Designed in 1915 by the Martinsyde Ltd company of Brooklands, Weybridge to fulfill the role of long range bombing and reconassaince, the G.100 was a large twin bay aircraft with over five hours endurance. Abnormally large for a single seater, it was designed in a time before air to air combat was a reality on the Western Front. No.27 was the only Royal Flying Corps squadron to be fully equipped with the type, though the 120 hp G.100 and it's later 160 hp variant the G.102 was on strength with 19 other Royal Flying Corps squadrons and an Australian Flying Corps squadron. The G.100 earned the nickname the "Elephant" and No.27 proudly wore an emblem of an Elephant on the sides of their aircraft. Though the G.100 was also affectionately called the 'tinsyde as well.

The large wingspan of the 'tinsyde allowed for large bombloads to be lifted. Though by mid-1916 with more modern fighters coming to the front, such as the Albatros, the single seat configuration and the large wingspan meant that noone was watching the aircraft's tail and it was slow to manouvre. Subsequently the type was used on other Fronts where the aircraft it was opposing weren't as modern or as numerous, being used extensively in Macedonia, Palestine and Mesopotamia. Again predominantly in the long range bombing role.

Les Sutherland of 1 Sqn AFC, wrote in his book, "Aces and Kings", "The Martinsyde was a single-seater biplane with a 160 hp Beardmore engine, and she was a joy to the eye. But loft she was sluggish, "sloppy" on controls, and altogether a horrible machine in which to fight for your life. Her redeeming feature was that she could carry a load."

The 'tinsyde figured in the episode featuring the only air Victoria Cross won in the Palestinian campaign, when Lt McNamara attempted to pick up Lt Rutherford after he had been forced down. McNamara alighted in his Martinsyde and picked up Rutherford, but as McNamara was wounded in the upper leg, he couldnt control the swing of the Martinsyde on take off, the machine's undercarriage collpasing. They re-started Rutherfords original machine and returned to their aerodrome, McNamara close to fainting due to loss of blood for most of the return journey.

Les Sutherland wrote of an 1 Sqdn AFC 'tinsyde, "Old 3345, a Tinsyde, was Fred Haig's favorite bomber. Fred loved that old girl. He used to fuss over her as if she were his wealthy spinster aunt. She responded to the treatment, and, on bombing achievements, Fred was regarded as the Tinsyde expert of our show. Old 3345 was slow footed, but she had tremendous stamina, and she was absolutely dependable. I am sure Fred will agree with me that had he been flying 3345 on 1 May, 1918, he would have got away with his gallant attempt to rescue two of his brother officers who were down in the enemy's lines."

Sir Richard Williams also writes of when the Martinsydes first came to 1 Sqn AFC to supplement their collection of BE aircraft, "It was while we were at Kantara that the first of the Martinsyde single-seaters arrived in Egypt. It was fitted with a 120 horsepower 6 cylinder water-cooled vertical Beardmore engine ane came with a great reputation for speed and manoeuvrability; actually it had neither."

Williams being at that time 1 Sqn AFC's most experienced pilot also flew the Martinsyde when it first came to the theatre, "It was while we were at Kantara that the first of the Martinsyde single-seaters arrived in Egypt. ..... Soon after one was allotted to No.1 Squadron ..... This aircraft was allotted to my flight and being a single seater I could only question Minchin ( the delivery pilot ) as to it's characteristics.... In reply to my questions Minchin assured me that the aircraft must be placed on the ground at 60 miles an hour. This of course, was a much higher speed than we were accustomed to - about 50 per cent faster - but one had to take his word. I tried it and found myself using up landing space at an alarming rate. I took off and went round again. This time I made sure of putting the wheels on to the very edge of the landing area but again the ground was running out and I went round a third time. I had the same experience but I took longer to decide to go round again. There was a telegraph line of about a dozen wires across the end of the aerodrome and having taken off I flattened out to get a little extra speed to zoom over the wires, when CRASH! and I was hanging on the belt of the aircraft which was upside down on the ground. I had hit a bell tent of a small Egyptian labour corps camp in the corner of the aerodrome which I had not seen. This aircraft was particurely blind ahead. .... I found out subsequently when the next one arrived, that there was no need - in fact it was foolish - to land this aircraft at anything like 60 miles an hour."

One of the more unusual uses the Martinsyde was put to, included a 'tinsyde named "Mimi", concocted up to disrupt and stop the grain boats on the Dead Sea. Les Sutherland writes, "He [Col Williams] conceived the idea of stripping a Martinsyde bomber of it's wings and tail unit, substituting floats for wheels and giving its pilot-gunner an open commision on the Dead Sea. At first she proved a cantakerous beast. Her 160 hp Beardmore engine was far too powerful. She used to capsize at speed, and altogether she was most diffcult to handle. .... Anyhow the troubles were eventually solved, and Mimi went out to clean up the grain boats. She surely must have been the weirdest craft seen on those age - old waters. The quarry was easily overhauled; then the pilot would stand up on his seat and open fire with the Lewis gun over Mimi's tail - or stern."

Martinsyde aircraft served with 1 Squadron from October 1916 until March 1918 when A3955, the last remaining Martinsyde was handed over to 142 Squadron RFC. The Martinsydes were replaced with Bristol Fighter aircraft, more suited to the multi-purpose role required of aircraft in the Palestinian Theatre. 1 Squadron AFC flew 17 differant Martinyde G100 and G102 aircraft with 5 being written off through combat or accidents.