How many were made?

[Rosevidney1]

I have a manufacturers model of a Bristol Brigand TF1, which was originally presented to a test pilot who undertook most of the lengthy torpedo trials. It is superbly accurate, made of solid brass and is mounted on a Jabroc engine mounting block. It weighs 7 kilos and spans about 30 cms. Only 6 TF1s were produced and even they were converted to B1s when the RAF decided it had no requirement for torpedo aircraft but an urgent need to replace Mosquitos in the Far East. My question is 'how common was it for manufacturers to make presentation models and who were the intended recipients'? How many were likely to have been made? I know airlines used to be given them in quantity - but in this instance the only customer was the RAF.

[chevvron]

How on earth did they ever expect to improve on the Beaufighter? Given modern engines, it would make a superb multi role aircraft even nowadays.

[megan]

Given modern engnesNothing beats an air cooled radial for withstanding battle damage, stick with the originals.

[ian16th]

Nothing beats an air cooled radial for withstanding battle damage, stick with the originals.

A 'better' Bristol Hercules could be built today, by using modern computer controled machine tools.

Every engine part would be 'right', and every engine 'blueprinted'.

[evansb]

The Bristol Hercules was a sleeve-valve, radial cylinder configuration, reciprocating air-cooled engine. Lubricating oil was no where near the friction reducing synthetics now available, but the sleeve-valve design introduces a few (dozens) more stress prone reciprocating parts, thereby introducing even more stressed and wear-critical parts that are inherent to any reciprocating internal combustion engine. The Wankel Rotary is pretty cool. The Wankel Rotary is fuel thirsty and it's inherent oil consumption are drawbacks. As always, turning vertical motion to circular motion is major stressful. The fewer the turning parts, the better.
"Blue printing" of engines dates back several decades. For aeronautical applications requiring more than 500-hp, a kerosene powered turbine is ideal. Light aircraft? Take a look at the Austro twin rotor Wankel diesel aero engine. That could be the future.

A new radial piston configuration aero-engine is a quaint concept. Dream on.

Manufacturer's tribute models? Sorry, don't have a clue. I do have a couple of questions though... Is it possible the military made the tribute model? Could the model be based on a wind-tunnel model? Do you have a photograph of the model? If so, please post it. I would love to see it.
Manufacturer's promotional models presented to airlines and travel agents? Yes, I do have a clue.

[Mechta]

Nothing beats an air cooled radial for withstanding battle damage, stick with the originals.

I'm with Megan on this. There are pictures around, which elude me at the moment, showing single-engined carrier aircraft which returned to their ship with entire cylinders shot away. How many turbines would keep running after ingesting hot metal?

[ICT_SLB]

There's another problem with replacing a Radial with a turbine - the loss of the gyroscopic stability provided by all that rotating mass. As Canadair found out with converting the CL215 Waterbomber to the CL215T, they needed to add both end plates to the wings and fins on the tailplane.

[megan]

A new radial piston configuration aero-engine is a quaint concept. Dream onI dream about radials all the time, the most enjoyable flying I ever had, 1,525 HP Wright Cyclone, mind you, the sound of a V-12 comes close.

Of course a radial today is out of the question, TBO, maintenance requirements, fuel availability all count against it, still the best engine for survivability in combat though.

[DaveReidUK]

There's another problem with replacing a Radial with a turbine - the loss of the gyroscopic stability provided by all that rotating mass. As Canadair found out with converting the CL215 Waterbomber to the CL215T, they needed to add both end plates to the wings and fins on the tailplane.

I thought the additional vertical(-ish) surfaces were there for directional (aerodynamic) stability?

[A30yoyo]

I have a manufacturers model of a Bristol Brigand TF1, which was originally presented to a test pilot who undertook most of the lengthy torpedo trials. It is superbly accurate, made of solid brass and is mounted on a Jabroc engine mounting block. It weighs 7 kilos and spans about 30 cms. Only 6 TF1s were produced and even they were converted to B1s when the RAF decided it had no requirement for torpedo aircraft but an urgent need to replace Mosquitos in the Far East. My question is 'how common was it for manufacturers to make presentation models and who were the intended recipients'? How many were likely to have been made? I know airlines used to be given them in quantity - but in this instance the only customer was the RAF.

posting photos for Rosevidney1https://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=260507&d=1525984788https://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=260506&d=1525984752https://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=260510&d=1525984905https://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=260508&d=1525984822https://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=260509&d=1525984866

[LynxDriver]

I thought the additional vertical(-ish) surfaces were there for directional (aerodynamic) stability?
Swings and roundabouts.