braemar/Pullman called the Tramp in 1919, as a 'spares carrier' for the Royal Mail. Bizarrely, the Tramp was to be powered by an internal STEAM engine; a considerable challenge. Two Tramps were actually built, again, I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP! These were to have an internal engine room with a light but powerful steam engine. It proved impossible to do, along with the reliability of coupling issues to the four propellers.

I thank all who were perplexed by this aeronautical quiz.