Customer Reviews

Bristol aircraft since 1910,

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C H Barnes has added another to his list of strong contributions to the Putnam aeronautical books survey of British aircraft manufacturers. The biggest impression formed in the book is the steady progression of aerostructure design to the aluminum monocoque under the leadership of F S Barnwell, their chief designer. The benefit of close connection to the Bristol aircraft engine division led by Roy Fedden is clear, although Fedden's committment to the air cooled engine probably did push Bristol out of the running for the place to build the RAF fighter for WW2, won by Hawker and Supermarine. Bristol appeared neither to overeach ahead of engine technology or lag behind its potentials. It is clear that Barnwell's premature accidental death before the war was a great blow to Bristol as the few remaining aircraft were either derivative or ill specified.

This, like all these books, is quite detailed but is honest in explaining what problems occoured and were overcome in development.