All variants of the Bristol M.1 are explored in Air-Britain’s new softback book on the type, as CHRIS CLIFFORD reveals.
If you’re planning to build one or more examples of Bristol’s M.1 monoplane fighter, a wise move would be to obtain Air-Britain’s splendid new softback. Bristol M.1 - A Fighter Ahead of Its Time runs to 120 pages and is crammed with detail. It tells the complete story of this interesting machine in all its sub-types, operated by the RFC/RAF, Chile’s air force and those of civilian owners.
Each variant is examined from a technical perspective via fascinating, well-written narrative, document scans, period photos, flight-test reports and data tables. Many images are surprisingly good given their age, although some, which are arguably less sharp, are present due to their rarity. Operational focus is provided in chapters such as those on 17/47 Squadron’s RFC, and 150 Squadron RAF in Macedonia, plus action in Mesopotamia and Persia. The M.1’s tenure as a trainer is also described, but a facet of the type’s history that may be unknown by many is its service in Chile. This is covered extensively before the book moves into the realm of civilian-owned airframes. Also investigated is the odd manner in which the M.1 w…
