I saw a video the other day that claimed that the Bristol Pullman was Britains first ‘airliner’. Is this true, or are there any others that could claim this position?
The Pullman first flew in May 1920, and was a development of the four engined Bristol Braemar triplane bomber. Only one was built, and it never actually entered commercial service, but it was fitted out with a cabin for 14 passengers. Its size certainly ’caused a stir’ at the 1920 International Aero Show at Olympia. It was not the first ‘airliner’ (1913, Sikorski Ilya Muromets), and some WW1 aircraft had been modified to carry passengers, but could hardly be called airliners. Does anything pre-1920 come close?
Andy
By: steve_p - 18th April 2008 at 13:12
Great picture! The grass seems a trifle long, was this a forced landing?
Best wishes
Steve P
By: David Layne - 18th April 2008 at 12:52
The Vickers Vimy Commercial also flew in 1919.
Best wishes
Steve P
Here is an example. K107 was the prototype Vickers Vimy Commercial, first flight 13 April 1919, then became G-EAAV.
This aircraft was used on an attempt on the Cairo to Cape Town record with a prize of £10,000 from the Daily Mail. Flown by Vickers pilots S. Cockerell and F.C.G Broome it crashed at Tabora, Tanganyika on 27 Feb. 1920.
By: FiltonFlyer - 18th April 2008 at 09:40
Taking my ‘Bristol Aerospace since 1912’ down from the shelf…..
Since 1910, actually…
So, not carrying any revenue-paying passengers I think discounts it from being an ‘airliner’
Oohh, I have to disagree with you there. Speaking of other Filton products, that would mean the Bristol Brabazon was also not an airliner, and the A380 was not an airliner until 25th October last year.
It was designed to carry passengers, it was fitted out with passenger cabin, it flew, sometimes with bodies in it seats, ergo it was an ‘airliner’. Q.E.D. Apparently, the reason it was not entered in the Air Ministry Civil Aircraft Competition in August 1920 was because its landing speed (over 50 mph) was too high. Unsurprising, given its size.
Andy
By: Flanker_man - 17th April 2008 at 23:28
Taking my ‘Bristol Aerospace since 1912’ down from the shelf…..
The bit about the Bristol Braemar continues…….
After Olympia …….”it was then delivered to Martlesham Heath for testing by the Air Ministry and showed great promise but did not go into passenger service and was finally dismantled”……..
So, not carrying any revenue-paying passengers I think discounts it from being an ‘airliner’ 😀 …. shame…. 🙁
Ken
By: FiltonFlyer - 17th April 2008 at 22:11
Thanks for the replies. So its certainly not the first, but perhaps the biggest at the time.
A
By: steve_p - 17th April 2008 at 18:01
The Vickers Vimy Commercial also flew in 1919.
Best wishes
Steve P
By: Rlangham - 17th April 2008 at 16:38
The first Handley Page W8 first flew in December 1919 – first aircraft designed to be built with an onboard lavatory, they were fairly successful. There was also the Grahame White GW E7 ‘Aero Limousine’ first flew in August 1919, which was a luxury airliner for five passengers
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April 17, 2008 at 4:11 pm