Guideline Publications Bristol Scout – Warpaint #128

[Viking]

Bristol Scout – Warpaint #128

Guideline Publications

 

 

The latest booklet in the Warpaint series covers the Bristol Scout through all versions from the pre war prototype to the Scout 'D' of 1916.
It is an attractive little aeroplane looking almost like a modern day homebuilt. Although not terribly well known, it has a firm place in history due to its huge contribution to the development of later machines such as the Camel and SE5a.

 

The Scout helped to firm up the way a fighting aeroplane should look, and how it should be armed and deployed on the front line. The term 'Scout' was originally envisaged as fast single seat machine that could observe the enemy and quickly return to report on its findings.
At first it was barely considered that it should be armed, or used to disrupt any enemy aircraft similarly engaged in observation work. As the war proceeded and experience was gained, Bristol's little Scout played a prominent and interesting role. Well liked and pleasant to fly, it became the favoured mount of many pilots, who formed ideas about how best to use it.

 

 

The book covers all aspects of this work, supplemented with many interesting photographs and profile drawings to support the text.

Plans to 1/48 scale show the Scout 'C' and 'D' upper, lower, both sides and head on views, along with full colour drawings of the Le Rhone 9J engine, and Lewis and Vickers guns.

Sections cover:

• Introduction.
• Conception and Development. 
• The Scout in Service.

- Western Front.

- RNAS Scouts in the Mediterranean.
- The RFC in the Middle East.
- The Scout at Sea.
- Second Line Duties

• Scout E and F.
• Technical description.
• Armament.
• Flying the Scout.
• Bristol Scout in Detail.
• Modelling the Scout.

 

The service life of the scout is well covered, with some fascinating information about the pioneering days of military aviation. II was unaware for example, that it had been used in sea trials, and it was a Scout that made the first successful take off from a ship at sea. 
The section on armament is also interesting as it deals with the various configurations that were tried, usually some sort of oblique mounting to fire at a forward angle outside of the propeller arc. Once interrupter gear became available, it had to fitted outside the fuselage due to the Scouts diminutive size.

 

The 'In Detail' section offers lots of detail photos of David Bremmers airworthy reproduction Scout C 1264, which incorporates some original parts from the machine his grandfather flew in the Great war. 

Of course one of things we modellers want to know, is the availability of kits and accessories. A short section deals with this, which is really limited to just 1/72 and 1/48 scales. As yet no kit is available in 1/32nd, but who knows, maybe Roden or Special Hobby could surprise us with a new kit of this most significant little aircraft.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this booklet. I knew of the existence of Bristol's little scout, but this work added so much more to my knowledge. There are many interesting photographs that I had not seen before, and the colour profiles of various machines have left me wanting to get hold of the Gavia 1/48 kit and build one.

It is an interesting and inspiring book so if you have an interest in early aviation, add this one to your collection.

 

Highly Recommended.
 

 

Review sample courtesy of