Martinsyde Scout

The RFC Detachment flew the G.100 and G.102 ‘Elephant’ in 1916. It was an unusually large aircraft by contemporary standards for a single-seater, the Elephant two-bay equi-span staggered biplane was designed by A A Fletcher of the Martinsyde Company.

The prototype was powered by a 120hp Austro-Daimler engine entering test in the autumn of 1915. The initial production version, the G.100, was powered by a 120hp six-cylinder Beardmore engine and was armed with a single 7.7rnm Lewis gun mounted above the centre section (this later being augmented by a similar weapon bracket-mounted to port behind the cockpit).

Deliveries to the RFC commencing in 1916. The G.100 was succeeded by the G.102 version which differed in having a 160hp Beardmore engine and replaced the lower-powered model progressively.

The G.100 and G.102 Elephants while not particularly successful as a fighter owing to its poor agility by comparison with its smaller contemporaries, the Elephant performed a useful service as a bomber, carrying up to 104kg.

Martinsyde Scout G.102 - 1916