Bristol 83 Primary Trainer

The Bristol Aeroplane Company Type 83A Primary Trainer (sometimes known as the Bristol PTM - Primary Trainer Machine) is a direct descendant of the unsuccessful Bristol Type 73 Taxiplane. 

 

The Bristol Type 83 Primary Trainer was in effect a Type 73 Taxiplane, configured as a two-seat dual control primary trainer, fitted with a single engine and slightly narrower fuselage. It was hoped that this machine would be suitable for use by the Reserve Flying Schools.

 

The first Bristol Type 83 Primary Trainer (G-EBFZ) was the first of six aircraft to be used by the Reserve Flying School at Filton. It was first flown around late May 1923, and by the first week of July, four aircraft were in use by the Filton Reserve Training School.

 

 

Six additional aircraft were put in hand but it was sometime before these attracted orders.

 

The first export sale was to Bulgaria, who purchased a single machine (B-BEPK), which was delivered in April 1926. This, and later aircraft, were fitted with larger tail surfaces as the Bristol Type 83B with this change being effected on the earlier aircraft when returning for overhaul or repair. Ultimately, the performance and reliability of these aircraft attracted further export orders of twelve aircraft for Chile and five for Hungary.

 

 

In 1928, one of the Filton aircraft (G-EBGA) was cleaned up for racing purposes, and designated the Bristol Type 83C. Modifications to the aircraft included a more streamlined cowling and spinner, fuselage fairings and increased chord interplane struts.

 

It was also fitted with a comma-shaped, all-moving rudder and was later modified as a three-seater. It continued to fly until being scrapped in December 1933.

 

 

The final development was the one-off, strengthened Bristol Type 83E (G-EBYT), which was used as a test-bed for the 250 hp Bristol Titan engine. It was flown with a direct-drive Titan in the 1928 King’s Cup Air Race and later fitted with a geared version of the Titan engine. This required an extended nose, and drove a four-blade propeller. Eventually, it was scrapped following the completion of the Titan development programme in December 1930.