Bristol F.2 Fighter

Bristol F.2 Fighter
The Shuttleworth Collection's Bristol F.2B Fighter
Role	Biplane fighter aircraft
Manufacturer	British and Colonial Aeroplane Company
Designer	Frank Barnwell
First flight	9 September 1916
Retired	1930s
Status	1
Primary users	Royal Flying Corps Polish Air Force
Produced	1916–1927 (?)
Number built	5,329
Unit cost	£1,350 (1918)

The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War developed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, other popular names include the "Brisfit" or "Biff".

Developed during the First World War as a replacement for the pre-war Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c by a team lead by Frank Barnwell, the Bristol Fighter made use of innovations such as the newly-available Rolls-Royce Falcon inline engine and the synchronised fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun.

Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft that was able to hold its own against opposing single-seat fighters. Having overcome a disastrous start to its career, the F.2B's robust design ensured that it remained in military service into the 1930s. As the type was phased out of military service, many of the surplus aircraft entered into civilian uses, in which it proved to be popular.

As a consequence of the outbreak and ensuing conflict of the First World War, there was a rapid expansion in the use and role of air power amongst the majority of participating nations, seeking to gain an advantage within this new aerial theater of warfare. By Autumn 1915, the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) had identified the need for an effective replacement for the pre-war Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c, and had dispatched a specification for a new aerial reconnaissance and artillery spotting aircraft back to the United Kingdom. Amongst other attributes and performance requirements, there was an emphasis placed upon the aircraft's self-defence capabilities.

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