Another boneheaded question...

andersel

andersel

Charter Member 2014
What does the word "Bis" mean? I have seen it applied to aircraft as disparate as F. Guili's Fiat BR20 and Flusirainer's Mig-21 but I've never seen a definition or explanation of the term.

Thanks

LA
 
If I'm not mistaken, the meaning of 'bis' in Russian refers to 'second', or 'improved'.

For example, the MiG-21bis refers to the substantial structural redesign of the basic Mig-21; more than just an upgrade.

:wavey:
 
The French use it too - mostly in house numbering - again it means 'the second' one of this number. Early French aircraft sometimes had bis in its identification - meaning the second version, usually quite different, but could have been made up of earlier parts.
Keith
 
Usually meant for substantially revised later models. Like this:

CR.32Armed with twin 7.7 mm (.303 in) or 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine guns and powered by 447 kW (600 hp) Fiat A.30 R.A.bis engine. Delivered to the Regia Aeronautica between March 1934 and February 1936.
CR.32bis
Close-support fighter version armed with twin Breda-SAFAT Mod.1928Av. 7.7 mm (.303 in) (a common field modification was to discard the 7.7 mm armament to reduce weight) and twin 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine guns. Bomb racks with ability to carry 100 kg (220 lb) bomb load possible: 1 × 100 kg (220 lb) or 2 × 50 kg (110 lb).
CR.32ter
Revised CR.32bis with many improved features.
CR.32quater[SUP][/SUP]
Revised CR.32ter with reduced weight, added radio and max speed 356 km/h (221 mph) at 3,000 m (9,843 ft); 337 built for the Regia Aeronautica.
 
Seems like a common convention among those who speak the Romance languages. Not that Russian is a Romance language, but that's probably where the Russians picked it up from. Bi meaning two, bis meaning second, ter meaning third. Did anything get as far as quatro? Or quinto?
 
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