G-EBZK Bristol
Type 109 Long Range Biplane
(c/n 7268)
In the 1920s many
experimental aircraft first went aloft with "B" Class
registrations. Each
manufacturer was
assigned a letter. As can be seen, this one-off was previously
serialed
R-2 and is still wearing this
identity even after being granted a C of A. This much
sparred
aircraft was designed in response
to an Air Ministry specification calling for an aircraft with
a non-stop range
of 5,000 miles or more. It carried an unbelievable 900 gallons
of fuel in
13 tanks. In the event a new
long distance record of 4,500 miles had just been set in 1928
and it was
considered that this was too close to the extreme range of the Type 109
to war-
rant a new attempt being
made. The project, therefore, was abandoned, and the Type 109
was eventually used as a flying test-bed for
the new Bristol Jupiter XF engine.