10/31/2013. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "A fighter-reconnaissance two-seater, the Bulldog was a compact aircraft which, in its initial form as first flown late 1917, was a single-bay staggered biplane with a 200 hp Clerget 11Eb eleven-cylinder rotary engine and an armament of two synchronized and two pillar-mounted 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns.
The Bulldog proved heavier than projected and difficult to control, and in an attempt to improve handling qualities it was fitted with two-bay wings with balanced ailerons, flight test being resumed in March 1918. With the balanced ailerons replaced by plain surfaces, and redesignated Bulldog Mk.I, it was submitted to Martlesham Heath for official trials on April 22, 1918. There it was found to handle well, but to possess disappointing performance. It was eventually to be re-engined with a Bentley B.R.2.
The second prototype was completed with an A.B.C. Dragonfly nine-cylinder radial of 320 hp, being delivered to the RAE at Farnborough on June 25, 1918 as the Bulldog Mk.II and serving as an engine test bed. Work began on a third prototype, but the Bulldog's failure to win official approval led to discontinuation of the program before this aircraft could be completed.
The two Bulldog's built were serialed X3 and X4 in the Licensed Series. Later both Bulldog's were reserialed H4422 and H4423 respectively.
