Blackburn Blackburn
| R.1 Blackburn | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Blackburn Blackburn II | |
| Role | Carrier-based reconnaissance |
| Manufacturer | Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company Limited |
| First flight | 1922 |
| Introduction | 1923 |
| Retired | 1931 |
| Primary user | Fleet Air Arm |
| Number built | 44 |
| Developed from | Blackburn T.2 Dart |
The Blackburn R-1 Blackburn was a 1920s British single-engine fleet spotter/reconnaissance aircraft built by Blackburn Aircraft.
History
The Blackburn was developed to meet a naval requirement (Specification 3/21) for a carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft and gun spotting aircraft. Blackburn designed a new fuselage and used the wing and tail surfaces from the Blackburn Dart. The pilot sat in an open cockpit above the engine, a navigator sat inside the fuselage and a gun position was located at the rear of the fuselage cabin. The aircraft's two-bay wings could fold for stowage aboard aircraft carriers, with the upper wing attached directly to the fuselage, which filled the interplane gap. Armament was a single forward firing Vickers machine gun mounted externally to the left of the pilot, with a Lewis gun on a Scarff ring for the gunner.[1]
Three prototypes were flown during 1922, leading to an initial production contract for 12 aircraft.[2] The production aircraft were designated Blackburn I and the first deliveries to the Fleet Air Arm at Gosport began in April 1923. 18 more Blackburn Is were built in 1923-4.[3] Its first operational deployment was with No. 422 Fleet Spotter Flight, which deployed aboard HMS Eagle in the Mediterranean in 1923.[4]
A further order for 29 Blackburns was placed with the more powerful Napier Lion V engine and designated the Blackburn II. The upper wing was raised 22½ in (0.57 m) to improve handling.[3] A few Blackburns were used as dual-control trainers and all the Blackburn Is were converted to II standard before the type became obsolete in 1931, when they were replaced by the Fairey IIIF.
Variants
- Blackburn
- Prototype, three built.
- Blackburn I
- Production version with a 449 hp (335 kW) Napier Lion IIB engines, 33 built.[4]
- Blackburn II
- Improved production version with a 464 hp (346 kW) Napier Lion V, and increased gap between wings. 29 built.[5]
- Blackburn Trainer
- Trainer version of Blackburn I, fitted with side by side cockpit and dual controls. Known by the Fleet Air Arm as the Bull. Two out of Blackburn I batch.[6]
Specifications (Blackburn I)
Data from British Naval Aircraft since 1912 [5]
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Length: 36 ft 2 in (11.02 m)
- Wingspan: 45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)
- Height: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
- Wing area: 650 ft² (60.40 m²)
- Empty weight: 3,929 lb (1,786 kg)
- Loaded weight: 5,962 lb (2,710 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 6,648 lb (3,022 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Napier Lion 12-cylinder W-block inline engine, 450 hp (346 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 122 mph (157 km/h) at 3,000 ft
- Service ceiling: 12,950 ft (3,950 m)
- Rate of climb: 690 ft/min (210 m/min)
- Endurance: 4.25 hours
Armament
- Guns: 2 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis guns
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Jackson, A.J. (1968). Blackburn Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-00053-6.
- Thetford, Owen (1978). Aircraft of the Royal Navy since 1912 (Fourth ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-30021-1.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
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