Cecil Lewis Planes

Thomas Trauner · 1 March 2010, 09:24 AM

I finished "Sagittarius Risng" in just one day. Great read, I say.
But I´m puzzled a bit which Planes Mr Lewis actually flew.
The BE 2 types are clear, I also know about the SE 5 (a?) in 56th Squadron, and the Night Fighter Camels.
But what on earth is a "Bristol Bullet" ? A Morane or a Bristol Scout ?
Which Morane was it during the Somme battle ?
I tried to find the answers throught the "search function", but I ended up with thousands of threats, including those about the Lewis Gun....

Can someone help to shed some light to it ?
Thanks in advance !

Thomas
PS: For the German speaking unter us:
It´s available unter the title:
"Schütze im Steigflug". Eichborn Verlag, 2008 Begrenzte Auflage !

FOKKERJ · 1 March 2010, 09:42 AM

Hello Thomas,

The "BRISTOL BULLET" or Bristol M.C1 was a monoplane that was a very superior design for it's time. I read that the British War Office was predjudiced against monoplanes and rejected this one for no good reason at all!

I hope this helps you.

Best Wishes, Jay

P.S. During the Summer of 1916 it was rated with a top speed of 132 M.P.H. and a rate of climb of better than 1,0000 ft./min. with excellent maneuverability.

Froggy · 1 March 2010, 10:02 AM

Bonsoir

Beautiful aircraft !!

Photos: Bristol M-1C (replica) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Bruno

Bruno Stachel · 1 March 2010, 10:18 AM

Thmoas, I just recently finished reading the book myself. I hope someone can confirm this for me, but I believe the Morane was this model: Morane-Saulnier L

Froggy · 1 March 2010, 10:22 AM

Bonsoir

Bruno I suppose you wanted to show the Morane Bullet Type N?
and not type L

Morane-Saulnier N
The Morane N was called "Bullet "by UK flyers

Bruno Stachel · 1 March 2010, 10:27 AM

Thanks Froggy, but I meant the L or possibly the P type. I thought Cecil's first tour in France involved flying a parasol reconnaissance aircraft.

Raineranton · 1 March 2010, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas Trauner

PS: For the German speaking unter us:
It´s available unter the title:
"Schütze im Steigflug". Eichborn Verlag, 2008 Begrenzte Auflage !

Hello Thomas,

there is also an older book with the German title: "Schütze im Aufstieg" by Rowohlt Verlag GmbH printed from Leipziger Verlagsdruckerei AG. There is no print-date in this book, but I think it is printed in the late forties or in the fifties. I have one in my little library.

It must be an SE5, because C. Lewis left 56 Squadron in mid July 1917 and the first SE5a's received the Squadrons in mid October 1917.

Regards

Rainer

Mark66 · 1 March 2010, 10:27 PM

3 Squadron in 1916 used the Morane Saulnier LA and later used the P parasol and BB biplane. So Lewis's 'Parasol' was most likely the LA (type L with ailerons rather than wing warping).

Mark66

Ginger. · 1 March 2010, 10:29 PM

Here's a famous Bristol Sprout...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ol_Scout_C.jpg

Thomas Trauner · 2 March 2010, 12:10 AM

Thanks a lot, comrades,

I also thought about the Bristol M1C, the "Bullet", but C.L. does not note that he used (and crashed) a monoplane. I think he would, since monoplanes where something special. So the Bristol Scout came into my mind.
Thanks also for the SE5 hint. Sadly, his C.2 looked really good, but there´s no SE5 available in 1/32 scale....

Thanks also for the Morane hints. I have to admit that it never occured to me, that this types where used by the RFC as a recoinassance plane.

Again, a really good read. It reads "normal", lacking all these "heroic" stuff of others. It´s remarkable what this young guys had to suffer from. Beeing 20 and beeing indifferent to death...my goodness.

Thanks again, folks.

Thomas