Bristol T . B . 8 The Bristol T . B . 8 , or Bristol - Coanda T . B . 8 was an early ( 1913 – 14 ) British biplane built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company , which was produced in significant numbers ( 54 were built ) for the time . While mainly used as a trainer , T . B . 8s were briefly used as bomber s at the start of the First World War by the Royal Naval Air Service ( RNAS ) . Design and development . Henri Coandă , chief designer of the Bristol Aeroplane Company , developed the T . B . 8 as a biplane development of his earlier Bristol - Coanda Monoplane to meet an order from the British Admiralty , the first aircraft , a conversion of a Bristol - Coanda monoplane , flying on 12 August 1913 . This aircraft was tested with both wheeled undercarriage and floats . The T . B . 8 was a single engined , two seat biplane , with two bay wings and a slender fuselage . While early T . B . 8s used wing warping , later production aircraft were fitted with ailerons . They were normally fitted with a distinctive four wheel undercarriage . T . B . 8s were powered by a variety of rotary engines , including Gnome and Le Rhône engines with power ranging from 50 hp Gnomes to 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape engines . T . B . 8s were produced both by conversion of Coanda Monoplanes , and by new production . One T . B . 8 was fitted with a prismatic Bombsight in the front cockpit and a cylindrical bomb carrier in the lower forward fuselage capable of carrying twelve 10 lb ( 4 . 5 kg ) bombs , which could be dropped singly or as a salvo as required . This aircraft was displayed at the Paris " Salon de l ' Aéronautique " and evaluated by the French military before being purchased by the RNAS . Operational history . T . B . 8s were purchased for use both by the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps ( RFC ) , with the RFC ' s T . B . 8s being transferred to the RNAS shortly after the start of the First World War . Three T . B . 8s , including the aircraft displayed at Paris in December 1913 , and fitted with bombing equipment , were sent to France following the outbreak of war , serving with the RNAS squadron commanded by Charles Rumney Samson . One of these T . B . 8s carried out a bombing attack on German gun batteries at Middelkerke , Belgium on 25 November 1914 , the only bombing sortie flown by the T . B . 8 . The T . B . 8 was considered too slow for front line operations , and was relegated to training operations , serving until 1916 . The T . B . 8 was also used by Romania , with six Bristol - Coanda Monoplanes operated by the Romanian Military Aviation school being converted by Bristol into T . B . 8s . Variants . The Romanian government were pleased with their T . B . 8s and placed an order for an improved version , for which they provided a 75 hp ( 56 kW ) Gnome Monosoupape engine . The resulting aircraft , designated the G . B . 75 was significantly different in appearance , with a streamlined front fuselage and rounded cowling enclosing the rotary engine . The characteristic Coanda fin was replaced with an unbalanced rudder plus fin . Maximum speed was up a little to 80 mph ( 130 km / h ) . It first flew on 7 April 1914 and required the removal of the spinner and an increase in stagger to adjust the centre of pressure , but was judged ready for delivery in June . It did not go to Romania , however and instead served the RFC at Farnborough , powered by a standard Gnome engine .