Bristol Scout by MAC Distribution

1/72 Scale
Kit No. 72120
Decals: Three versions – all Royal Flying Corps, for aircraft of Albert Ball, VC; Lanoe Hawker, VC; and Gordon Bell
Comments: Photo-etch detail parts, highly detailed resin Lewis gun with spare magazines; option for three different cowlings and propellers

History

The diminutive Bristol Scout, originally referred to as the ‘Baby’, was a single seat rotary engine biplane designed by Bristol Aeroplane Company Head Designer Frank Barnwell and Chief Test Pilot Harry Busteed.  It was first flown on February 23, 1914 with Busteed at the controls. It demonstrated good handling and a top speed of 95 mph on the power of an 80 hp Rolls-Royce Gnome engine.

After more flying at Larkhill the prototype, designated Bristol Scout A, returned to Filton to be fitted with larger wings, increasing the chord six inches (15 cm) and the span from 22 ft. (6.71 m) to 24 ft. 7 in (7.49 m). Other changes included a larger rudder, an open-fronted cowling with external stiffening ribs around the cowl’s sides and fabric panel-covered wheels. It was then exhibited at the March 1914 Aero Show at Olympia in London.

Like the French Nieuport 11, the Bristol Scout was originally designed as a racing aircraft. Like similar fast, light aircraft of the period it was used by the RNAS and the RFC as a “scout”, or fast reconnaissance type (single-seat fighters continued to be called “scouts” in British parlance into the early 1920’s). While it had an excellent pedigree, it was not designed as a combat aircraft, and the militarized version never quite lived up to expectations.

It was one of the first single-seaters to be used as a fighter aircraft, although it had a critical flaw — it was not possible to fit it with an effective forward-firing armament until the first British-designed gun synchronizers became available later in 1916, by which time the Scout was obsolescent. Throughout its career its primary armament was a single 7.7mm Lewis gun mounted on the left side of the fuselage and positioned to fire outside the propeller arc, although a few were fitted with the Lewis gun atop in the upper wing in the fashion of the S.E.5a.

Its introduction into military service was a result of its speed, which made it rather promising as a scout aircraft. It was evaluated by the British military on May 14, 1914 at Farnborough, flown by Harry Busteed once more and where it achieved a speed of 97.5 mph (157 km/h). It was entered by Lord Carbery in the London–Paris–London race held on 11th July 11th of that year, within weeks of the tragic event in Sarajevo would trigger the Great War. Lord Carbery had to ditch the aircraft in the English Channel on the return leg, owing to only one of the two fuel tanks being filled before departure. Thankfully, Carbery managed to land alongside a ship and escaped although the aircraft was lost.

Two more aircraft designated Bristol Scout B, were numbered 229 and 230 when Frank Barnwell retrospectively gave type numbers to early Bristol aircraft. Although similar to the Scout A, they featured half-hoop-style underwing skids, six stiffening ribs around the engine cowl which was also made with a larger circular front opening for engine cooling, and an enlarged rudder.

This photo emphasizes both the Scout’s small size and the positioning of the Lewis gun on the left side of the fuselage, mounted at an angle to avoid shooting off the propeller. Source: www.tangere-museum.org.uk

Completed shortly after the outbreak of World War I, they were immediately requisitioned by the War Office and allocated Royal Flying Corps (RFC) serial numbers 644 and 648. One aircraft was allocated to No.3 Squadron with the other to No. 5 Squadron for evaluation. Number 644 was damaged beyond repair on November 12, 1914 in a crash landing.

Bristol Scout C: The production aircraft, the Bristol Scout C of which 50 were built, differed from the Type A and B predominantly in the detail of their construction. Outwardly however, the engine cowling was replaced with one with a small frontal opening and the stiffening ribs were removed. The top decking, in front of the cockpit had a deeper curve whilst the aluminum covering of the fuselage sides extended only as far as the forward center-section struts, and behind them the decking was plywood.

The first Bristol Scouts were fielded in February 1915 and assigned as escort fighters to squadrons operating larger, two-man aircraft. Targets for Bristol Scout pilots assigned to patrol, escort, or interception duties ran the gamut of enemy aircraft — bombers, observation balloons, targets of opportunity on the ground, and even the mighty (though highly vulnerable) Zeppelins. For the latter, pilots would position their aircraft above the zeppelin, out of the field of fire of various defensive machine guns, and simply drop high explosive darts or Flechettes on top of the girded airframe. If they did not bounce off and detonated on impact as intended, the flechettes could be lethal, bringing the zeppelins with their hydrogen-filled gas bags down in flames.

The Scout C was followed into production by the Scout D — the improved and definitive version of the type — in November 1915. 210 examples were built of which there were four sub-types, Type 2 through Type 5. Changes included revised wings and tail surfaces as well as redesigned engine cowls. British ace Albert Ball scored four kills in a single week flying the Scout D. Underscoring the type’s lack of synchronized machine guns, Captain Lance Hawker became the third recipient of the Victoria Cross for shooting down two enemy aircraft with a single shot on July 25, 1915, fired from the Martini carbine mounted on his Bristol Scout C.

In all, the Bristol Scout equipped 27 British Royal Flying Corps squadrons while also serving the Royal Naval Air Service. Two Australian squadrons as well as the Greek Navy also operated the type. 370 Bristol Scouts of all variants were during its brief operational life, since technology advanced so quickly during this period that spanking new fighters could be obsolete within weeks of reaching the front. By the middle of 1916, production of the Scout had halted and it was relegated to training duties.

The Kit

MAC Distribution’s Bristol Scout is injection molded in grey plastic and consists of 54 parts. In addition, there are 24 photo-etch parts on a small fret, and a resin Lewis gun with two spare magazines. A small clear plastic sheet is provided which included a clear film insert bearing dials for the instrument panel, as well as a windshield. The PE parts provide sidewall detail for the cockpit, seat straps, an instrument panel, a control yoke, and actuators for the ailerons and elevators. There is a nicely detailed one-piece rotary engine.

The fuselage bears engraved panel lines and the wings and tail surfaces all bear a realistic look of stressed fabric-over-framing. Two Vickers machine guns are provided, but their detail is rather soft and anyway the resin Lewis gun provided is superior — so the Vickers’ will likely find a welcome place in your spares box.
The kit’s interplane struts, often much too delicate in this scale, appear to be sufficiently rugged to withstand the rigors of assembly, so the critical phase, attaching the upper wing, should not be too difficult.

Only 46 of the plastic parts can actually be used in the construction of the kit. While a number of surplus parts are included, there is no reference to them in the instruction sheet. For example, there are three different cowlings, three different propellers, and four different vertical tails, but the instructions refer to only two of the options for the tail. In addition, there are two separate upper wings, both of them a single part, one of which has a center cut-out offering improved visibility for the pilot — but the instructions make no reference to it.

Markings

Decals are provided for three versions, all of which are in a paint scheme of overall linen with an aluminum cowling — the instructions do not reference any paint manufacturer. The first version is for the mount of Gordon Bell of No. 10 Squadron, tail code 4667, Royal Flying Corps, France, January 1916. The second version is for the aircraft of Lanoe Hawker, Victoria Cross, No. 6 Squadron, tail code 1611, Royal Flying Corps, July 1915, and the third if for the aircraft of Albert Ball, Victoria Cross, No. 11 Squadron, Black 5313, Royal Flying Corps.

All markings have an excellent clear gloss sheen and have realistic colors. Unfortunately, all of the roundels have visible particles of lint embedded in them and will have to be touched up with paint. Alternatively aftermarket decals can be used, if they can be found. That may not be necessary, as the kit decals are imperfect but quite serviceable.

Conclusion

This kit is a fairly well detailed addition to 1/72 scale World War I offerings, and a nice complement to the Gavia kit of the Bristol Scout in 1/48 scale. Highly recommended.

References

www.militaryfactory.com
www.baesystems.com

Scouts on the flight line during 1915. Note that at this stage of the war the Royal Flying Corps had not yet adopted roundels as fuselage markings, and were instead employing the Union Jack.