Bristol F2.b Fighter B1146

This profile is taken from one of the colour photographs of Frank Hurley. The photograph depicts B1146 with Ross Smith and another aviator in front of the aircraft. The photograph appears in numerous places such as the back cover of Charles Schaedels, "Men and Machines of the Australian Flying Corps" and more recently in the Australian War Memorials magazine, "Wartime, Autumn 2000, Issue 10". Surprisingly for such a well documented aircraft B1146 didn't record a decisive victory. B1146 joined 1 Sqn Australian Flying Corps on the 30th of January 1918 and was struck off charge on the 7th of May 1918. B1146 was lost on the 1st of May along with Captain D.W. Rutherford and Lieutenant J. McElligot who were taken Prisoners of War. The Official history records the mornings events;

"Two Australian machines sent out on the dawn reconnaissance - Rutherford and McElligot (Observer) and Lieutenants Haig and R.T. Challinor (Observer) - were to drop leaflets on the Beni Sakr Arabs. Near Amman machine gun fire from the ground perforated both of Rutherfords petrol tanks. He was forced to land, and burned his machine. Haig and Challinor alighted alongside to pick up Rutherford and McElligot, and Haig tried to take off again with all three passengers; but one wheel collapsed as they were starting, and the aeroplane toppled over on it's nose. The Australians set fire to it, and then surrendered to Circassian cavalry which had ridden up to them. They were handed over to the German flying corps, and German airmen later dropped on the Australian aerodrome letters from the four officers describing their mishap."

1. Cross and Cockade Vol.2 No.3 1971.