Bristol Type 23 Badger

For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.

Type 23 F.2C Badger I
Two seat figter reconnaissance biplane to meet Air Ministry Specification Types IIIA & B, Type IX and Directorate of Research Specification Type 2. It was a single-bay biplane with strongly staggered, unswept and unequal-span wings and ‘N’ interplane struts. The pilot and observed sat in tandem, the pilot in front under the upper-wing trailing edge and the observer behind with a ring-mounted 0.303 in Lewis Gun. At first, the Badger carried almost no fixed fin. Construction was the traditional wood-and-fabric of the time and the undercarriage was a single axle plus tailskid arrangement. One 320 h.p. ABC Dragonfly powerplant.
The second, Jupiter-engined Badger, had full armament and a fixed, rounded fin, introduced to cope with the heavier Jupiter engine.

Type 23A F.2C Badger II
As Type 23 Badger I, equipped to full military standard and modified for Jupiter development. As at first built it had the same rudder as F3496, but this was replaced by a horn-balanced unit in conjunction with redesigned wings featuring large-area ailerons with 'park-bench' balances designed by Frise. Unknown to him, an exactly similar device had just been patented by A. V. Roe and Co. Ltd., who wrote to the Company pointing out the infringement; the matter was settled amicably and Frise then sought an alternative method of aerodynamic balancing, which later became world-famous as the Frise aileron. One 400 h.p. Cosmos Jupiter I powerplant.

Type 23X Badger X
Single seat laboratory aircraft intended to generate flight performance data that could be compared with wind tunnel test results for the Badger II. It consisted of Type 23 Badger wings and tail attached to a simple rectangular section fuselage. One 230 h.p. Siddeley Puma powerplant.

Type 23A F.2C Badger II Specification
Span	Length	Height	Wing Area	Empty Wt	Max AUW	Cruise Speed	Maximum Speed	Range	Service Ceiling
36 ft 9 in	23 ft 8 in	9 ft 1 in	357 sq ft	1950 lb	3153 lb		142 mph/ 123 kn		20600 ft
11.2 m	7.21 m	2.77 m	33.17 m2	885 kg	1430 kg		229 km/h		6279 m

Type 23 Badger

Serial Range	C/n	Type	Batch Qty	Conv.	Canc'd	Notes
3 aircraft ordered from the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, Filton, Bristol, Somerset, to Contract 35A/1122/C.994. First flew February 1919. See note 1.
F3495 - F3497	4254-4256	Badger I	2		1	F3497 cancelled.
1 aircraft ordered from the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, Filton, Bristol, Somerset, to Contract 35A/1122/C.994. First flew 1920.
J6492	5657	Badger II	1
	Total Production		1

Type 23X Badger X

C/n	Initial Registration	Notes
1 aircraft built by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, Filton, Bristol, Somerset. First flew May 1919.
5658	K110 / G-EABU	Retained by Bristol.
Total Production 1

The Contracts Ledger in AIR 20/761 [2] gives serials J1931 - J1933 for an 'Exp 2str [Bristol Badger]l' against contract AS16955. It is possible that this refers to F3495 - F3497 renumbered for submission to DofR Type 2, but subsequently cancelled.

Bristol Aircraft Since 1910, C.H. Barnes (Putnam, 1964, 1970 and 1988)
http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/home.html
Royal Air Force Aircraft J1 - J9999, RAF Aircraft Register Series (Air-Britain Publications, 1987)

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