Scottish Aviation Bulldog Explained

The Scottish Aviation Bulldog is a British two-seat side-by-side (with optional third seat) training aircraft designed by Beagle Aircraft as the B.125 Bulldog.

The prototype Bulldog flew on 19 May 1969 at Shoreham Airport. The first order for the type was for 78 from the Swedish Air Board. Before any production aircraft were built, Beagle Aircraft ceased trading and the production rights for the aircraft, with the Swedish order, were taken over by Scottish Aviation (Bulldog) Limited. All subsequent aircraft were built at Prestwick Airport by Scottish Aviation, and later by British Aerospace.

Operational history

Sweden

The first 58 aircraft (known as the SK 61A and SK 61B) were delivered to the Swedish Air Force in 1971. Twenty more aircraft were delivered to the Swedish Army as FPL 61C in 1972, although these were transferred to the Air Force in 1989 as SK 61C. By 2001 all the Swedish aircraft had been withdrawn from military service. 26 were bought in 2004 by the Hungarian company AVIA-Rent.

United Kingdom

The largest customer was the Royal Air Force, which placed an order for 130 Bulldogs in 1972, entering service as the Bulldog T.1 in 1975. It was used by the Royal Air Force as a basic trainer, in particular as the standard aircraft of the University Air Squadrons and, later, Air Experience Flights, providing flying training. The aircraft was also used by the Royal Navy for Elementary Flying Training (EFT) at RAF Topcliffe.

The RAF sold off its remaining Bulldog trainers in 2001 as general aviation light aircraft for a low price. They were replaced by the Grob Tutor.

Variants

The following Bulldog models were produced:^{[1] [2]}

Bulldog Series 1: One prototype built by Beagle Aircraft (G-AXEH), one built by Scottish Aviation; now in the collection of the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune, East Lothian.

Bulldog Series 100

• Model 101: Export model for Sweden. Swedish military designation SK 61 (AF) or FPL 61 (Army). 78 built.
• Model 102: Export model for Malaysia. 15 built.
• Model 103: Export model for Kenya. Five built.
• Model 104: Refurbished second prototype (G-AXIG)
• Model 121: Primary trainer for the Royal Air Force. RAF designation Bulldog T.1. 130 built, five of which transferred (sold) to the Armed Forces of Malta in 2000.
• Model 122: Export model for Ghana. Six built.
• Model 122A: Export model for Ghana. Seven built.
• Model 123: Export model for Nigeria. 37 built.
• Model 124: Company demonstrator (G-ASAL). Used for weapons trials.
• Model 125: Export model for Jordan. 13 built.
• Model 125A: Export model for Royal Jordanian Air Force. Nine built.
• Model 126: Export model for Lebanon. Six built.
• Model 127: Export model for Kenya. Nine built.
• Model 128: Export model for Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. Two built.
• Model 129: One aircraft for a civil customer in Venezuela (YV-375-CP).
• Model 1210 : Export model for Botswana. Six built. Light attack variant with underwing hard points

Bulldog Series 200 : Four-seat variant with retractable undercarriage. One prototype built (G-BDOG). Also known as the Bullfinch in civilian guise.

Operators

Military operators

• Lebanese Air Force

Former military operators

• Botswana Air Force

• Ghana Air Force

• Royal Jordanian Air Force

• Kenya Air Force^[3]

Hong Kong

• Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

• Royal Malaysian Air Force

• Maltese Air Wing^[4]

• Nigerian Air Force

• Swedish Air Force
• Swedish Army

• Royal Air Force

Former civil operators

• Lund University

Aircraft on display

United Kingdom

• Bulldog 104 G-AXIG at National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.^[5]
• Bulldog 125 G-BDIN at South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, Doncaster, England.
• Bulldog T.1 XX634 at Newark Air Museum, Nottinghamshire.^[6]
• Bulldog T.1 XX654 at Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Shropshire.^[7]
• Bulldog T.1 XX669 at South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum.^[8]
• Bulldog T.1 XX520 at 172 (Haywards Heath) Squadron Air Training Corps (Haywards Heath TA Centre), Sussex
• Bulldog T.1 XX637 at Ulster Aviation Society, Maze Long Kesh, Lisburn, Northern Ireland (Current markings are a XX530 tribute)

References

• Book: Ellis, Ken. Wrecks and Relics 25th Edition. 2016. Crecy Publishing. Manchester, England. 978 191080 9037.
• Book: Taylor, John W. R.. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77. 1976. Jane's Yearbooks. London. 0-354-00538-3. John W. R. Taylor.
• Book: Scottish Aviation Ltd. Bulldog Series 120 Owner's Handbook. 1973. British Aerospace Scottish Division-Technical Library. Prestwick, Scotland. Doc. No. SH.3.3. Scottish Aviation.

External links

Scottish Aviation Bulldog Cockpit Flying Video

Notes and References

1. Web site: History Brief: Scottish Aviation Bulldog. Johan Visschedijk. 1000aircraftphotos.com. 26 April 2004. 24 July 2008.
2. Web site: Scottish Aviation Bulldog Production List . Keith Halliday . Airbase . 6 December 2005 . 24 July 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080115101110/http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/airbase/ProductionLists/Bulldog/bulldog.htm . 15 January 2008 . dmy-all.
3. https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerospace/aerospace-aerospace/moi-forces-academy-gifted-a-bulldog-trainer/#:~:text=The%20Kenya%20Air%20Force%20retired,delivered%20between%202020%20and%202022.
4. Web site: Details of Bulldog Service in Maltese Armed Forces . Aeroflight . 27 May 2016 . 26 August 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170520030227/http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/user/fleet/armed-forces-of-malta-scottish-aviation-bulldog-t1.htm . 20 May 2017 . dmy-all.
5. Ellis 2016, p. 312
6. Ellis 2016, p. 186
7. Ellis 2016, p. 193
8. Ellis 2016, p. 302