Bristol F.2B
The Bristol F.2B was a two-seat fighter and Army co-operation aircraft. It first equipped No.48 Squadron R.F.C. in February 1917 as the F.2A variant. It's initial combat record was not encouraging. Only two returned out of six on it's baptism of fire following a disastrous encounter with von Richtofen's Jagdstaffel 11 (flying Albatros D.IIIs). The pilots made the mistake of using it as a platform for the rear gunner. Soon they began to use it as a single-seat fighter using the forward firing Maxim as the main offensive armament. This led to more success. The F.2B was the main production variant. A surprisingly accomplished all rounder for a two-seater. It has awesome climb and speed for its size and weight. The F.2B carries a .303 Lewis Gun for the back seater, with a single Vickers-Maxim Mk.I up front. This puts it low in the lethality class but the F.2B has the biggest ammo load in the set. It can carry 8 x 20lb Cooper bombs in "scout mode" and 2 x 110lb bombs in "bomber mode" yet it does not have a great dive speed limit to really take advantage of this. However if you salvo and ripple the bombs out on a single target you will get the results you hope for. It has the ability to act as a spotter for artillery and coupling that with high speed and climb gives you a formidable threat to enemy airfields. Real R.F.C. pilots quickly learned to use single-seater tactics with it instead of relying on the tail gunner alone It lacks a good roll rate though and has a high stall speed... factors which will make it not too successful versus a Veteran in a Camel. Fast switching between gunner and pilot can allow a single player to make an opponent wary as they shoot backwards, then turn, and shoot backwards again, repeating until someone gets hurt. Against a slower bogey that cannot catch up fast enough to get within the golden d1 range it can survive long enough to get him first.
Engine: 275hp Rolls-Royce Falcon III inline piston engine Wing Span: 39 ft 3 in Length: 25 ft 10 in Height: 9 ft 9 in Weight: 2,150 lb (empty), 3,250 lb (maximum takeoff weight)
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