Bristol Scout No. 1264

A beautifully restored early Bristol Scout Type C, the first type of British wheeled aircraft to fly from the deck of a Royal Navy carrier, HMS Vindex, at sea in 1915. She was built by David Bremner with Theo Willford and Rick Bremner, as a tribute to his grandfather, Flight Sub Lieutenant FDH Bremner who flew Bristol Scout No. 1264 with the Royal Naval Air Service No 2 Wing in the Eastern Mediterranean at the beginning of World War One.

The Bristol Scout was the first aircraft to join the Navy Wings associate collection and is the only Bristol Scout flying. She represents an important milestone in the development of early naval aviation. The proven ability of the Bristol Scout to take off from a carrier at sea immediately showed the advantages of wheeled aircraft over floatplanes heralding the way towards modern aircraft design.

Bristol Scout Awarded Preservationist of the Year Trophy

On Monday 6th June 2016, the only airworthy Bristol Scout in the world was awarded the ‘Preservationist of the Year’ trophy by the Transport Trust. At a ceremony at the Brooklands Museum, the builders of the aircraft, Theo Willford and David Bremner were presented with the trophy – a solid silver model of the SS Great Britain – from the Transport Trust’s Patron, HRH Prince Michael of Kent.

Bristol Scout No. 1264 flew from the Greek Island of Thassos at the beginning of the First World War carrying out routine patrols, bombing raids and photographic reconnaissance missions along the Greek/Bulgarian border. In June 2016, the aircraft returned to Thassos and flew from the actual airfield that Flight Sub Lieutenant FDH Bremner had flown from 100 years earlier. The aircraft contains the only Bristol Scout parts known to exist and is a direct link to the Royal Naval Air Service and the impact and influence of naval aviation in the First World War.

Current Status

Bristol Scout No. 1264 made its first appearance on the Air Display circuit in June 2016 and took part in the Centenary commemorations marking the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 2016.

CREW – 2

FLIGHT SPECS

Speed – 94mph
Range – 2.5 hours
Ceiling – 16,000 ft
Climb Rate – 18 min 30 sec to 10,000 ft

PLANE

Length – 6.3 m
Wingspan – 7.5 m
Height – 2.44 m
Engine – le Rhone 9J of 90hp