Bristol Braemar

Bristol Aeroplane Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1918 · bomber

The Bristol Braemar was a large British four-engine triplane strategic bomber designed during World War I with the ambition of bombing targets deep inside Germany, but it first flew in August 1918 and the Armistice ended any prospect of operational use. It was an impressive technical achievement for 1918.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsMid-mounted, straight
E — Engines4 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage15.7 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

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A large triplane with four engines in tandem push-pull nacelles, a long fuselage with nose gunner position, and three equal-span straight wings — an unusual and imposing configuration.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Bristol designed the Braemar to an Air Ministry requirement for an independent bombing force aircraft capable of reaching Berlin from British bases. The four engines were arranged in push-pull tandem pairs in nacelles between the three wing planes. Although the war ended, the design was refined into the postwar Pullman transport variant.

Variants

The Braemar Mk.II was a further development, and the Bristol Pullman was a derived civil transport conversion. Three Braemar airframes were built in total.

Where you'll see it

Never entered operational RAF service due to the Armistice; the aircraft served only as test vehicles. The related Pullman was briefly used for demonstration flights.

Related aircraft

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