Blackburn Blackburn

infobox Aircraft
name = R.1 Blackburn
type = Carrier-based reconnaissance
manufacturer = Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company Limited


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1922
introduced = 1923
retired = 1931
produced =
number built = 44
status =
unit cost =
primary user = Fleet Air Arm
more users =
developed from = Blackburn T.2 Dart
variants with their own articles = The Blackburn R-1 Blackburn was a 1920s British single-engined fleet spotter/reconnaissance aircraft built by Blackburn Aircraft.

History

The Blackburn was developed to meet a naval requirement 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. Three prototypes were flown during 1922 leading to a production contract for 12 aircraft. The production aircraft were designated Blackburn I and the first deliveries to the Fleet Air Arm at Gosport began in April 1923. From 1923 the aircraft served aboard HMS "Eagle" in the Mediterranean.

A further order for 29 Blackburns was placed with the larger Napier Lion V engine and designated the Blackburn II. 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 335 kW Napier Lion IIB engines, 33 built. Thetford 1978, p.48.] ;Blackburn II: Improved production version with a 346 kW Napier Lion V, and increased gap between wings. 29 built. Thetford 1978, p.49.] ;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. Thetford 1978, p.50.]

Operators

; UK
* Royal Navy
* Royal Air Force

pecifications (Blackburn II)

aircraft specification

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=British Aircraft Directory [ [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=552 British Aircraft Directory] 14th March 2007]
crew=3
length main= 36 ft 2 in
length alt= 11.02 m
span main= 45 ft 6 in
span alt= 13.87 m
height main=12 ft 6 in
height alt= 3.81 m
area main=650 ft²
area alt= 60.40 m²
empty weight main=3,929 lb
empty weight alt= 1,786 kg
loaded weight main= 5,962 lb
loaded weight alt= 2,710 kg
max takeoff weight main= 6,648 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 3,022 kg
engine (prop)=Napier Lion
type of prop=12-cylinder W-block inline engine
number of props=1
power main= 450 hp
power alt=346 kW
max speed main=122 mph
max speed alt= 157 km/h
max speed more=at 3,000 ft
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 12,950 ft
ceiling alt= 3,950 m
climb rate main= 690 ft/min
climb rate alt= 210 m/min
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Endurance: 4.25 hours
guns= 2 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis guns

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=
*Avro Bison

lists=
*List of aircraft of the RAF
see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

*
*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=