The Blackburn Blackburn was a British deck-landing reconnaissance aircraft of the 1920s. It was in service with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm between 1923 and 1931. Designed by Major F. A. Bumpus, its first prototype, No150, first took to the air in May 1922. This would be followed by other two prototypes, with mass production beginning after several months of flight tests. A total of 44 aircraft were produced in three variants; Blackburn Mk I, Mk II, and a trainer version.
Technical Descriptions
The Blackburn Blackburn was a single-engine, two-bay biplane. The fuselage consisted of a metal airframe and fabric-covered wood. It was strengthened centrally with additional struts for deck-landing. It was fitted with folding wings and it was powered by a Napier Lion IIB, 12-cylinder, water-cooled piston engine, which generated 450 horsepower. The Mk II version was equipped with a Napier Lion V, which delivered 465 HP. The engine was arranged as a detachable power unit.
The basic structure of the Blackburn was almost identical to that of the Blackburn Dart; this reason for this was to simplify the Fleet Air Arm spares holding. Thus, it was built up with length of steel tubes fitted into joint-clusters. The center fuselage unit formed the nucleus, to which a number of sub-assemblies were bolted to form a complete airplane. Thus, the mainplanes, tail unit, and all control surfaces, except for the rudder, were interchangeable with those of the Dart.
Specifications
Type: reconnaissance, carrier-borne biplane
Length: 11 m (36 ft, 2 in)
Wing Span: 13.87 m (45 ft, 6 in)
Wing Area: 60 m2 (650 sq. ft)
Height: 3.81 m (12 ft, 6 in)
Power Plant: one 450-HP, Napier Lion IIB, 12-cylinder piston engine.
Maximum Speed: 196 km/h (122 mph)
Range: 380 miles
Ceiling: 3,950 m (12,900 ft)
Armament: two 7.7mm (.303) Lewis guns.
Crew: 3
Below a 1925 photo of the Blackburn Blackburn Mk II in flight, showing the raised center section and the simplified landing gear.
A 1922 photo of the first prototype Blackburn, No150, which would soon become the Mk I version.
Below, the Mk II trainer, No 8589, in 1926.
