STORY OF BLACKBURN AIRCRAFT 1910-1939
ROC SKUA BOTHA FIREBRAND SHARK IRIS BUCCANEER SYDNEY NILE PERTH
FLIGHT SOFTBOUND
BOOK in ENGLISH (1939)
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Additional
Information from Internet Encyclopedia
Blackburn
Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer that concentrated mainly
on naval and maritime aircraft during the first part of the 20th century.
Blackburn
Aircraft was founded by Robert Blackburn, who built his first aircraft in Leeds
in 1908 with the company's Olympia Works at Roundhay opening in 1914.
The Blackburn
Aeroplane & Motor Company was created in 1914 and established in a new
factory at Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire in 1916. Robert's brother Norman
Blackburn later became managing director.
Blackburn
acquired the Cirrus-Hermes Engineering company in 1934, beginning its
manufacture of aircraft engines. However an updated range of engines was under
development and Blackburn wanted to wait until it was established before giving
its name to them, so Cirrus Hermes Engineering was retained as a separate
company for the time being.
The company's
name was changed to Blackburn Aircraft Limited in 1936.
In 1937, with
the new Cirrus engines now well established, engine manufacturing was brought
into the parent company as an operating division, giving rise to the Blackburn
Cirrus name.
By 1937,
pressure to re-arm was growing and the Yorkshire factory was approaching
capacity. A fortuitous friendship between Maurice Denny, managing director of
Denny Bros., the Dumbarton ship building company,[8] and Robert Blackburn
resulted in the building of a new Blackburn factory at Barge Park, Dumbarton
where production of the Blackburn Botha commenced in 1939.
Blackburn
amalgamated with General Aircraft Limited in 1949 as Blackburn and General
Aircraft Limited, reverting to Blackburn Aircraft Limited by 1958.
As part of the
rationalisation of British aircraft manufacturers, its aircraft production and
engine operations were absorbed into Hawker Siddeley and Bristol Siddeley
respectively[3] in 1960/1961. The Blackburn name was dropped completely in
1963.
An American
company, Blackburn Aircraft Corp., was incorporated in Detroit on 20 May 1929
to acquire design and patent rights of the aircraft of Blackburn Airplane &
Motor Co., Ltd. in the USA. It was owned 90% by Detroit Aircraft Corp. and 10%
by Blackburn Airplane & Motor Co., Ltd. Agreements covered such rights in
North and South America, excepting Brazil and certain rights in Canada and
provided that all special tools and patterns were to be supplied by the UK
company at cost.
The company had
factories at Olympia in Leeds, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Brough (East Yorkshire) and
Dumbarton. In the early days, Blackburn himself flew aircraft on the beaches at
Marske and Filey, with the company also using the former RAF Holme-on-Spalding
Moor. Before production shifted to Sherburn-in-Elmet and Brough from the Leeds
site, aircraft were flown in and out of Olympia works by an adjacent airstrip
in Roundhay Park.
Blackburn First
Monoplane (1909) Single-engine, single-seat high-wing monoplane aircraft
Blackburn Second
Monoplane (1911) Single-engine midwing monoplane aircraft.
Blackburn
Mercury (1911) Single-engine, two-seat midwing monoplane training aircraft
Blackburn Type B
(1912) Single-engine, two-seat midwing monoplane training aircraft. A
development of the Blackburn Mercury
Blackburn Type D
(1912) Single-engine single-seat mid-winged monoplane. Preserved in flying
condition by the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden, and survives as the
oldest British-built aircraft.
Blackburn Type E
(1912) Single-engine, midwing metal-framed monoplanes, one single-seater one
twin.
Blackburn Type I
(1913) Single-engine 1/2-seat mid-wing monoplane built both as land- and
seaplane.
Blackburn Type L
(1914) Single-engine two-seat biplane seaplane.
AD Scout (1915)
Admiralty designed single-engine, single-seat pusher anti-Zeppelin aircraft.
Two each built by Blackburn and by Hewlett & Blondeau.
Blackburn Twin
Blackburn (1915) Twin-fuselage, two-engine, two-seat anti-Zeppelin seaplane.
Blackburn
General Purpose (1916) Twin-engine three-seat seaplane biplane anti-submarine
patrol bomber.
Blackburn
Triplane (1916) Blackburn-designed triplane version of Scout
Blackburn White
Falcon (1916) Single-engine two-seat mid-wing monoplane.
Blackburn R.T.1
Kangaroo (1918) Twin-engine, three-seat biplane reconnaissance/torpedo bomber[15]
Blackburn N.1B
(1918) Single-engine single-seat biplane flying boat escort bomber (started;
not finished; never flew).
Blackburn
Blackburd (1918) Single-engine, single-seat biplane torpedo bomber
Blackburn
Sidecar (1919) Single-engine two-seat mid wing monoplane ultra light: may not
have flown.
Blackburn T.1
Swift (1920) Single-engine, single-seat floatplane torpedo bomber
Blackburn T.2
Dart (1921) Single-engine, single-seat biplane torpedo bomber
Alula D.H.6
(1921) Experimental aircraft to test the Alula wing using an Airco DH.6
fuselage.
Alula Semiquaver
(1921) Single-engine Alula wing conversion of the Martinsyde Semiquaver.
Blackburn R.1
Blackburn (1922) Single-engine, three-seat biplane naval
spotter/reconnaissance aircraft.
Blackburn Pellet
(1923) Single-engine single-seat biplane Schneider racer.
Blackburn
Bluebird (1924) Single-engine, two-seat biplane training/touring aircraft
Blackburn T.4
Cubaroo (1924) Single-engine, four-seat large biplane torpedo bomber.
Blackburn T.3
Velos (1925) Single-engine, two-seat biplane bomber floatplane
Blackburn R.2
Airedale (1925) Single-engine three-seat high-wing monoplane reconnaissance.
Blackburn T.5
Ripon (1926) Single-engine, two-seat biplane reconnaissance/torpedo bomber
Blackburn Sprat
(1926) single-engine two-seat biplane advanced trainer.
Blackburn R.B.1
Iris (1926) Three-engine, five-seat biplane flying boat
Blackburn F.1
Turcock (1928) Single-engine fighter aircraft.
Blackburn F.2
Lincock (1928) Single-engine, single-seat biplane fighter.
Blackburn Beagle
(1928) Single-engine two-seat two-seat biplane bomber.
Blackburn
Bluebird IV (1929) Single-engine, two-seat biplane training/touring aircraft.
Blackburn 2F.1
Nautilus (1929) Single-engine two-seat engine biplane fighter
Blackburn T.7B
(1929) Single-engine three-seat biplane bomber/reconnaissance for Japanese
Navy.
Blackburn R.B.2
Sydney (1930) Three-engine, four-seat parasol-wing long-range flying boat.
Blackburn C.B.2
Nile (1930) Three-engine, two-seat parasol-wing cargo transport, a variant of
the Sydney.
Blackburn B-1
Segrave (1930) Twin-engine, four-seat low-wing monoplane touring aircraft
Blackburn
C.A.15C (1932) Twin-engine ten passenger high-wing monoplane/ biplane
airliner.
Blackburn T.8
Baffin (1932) Single-engine, two-seat biplane torpedo bomber.
Blackburn B-2
(1932) Single-engine, two-seat biplane training aircraft.
Blackburn B-3
M.1/30 (1932) Single-engine, two-seat biplane naval torpedo bomber.
Blackburn B-5
Baffin (1932)
Blackburn R.B.3
Perth (1933) Three-engine, five-seat biplane flying boat.
Blackburn T.9
Shark (1933) single-engine, three-seat carrier-based biplane torpedo bomber;
see also the prototype named Blackburn B-6 Shark (1933)
Blackburn F.3
(1934) Single-engine single-seat biplane fighter: built, never flew
Blackburn B-7
(1934) General-purpose biplane.
Blackburn B-9
(H.S.T. 10) (1936) Twin-engine twelve-passenger low-wing monoplane airliner:
built, never flew
Blackburn B-24
Skua (1937) Single-engine, two-seat low-wing monoplane naval fighter/dive
bomber
Blackburn B-25
Roc (1938) Single-engine, two-seat low-wing monoplane naval fighter/dive
bomber with rear turret (built by Boulton Paul Aircraft)
Blackburn B-26
Botha (1938) Twin-engine, four-seat high-wing monoplane
reconnaissance/torpedo bomber & crew trainer
Blackburn B-29:
Submission for a naval torpedo-bomber reconnaissance aircraft to Specification
S.24/37 (which resulted in the Fairey Barracuda); mock-up only, never flew.
Blackburn B-20
(1940) Twin-engine, six-seat experimental monoplane retractable-hull flying
boat.
Blackburn B-37
Firebrand F Mk.I (1942) Single-engine, single-seat propeller naval fighter
Blackburn B.44
(1942) Single-engine flying-boat fighter
Blackburn B-45
Firebrand TF Mk.II (1943) Single-engine, single-seat propeller naval strike
fighter.
Blackburn B-46
Firebrand TF Mk.IV (1945) Single-engine, single-seat propeller naval strike
fighter.
Blackburn B-48
Firecrest (Y.A.1) (1947) Single-engine, single-seat propeller naval strike
fighter.
Blackburn B-50
(1945) Design proposal for a single engine Nene powered Fleet Air Arm strike
fighter. Not built.[20]
Blackburn B-52
Design proposal for a single-engined advanced trainer to meet Specification
T.7/45. Not built.
Blackburn B-67
(1947) Design proposal for a naval fighter to specification N40/46. Not
built.
Blackburn B-68
(1946) Design proposal for a naval fighter. Not built.
Blackburn B-71
(1947) Design proposal for a flexible deck landing version of B.67. Not
built.
Blackburn B-74
(1947) Design proposal for a naval fighter. Not built.
Blackburn B-54
(Y.A.5, Y.A.7, Y.A.8) (1949) single-piston-engine, two-seat contra-rotating
propeller naval anti-submarine aircraft.
Blackburn B-82
(1949) Design proposal for a naval fighter to specification N.14/49.
Blackburn B-88
(Y.B.1) (1950) single-turboprop-engine, two-seat contra-rotating propeller
naval anti-submarine aircraft
Blackburn B-89
(1951) Submission for a naval fighter to specification N.114T.
Blackburn B-90
(1951) Design proposal for an experimental swing wing aircraft to ER.110T.
Not built.
Blackburn B-94
(1951) Design proposal for a flexible deck landing version of B.90. Not
built.
Handley Page
HP.88 (Blackburn Y.B.2) (1951) Experimental aircraft for Handley Page using a
Supermarine-built fuselage.
Blackburn B-95
(1952) Design proposal for a revised version of B.89.
Blackburn B-97
(1952) Design proposal for a rocket powered fighter to specification F.124T.
Not built.
Blackburn B-99
(1952) Development of N.97. Not built.
Blackburn B-101
Beverley (1950) four-engine, high-wing, propellers, transport airplane
(designed by General Aircraft)
Blackburn B-102
(1952) Design proposal for a mixed powerplant fighter based on B.89 and B.95.
Not built.
Blackburn B-103
Buccaneer (Y.B.3) (1958) twin-engine, two-seat jet naval strike aircraft to
specification NA.39
Blackburn B-104
(1953) - Design proposal for a two-engine medium-range military transport for
the Royal Air Force. Not built.
Blackburn B-109
(1958) Design proposal for a Mach 1.5 strike fighter version of the Buccaneer
for the Canadian Air Force. Not built.
Blackburn B-112
(1958) Design proposal for a Mach 1.5 fighter version of the Buccaneer for
the Royal Navy. Not built.
Blackburn B-117
(1960) Design proposal for a high attitude fighter version of the Buccaneer.
Not built.[23]
Blackburn B-120 (1962) Design proposal for a Mach
1.8 fighter version of the Buccaneer. Not built