The Bristol M. 1c Monoplane

[Sgt Stripes]

Was the Bristol M. 1c  a successful aircraft. 

[Knotty]

They only ever built 125 of them, most were used for training with approx 40 that went on combat duty and they were used in the Middle East, mainly at low level for ground strafing of Turkish infantry. Although it was extremely agile & manoeuvrable and out performed it’s opposition in 1916, despite the Western Front pilots desire to fly the plane, it was the War Office prejudice against monoplanes that kept its development  “grounded“ so to speak. Having its original Clerget engine replaced by the Rhône…”due to landing speed of 49mph” being considered too great, the change of power unit also effected its performance at its ceiling height and slowed its rate of climb.
They are no known records of the type shooting down any opposition but then it was never tested, so the answer to your question is we will never know. ( in my opinion😁)

John

 

[Dolphin]

20 hours ago, Knotty said:

They are no known records of the type shooting down any opposition 

There are records of victories credited to M.1C pilots from No 150 Sqn over Macedonia.

Lt F D Travers was credited with five victories while flying an M.1C, three from C4976 (on 2, 4 and 16 September 1918) and two possibly from the same aeroplane (both on 3 September). 

Lt J P Cavers was credited with victories from C4907 on 1 and 2 September (the second was shared with Lt Travers) before being killed in action when flying C4907 on 3 September 1918.

Lt A E deM Jarvis was credited with two victories from C4913 on 25 and 26 April.

Lt K B Moseley was credited with a victory from C4907 on 9 July.

There may be more.

Gareth

Edited 19 June , 2023 by Dolphin

[Knotty]

1 hour ago, Dolphin said:

There are records of victories credited to M.1C pilots from No 150 Sqn over Macedonia.

Thank you for the that Gareth, I should have said “I have no knowledge of records….etc. rather than assuming that if I could not see anything then it proves a negative😁

I stand corrected

John

[Dolphin]

John

I'm pleased that I was able to help.  It's a dull day when we don't learn something.

Cheers

Gareth

[topgun1918]

I have doubts that anybody became an ace in the M.1C.  We did something of a drains-up on another Forum last year and I detailed the five claims in my database in which a Bristol M.1C was involved, these being:

25-Apr-1918 - 10:00 – Angista - Lieut Arthur Eyquem de Montaigne Jarvis (Bristol M.1C C4913) and Lieut Acheson Gosford Goulding (S.E.5a B690) - DFW C out of control

26-Apr-1918 - 10:45 – Kualki - Lieut Arthur Eyquem de Montaigne Jarvis (Bristol M.1C C4913) and Lieut John Julian Boyd Harvey (Nieuport 27 N5177) - DFW C destroyed

06-May-1918 - 09:50 - north of Cerniste - Lieut Walter Ridley (Bristol M.1C C4963) and Lieut Charles Duncan Bremner Green (Camel C1587) - DFW C out of control

02-Sep-1918 - 08:15 – Nihor - Lieut James Pomeroy Cavers (Bristol M.1C C4907) and Capt Frederick Dudley Travers (S.E.5a F4176 ?) - LVG C in flames

16-Sep-1918 - 12:05 - Lake Doiran - Capt Frederick Dudley Travers (Bristol M.1C C4976) - Fokker scout out of control

For his victories on 3 September, I have Travers flying an S.E.5a, with F4176 ? pencilled in.

I have nothing in my claims database for Moseley so would be interested in the details of his claim.

To resolve matters regarding machines flown and their serial numbers, we would need to see the Combat Reports (any that I had have long since gone west)

Graeme

[Dolphin]

Graeme

I came across mention of Lt Moseley's claim several years ago when I was writing an article about Lt Cavers, and his sad fate (the Canadian was apparently swimming away from the wreckage of his Bristol, after coming down in Lake Doiran, when he was machine-gunned by the pilot who shot him down).  Alas, I no longer have my notes on No 150 Sqn, so I'm not able to locate the source of the information.  

Nevertheless, I'll search again, in the hope that I find something.

Gareth

[topgun1918]

Many thanks, Gareth

Graeme