Bristol M1c
built as a private venture by
the Bristol Aeroplane Corporation. The War Office ordered four aircraft for evaluation - designated M.1B
- which had a single .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun mounted on the port wing and a clear-view
cut-out in the starboard wing to give the pilot better downward visibility.
Despite excellent performance - it had a maximum speed some 30-50 mph (50–80 km/h)
higher than any of the contemporary German Fokker Eindecker monoplanes - it was rejected
by the Air Ministry for service on the Western Front, ostensibly because its landing speed
was considered too high for small French airfields, but more likely because of a widespread
belief that monoplane aircraft were inherently unsafe in combat.
Nevertheless, a production order for 125 aircraft was placed on 3 August 1917.
Designated M.1C, this version was fitted with a Le Rhone rotary engine and had a Vickers machine gun
centrally-mounted in front of the pilot.
A single M.1, registered G-EAVP was rebuilt as a high-speed testbed for the Bristol
Lucifer three cylinder radial engine. This aircraft was designated the M.1D.ick up a paddle!
https://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/bristol-m1c/90338
