Help! A Bristol FII or FIII?

[the_dudeWG]

Hi, all. Can anyone tell if this machine was a F2bF2 or F2bF3? I know our F3 has the extended exhaust, but I suppose it's not quite as simple as that, correct? I'm making this skin and I know we have a version of this skin in the official game skins for the F3, but it doesn't have the "C" on the wing and the squadron stripes aren't over painted as shown in the photograph. I just don't which model to apply my work to. Thanks!

 

 

[No.23_Gaylion]

Umm.... it says it on bottom of pic?

 

Ahhh nevermind. Reading is hard for me.

Edited July 29, 2020 by US93_Talbot

[NO.20_W_M_Thomson]

My guess it's the F2 because of the exhaust. Best thing to do is do a search on the squad and pilot for that fighter (and what a beautiful fighter it was) and see what they flew. 

[RNAS10_Oliver]

Doesn't the F2 or F3 variation just denote whether the engine is a Falcon 2 or Falcon 3? Though I note that on our Bristol's the exhaust is not the sole difference. As our F2 has a two bladed airscrew and our F3 has a four bladed airscrew. The holes in the cowling on our F2 are also much larger (and there's some extra ones) than on our F3.

 

B1152 was from the B1101 to B1350 batch built by The British & Colonial Aeroplane Company. Royal Navy Aircraft And Serials gives the history for B1206 and B1290 from that batch but unfortunately does not state which Falcon used on them.

 

There is this profile on Wings Pallete for that aircraft taken from The Bristol Fighter by J.M.Bruce that gives B1152 as an Falcon 3?

 

Also though I realise that wikipedia is not the best of sources to use but;

 

Quote

Only 52 F.2A aircraft were manufactured before production was switched to the definitive model, the F.2B (retrospectively designated Bristol Type 14), which first flew on 25 October 1916. The first 150 or so F.2Bs were powered by either the Falcon I or Falcon II engine, but the remainder were equipped with the 275 hp (205 kW) Falcon III engine. The additional power gave the F.2B a 10 mph (16 km/h) advantage in level speed over the F.2A, while it was three minutes faster in a climb to 10,000 ft (3,000 m).

 

Though the same things mentioned on BAE Systems website. So guess if you can determine whether the B1101 to B1350 was the first batch of Bristol F2b's then that would pin B1152 down as being engine as an F2 from the factory at least.

 

Quote

When production was switched to the F.2B it became the subject of 'contract manufacture' across the aircraft industry with the first 150 or so fitted with either the Falcon 1 or Falcon II engine. The remainder received the Falcon III engine which meant they could achieve a top speed of around 123 mph which meant it could reach 10,000 feet about 3 minutes faster.

 

Not sure where they got the information for this particular aircraft but the data at http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/aircraft.html has the Falcon 2 mentioned for the engine on this serial number, in contrast to the above profile.

serial,SFA,type,eng,no.,from,to,Date,Comment,Source,Class,img,typ

B1152,,Bristol Fighter,,,Bristol AAP,EF,27.10.17,Allotment,AIR 1/1051,allot,direct,allot
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,RR,-,,EF,00.11.17,despatched to EF 11.17-by air,AIR 1/1115,despatches,11/img_0219,despatches
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,Fal2,361WD18457,2ASD,Issues 1ASD,18.11.17,,AIR 1/1017,D 1AD,7/img_0583,1AD
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,Fal2,361WD18457,1AD,22Sq,03.12.17,,AIR 1/1531,RO 9Wg,26/img_3250,RO
B1152,,Bristol F2b,,,,22Sq,01.02.18,,AIR 1/988,OC,9/img_4320,01Feb18
B1152,,Bristol F2b,Fal2,,,22Sq,00.04.18,on charge [eng no shown as 361 appears transposed],AIR 1/981,RO 10Wg,17/img_1941,RO
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,Fal2,,13Wg,22Sq,08.04.18,,AIR 1/1545,Eq Ledger,27/img_2430,misc
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,Fal2,361WD18457,,22Sq,09.04.18,Misjudged landing on soft ground after e/f during practice Vert Galant. 2Lt CE Tylor,AIR 1/854,cas rep,24/img_2034,cas rep
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,,-,22Sq,1ASD,11.04.18,for repair,AIR 1/1019,wkly,12/img_0295,Wkly
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,Fal2,,22Sq,1ASD,11.04.18,,AIR 1/1545,Eq Ledger,27/img_2430,misc
B1152,,Bristol F2b,Fal2,361WD18457,22Sq,1ASD,11.04.18,,AIR 1/981,RO 10Wg,17/img_1939,RO
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,Fal2,361WD18457,22Sq,Rep Pk 1ASD,13.04.18,wrecked,AIR 1/987,D 1AD,9/img_0077,1AD
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,-,-,Rep Pk 1ASD,SOC,23.04.18,,AIR 1/987,D 1AD,9/img_0119,1AD
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,,-,22Sq,SOC 1ASD,23.04.18,FH86:25,AIR 1/1019,W SOC,12/img_0521,Wkly
B1152,,Bristol Fighter,,,,1ASD,23.04.18,NWR. SOC FH86:25,AIR 1/1042,F SOC,12/img_0741,F SOC

 

Edited July 29, 2020 by Oliver88

[the_dudeWG]

I don't know why I just don't go directly to you, @Oliver88. ? Great information as always, mate! I would trust the RFC records over the color profile for sure. I'm doubtful there was any one, defining exterior feature unique to either engine build, but that's just my speculation. I'll probably treat it like a Falcon II engine at this point. Thanks again!