Blackburn Botha

Infobox Aircraft
name=B-26 Botha


caption=Blackburn B-26 Botha
type=Torpedo bomber
manufacturer=Blackburn Aircraft
designer=
first flight=28 December 1938
introduced=12 December 1939
retired=September 1944
status=
primary user=Royal Air Force
more users=Fleet Air Arm
produced=
number built=580
unit cost=
variants with their own articles=The Blackburn Botha was a British four-seat reconnaissance and torpedo bomber. It was built by Blackburn Aircraft as a competitor to the Bristol Beaufort, and entered service with the RAF in 1939. It was underpowered and was quickly withdrawn from operations.

History

It was designed to Air Ministry specification M.15/35. The two submissions for this were the Botha and the Bristol Beaufort. Both were intended to use the 850 hp (634 kW) Bristol Perseus engine. The Air Ministry later revised the Specification to M.10/36 which required a crew of four. The weight increase meant that both designs required more power. The 1,130 hp (840 kW) Taurus was provided for the Beaufort but the Botha received only the Perseus X of 880 hp (656 kW).

The Air Ministry ordered 442 Bothas in 1936 and the first flight took place on 28 December 1938Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K |authorlink =
|title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |year=1994 |id= ISBN 0 85177 861 5. The RAF received its first delivery in December 1939, entering squadron service with No. 608 Squadron RAF in June 1940, the only squadron that would use the Botha operationally, the Botha being used for coastal patrols carrying 100 lb Anti-submarine bombs or 250 lb GP bombs.

In service, the Botha proved to be severely underpowered and unstable and there were a number of fatal crashes in 1940. Both airframe and engine were subject to further development work but it was decided to withdraw the type from front-line service. At this point the Air Staff made the ill-advised decision to transfer the surviving aircraft to training units, which inevitably resulted in further casualties.

Some Bothas were converted to target tugs and re-designated TT Mk.I.

The type was finally retired in September 1944. In total 580 aircraft were built.

Variants

* Botha Mk I : Four-seat reconnaissance, torpedo bomber aircraft.
* Botha TT Mk I : Target tug aircraft.

Operators

; Flag|United Kingdom
* Royal Air Force
** No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance
** No. 24 Squadron RAF
** No. 301 Polish Bomber Squadron
** No. 304 Polish Bomber Squadron
** No. 502 Squadron RAF
** No. 608 Squadron RAF

pecifications (Botha Mk.I)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II - David MondeyCite book
author=Mondey, David
authorlink =
title=The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II
publisher=Aerospace Publishing
edition=
year=1994
isbn= 1 85152 668 4
crew=4
capacity=
length main= 51 ft 1.5 in
length alt= 15.58 m
span main= 59 ft
span alt= 17.98 m
height main= 14 ft 7.5 in
height alt= 4.46 m
area main= 518 ft²
area alt= 48.12 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 11,830 lb
empty weight alt= 5,366k g
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 18,450 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 8,369 kg
more general=

engine (prop)=Bristol Perseus
type of prop=radial engine
number of props=2
power main= 930 hp
power alt= 694 kW
power original=
max speed main= 216 knots
max speed alt= 249 mph, 401k m/h
cruise speed main= 184 knots
cruise speed alt= 212 mph, 341 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main= 65 knots Cite book
title=Air Transport Auxiliary Ferry Pilots Notes
publisher=Yorkshire Air Museum
edition= reproduction
year=1996
id= ISBN 0 9512379 8 5.
stall speed alt= 75 mph, 120 km/h
more stall speed= with flaps and undercarriage down
range main= 1,100 nm
range alt= 1,270 mi, 2,044 km
ceiling main= 17,500 ft
ceiling alt= 5,335 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=3x 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine-guns (one fixed forward-firing, two in dorsal turret), internal torpedo, depth charges or bombs up to 2,000 lb (907 kg)

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=

similar aircraft=*Bristol Beaufort

lists=*List of aircraft of the RAF

see also=

References