Bristol 95 Bagshot

The Bristol Type 95 Bagshot was a large twin engine prototype monoplane, intended for use as a heavy night fighter to Air Ministry Specification 4/24, equipped with two 37 mm Coventry Ordnance Works cannon. The requirement sought a speed of 125 mph and a landing speed of not more than 50 mph.

 

The armament requirement was only disclosed after a contract had been placed for the prototype and on receipt of these details Frank Barnwell (Chief Designer at Bristol Aeroplane Company) recommended its cancellation.

 

The Air Ministry had also called for turbo-charged engines, increased fuel capacity and a higher top speed at altitude and this, together with the additional munitions, led him to believe the aircraft would be overweight.  Barnwell declared that it would not be able to achieve the required landing speed and that the whole construction method would need to be altered. This was not acceptable to the Air Ministry and they enforced the continued construction of the prototype (J7767). This was completed and flown for the first time at Filton on 15th July 1927 with Chief Test Pilot Cyril Unwins at the controls.
 
Unfortunately, the monoplane wing structure was too weak in torsion, resulting in wing twisting and aileron reversal at speed. Unwins reported poor control during any form of roll and even though he increased the speed during a second flight, the issues became even more exaggerated.

 

The aircraft was never flown again by Bristol Aeroplane Company, once this problem became clear. The airframe was transferred to the Air Ministry, who used it for monoplane wing stiffness investigations, before  it was scrapped in 1931.