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Which aircraft armoured its pilot with a steel "bath" in 1914?
Short answer
The Bristol S.S.A., an armoured scout built in Bristol in 1914 to fulfil an order from the French government. Henri Coanda designed a single-seat armoured biplane whose forward fuselage was a steel-plate monocoque nicknamed "The Bath", enclosing the engine, tanks and cockpit.
A commission from the French government
The Bristol S.S.A. was an armoured scout built in Bristol in 1914 to fulfil an order from the French government. At that government's request, Henri Coanda designed a single-seat armoured biplane. The sole prototype, serial number "No.219", first flew at Larkhill on 8 May 1914, with a temporary aluminium spinner because of the vibration caused by the steel assembly.
"The Bath", a steel-plate monocoque
The forward fuselage was built at the Filton works as a monocoque formed from steel plate, colloquially known as "The Bath". The armoured shell enclosed the engine, the fuel tank, the oil tank and the cockpit, and the pilot's seat was formed from the shaped rear bulkhead.
Engine and wing layout
The 80 hp (60 kW) Clerget 7Z was fully cowled in steel plate and drove a two-blade propeller. The staggered main wings were mounted as far forward as possible to ensure the centre of pressure kept the correct position relative to the centre of gravity.
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