Introduced in 1917, the F.2b quickly fell victim to German fighters. Like other two-seaters, the gunner/observer was unable to bring accurate fire on attacking aircraft. After high losses in April, a novel tactic was introduced -- fly the plane like a fighter in combat. The Brisfit was remarkably agile for a two-seater and just slightly faster than most enemy fighters. While this by no means put the F.2b on equal terms with German attackers, it did sharply reduce losses. After W.W.I, the plane continued to serve with British forces, some 435 of them being reconditioned and reengined in the early 1920's for use in the Middle East and India. They could easily appear in campaigns taking place in the 1920's (Things Man Was Not Meant to Know) and 1930's (Pulps). This design could also be used as a generic two-seat military biplane of the era (see below for some contemporaries). They were officially withdrawn from British service in 1932, by which time over 5000 had been built.
Similar Aircraft:
De Havilland D.H.9a: 112 mph top speed, 4.5 hour endurance, up to 500
lbs bombs; 3200 built, introduced 1918
Halberstadt C.V: 106 mph top speed, 3.5 hours endurance, no bombs,
introduced 1918
Nieuport XII: 96 mph top speed, 2.5 hour duration, no pilot MG or bombs,
introduced 1915
Subassemblies: Body +3, two Biplane Wings +2, limited rotation
Open Mount -2, two Rough Field Wheels +1
P&P: 202 kW HP gasoline engine w/aerial propeller (505 lbs
thrust)
Fuel: 35 gallons aviation gasoline (fire chance: 14) in one
standard fuel tank, 3.5 hours
Occ: 2 XNCS (pilot, gunner/observer)
Cargo: 5 cf, 23 cf empty space
| Armor | All | ||||
| Body | 1/2 | ||||
| Wings | 1/2 | ||||
| Wheels | 2/5 |
Weaponry
.303 Vickers machine gun [Bo:F] (600 rounds)
2*.303 Lewis machine guns [OM] (97 round drum each plus five extra
97 round drums each in body)
3*25 lb hardpoints [LWi] (3 25 lb Cooper bombs)
3*25 lb hardpoints [RWi] (3 25 lb Cooper bombs)
Equipment
Body: Precision navigational instruments, recon (still) camera
Statistics
| Size: 9'x39'x26' | Payload: 630 lbs | Lwt: 2900 lbs (1.46 tons) |
| Volume: 191.5 cf (Size Mod: +3) | Maint.: 127 hours | Price: $24,600 |
HT: 8
HP: 50 [body], 38 [each wing]
Hardpoints Loaded
| aSpeed: 111 | aAccel: 4 | aDecel: 20 | aMR: 5 | aSR: 4 | aDrag: 308 |
| Stall: 37 mph | Takeoff: 45 yards | Landing: 34 yards |
Hardpoints Unloaded
| aSpeed: 124 | aAccel: 4 | aDecel: 20 | aMR: 5 | aSR: 4 | aDrag: 248 |
| Stall: 36 mph | Takeoff: 42 yards | Landing: 32 yards |
Design Notes
Frame is expensive very light for 105 cf fair/good streamlined (x1.15
volume, /2.5 drag) body, 38 cf each wing and 10.5 cf wheels. Armor is non-rigid
for body and wings, cheap metal for wheels.
Technical Notes
The design above is very close to the actual specifications. The real
F.2b was about 600 lbs lighter unloaded and had an endurace of three hours.
The hybrid streamlining was necessary to get the body to a realistic size
while maintaining the real world top speed. For drag, I used the standard
'5' for each bomb, which seems rather excessive for such small ordnance.
I used Onno Meyer's rules for Rough Field Wheels and MA Lloyd's formula
for stall speed.
Weaponry
The Vickers and Lewis machine guns are covered in GURPS® High Tech™.