CLEMENT CECIL FARNIK ESTATE COLLECTION
No. 9717. Bristol Prier
Aeroplane Photo Supply (APS) Photo No. 1075

Bristol Prier

02/28/2010. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "During 1911 the first Bristol Monoplanes were produced. The prototype, which was exhibited at the Olympia Aero Show, had a single-skid two-wheeled landing gear with curious 'crutch' type of suspension. The engine was a 50 hp Gnome rotary engine. A later version was produced for the Circuit of Britain and became known as the Monoplane Type 'P', or Prier type, after its designer, M. Pierre Prier a Frenchman who previously had been an instructor at the Blériot school at Hendon.

The most unusual feature of the Bristol Prier monoplane was its 'floating' elevator and the very tiny rudder (7 sq.ft, 0.65 sq.m). Spinning had not been discovered in those times. It was left to Lieut. Parke, R.N., to do the first spin in an Avro enclosed biplane during the military trials on Salisbury Plain the following year. Three versions of the Prier came into being, known as the Popular, School Two-seater and Military types respectively. The Popular had a 35 hp Anzani engine."

Created February 28, 2010