Bristol S.2A

A derivative of the Scout D intended to meet an Admiralty specification for a two-seat fighter, the S.2A had side-by-side seating and was intended to be armed with a single 7.7mm Lewis gun. In the event, it was rejected by the Admiralty in favour of the Sopwith 1/2 Strutter, but work continued on the two prototypes at the behest of the War Office which envisaged the type primarily as a potential advanced trainer for the RFC. The two prototypes were completed in May and June 1916 respectively, being powered by the 110hp Clerget engine (although one was later reengined with a 100hp Gnome Monosoupape), and were delivered to the Central Flying School at Upavon. They were found to be manoeuvrable and quite fast, but no further development was undertaken.