Engine: 440-hp Gnome-Rhone 9ASB or 440-hp Bristol Jupiter VII 9.
Dimensions
Length: 7.3 m
Wing Span: 10.33 m
Height: 2.68 m
Max Speed: 285 km/hr
Range:
Maximum Ceiling: 8950 m
Known Serial Numbers: 70, 71, 72, 73, 74K, 78K, 79, 80K, 81K, 82K, 83, 84.
Very briefly the first five Bulldogs were known as Bulldog 1, 2, 3, etc. but these were quickly
renumbered as 70, 71, 72K, 73K, and 74K.
Notes
Acquired primarily to replace the Ansaldo Balillas.
June 5, 1929 - a commission is formed to consider the purchase of new fighter aircraft for the Regiment.
Sept.23, 1929 - Capt. A.Dzenitis is despatched to England to try out the Bristol Bulldogs.
November 15, 1929 - the commission holds its second meeting - selects the Bulldog.
Dec.9, 1929 - the Bulldogs begin entering service. They are immediately dispatched to the
fighter squadron (under the command of Dzenitis) and are flown not only by the fighter squadron
pilots but also by guest squadron members Zeps, Raisevs and Klein, all Estonians.
Dec.10, 1929 - the commission meets for the last time (discussing technical matters pertaining to introducing the new type)
The first batch of Bulldogs had construction numbers 7353 - 7357. They had Gnome-Rhone
Jupiter VI engines and, in place of the usual Vickers machine guns, Oerlikons were installed.
July 1930 - an additional seven Bulldog Mark IIs are ordered. These had the construction numbers
7439 - 7445 and were allocated to No.2 and No.3 Squadrons. The first five had G.R.Jupiter VI engines, and
the remaining two had GR-9 ASBs.
1930 - parachutes became standard equipment in the latvian air force, but pilots of Bulldogs
tended not to wear them because they did not fit well in the cockpit.
It was rare and outside of their normal function, but the Bulldogs were even found to be capable of
carrying a small bombload if required.
1935 - in an attempt to standardize the naming of aircraft types (by function), the Bulldogs were assigned the code D3.
July 13, 1938 - pilot Binders, apparently lost, flies into Russian air space but manages to
land in friendly Poland.
September, 1939 - six Bulldogs are still on active service, assigned to the 3rd Fighter Squadron.
June 15, 1940 - with the Soviet occupation/invasion looming, the Bulldogs stationed at Spilve
are ordered to quietly fly out from the airfield at twilight and re-base to the Latvian University's
agricultural farm near Ramava.
June 18, 1940 - with the Soviets now in charge, the entire Latvian air force is grounded and
the Bulldogs at Ramava are stripped of their weapons.
The Soviets collected the Bulldogs and stored one or two of them, along with some Letovs and other assorted
aircraft, in the Provodnik rubber tire warehouse. They remained there during the first Soviet occupation
and the german occupation as well, being considered too outdated for military use. The remaining surviving
Bulldogs were reportedly stored in wooden sheds in the eastern part of Latvia.
In total, six Bulldogs were involved in fatal accidents, the highest number of any aircraft type
in the latvian air force.
#70
1930, 1931, 1932, 1933... with the 1st Fighter Squadron
February 14, 1930 - flown by Nikolajs Bulmanis.
[See Photos above]
#71
1930 - with the 1st Fighter Squadron
#72
1931, 1932, 1933... - with the 1st Fighter Squadron
While participating in the third "Flight Around Latvia" competition, Sapratnieks, flying
Bulldog #72 suffers a tyre blowout while landing at Liepaja. No major damage resulted, and the aircraft continued in the competition.
December 3, 1936 - fatal crash near Spilve. Alfreds Danders died when
his aircraft went into a flat spin while performing aerobatics over Spilve.
[See Profile above]
#79
1932, 1933... with the 1st Fighter Squadron
#80K
1932, 1933... with the 1st Fighter Squadron
April 1938 - pilot Emila Kanna destroyed #80 by striking the ground
during gunnery practice. He escaped unhurt.
[See Profile and Photos above]
#81K
1932, 1933... with the 1st Fighter Squadron
November 4, 1935 - fatal midair collision at Spilve.
#82K
1932, 1933... with the 1st Fighter Squadron
October 1 - 2, 1938 - piloted by Lasmanis, #82 participates in the "Flight Around Latvia" competition.
On the second day the aircraft suffered an engine failure which led to a forced landing near Smiltene. The aircraft suffered some damage, which
was repairable but not in time to continue in the competition.
#83
1932, 1933... with the 1st Fighter Squadron
June 22, 1936 - fatal crash at Krustpils
#84
1931, 1932, 1933... - with the 1st Fighter Squadron
[See Profile above]
Sources
- Andersons, Edgars Latvijas Brunotie Speki un to Prieksvesture
- Bruvelis, Edvins Latvijas Aviacijas Vesture
- Humberstone, R. (ed) Latvian Air Force 1918-1940
- Irbitis, Karlis Of Struggle and Flight
- Latvijas Kareivis February 5, 1920
- Additional information provided through correspondence with Alex Crawford.
