Blackburn Blackburd

infobox Aircraft
name = Blackburd
type = Torpedo bomber
manufacturer = Blackburn Aircraft

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caption =
designer = Harris Booth
first flight = 1918
introduced =
introduction=
retired =
status = Prototype
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = Three
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Blackburn Blackburd was a British prototype single engined torpedo bomber developed by Blackburn Aircraft in 1918 as a replacement for the Sopwith Cuckoo. It was unsuccessful, only three being built.

Design and development

In January 1918, the Admiralty issued specification N.1B, seeking an aircraft to replace the Sopwith Cuckoo torpedo bomber. While the Cuckoo was successful, it could only carry a 1,000 lb Mark IX torpedo, which was not believed to be powerful enough to sink large armoured warships. The specification therefore required an aircraft capable of carrying a 1,436 lb Mark VII torpedo, which had a much larger warhead.

In response, Harris Booth designed the Blackburd, a large, three-bay biplane with unswept, unstaggered wings and a slab sided fuselage. Cite book |author=Jackson, Aubrey J. |title=Blackburn Aircraft Since 1909 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location= London |year=1989 |isbn= 0 85177 830 5 The Blackburd's simple lines were designed to facilitate rapid production. Unusually, the pilot's cockpit was situated towards the rear of the aircraft, with 17 feet of fuselage ahead of the windscreen. The Blackburd's undercarriage had to be jettisoned before the torpedo could be dropped, requiring the aircraft to land on skids.

The first Blackburd flew in May 1918, and was delivered to Martlesham Heath for evaluation against the Short Shirl. The Blackburd was found to be unstable, with the first prototype crashing before trials were complete. The second and third aircraft were fitted with an enlarged rudder. The Blackburd was considered to be inferior to the Shirl, and was therefore not ordered. Although orders were placed for production of the Shirl, they were almost immediately replaced by more orders for the Sopwith Cuckoo.

pecifications

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

ref=The British Bomber Since 1914 Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K. |title=The British Bomber Since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location= London |year=1994 |isbn= 0 85177 861 5

crew=One
capacity=
length main= 34 ft 10 in
length alt=10.62 m
span main= 52 ft 5 in
span alt= 15.98 m
height main= 12 ft 4½ in
height alt= 3.77 m
area main= 684 ft²
area alt= 63.6 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 3,228 lb
empty weight alt= 1,467 kg
loaded weight main= 5,700 lb
loaded weight alt= 2,590 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)= Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII
type of prop=V-12 water cooled
number of props=1
power main= 350 hp
power alt= 261 kW
power original=
max speed main= 79 knots
max speed alt= 90.5 mph, 146 km/h
max speed more=(with torpedo)
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 11,000 ft
ceiling alt= 3,350 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= 8.33 lb/ft²
loading alt= 40.7 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.061 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.10 kW/kg
more performance=
*Endurance: 3 hr
*Climb to 6,500 ft: 16 min 15 sec

armament=
* One 1,423 lb (647 kg) Admiralty Mark VIII torpedo

avionics=

References

External links

[http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=544 British Aircraft Directory]
[http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/farmer/120/blackburd.html Blackburd - Pauls Ugly Aircraft Shrine]
[http://avia.russian.ee/air/england/blackburn_blackburd.php Virtual aircraft Museum]

ee also

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