Blackburn Dart

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T.2 Dart
Blackburn Dart T.2, N9541, 461 Flight, HMS Furious, c. 1930
Type	Torpedo bomber
Manufacturer	Blackburn Aircraft
Maiden flight	October 1921
Retired	1933
Primary users	Fleet Air Arm Royal Air Force
Produced	1922-1928
Number built	118 (plus eight Swift export models)
Variants	Blackburn Velos

The Blackburn Dart was a British carrier-based torpedo-bomber biplane which first flew in 1921. The Dart was the standard single-seat torpedo bomber used by the Fleet Air Arm from 1923 until 1933. A modified variant was also sold to Greece, where they served with the Greek Navy.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational Service 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Specifications (Dart T.2) 6 References 7 External links 8 Related content

[edit] Design and development

The Blackburn Dart was developed from the Blackburn Swift torpedo bomber of 1920. Although mainly conventional, the large biplane featured two bay, equal span wings that were staggered and swept. The wing centre section structure was steel with wooden outer section, all fabric covered. Ailerons were mounted on all four wings. The fuselage was mounted on the lower wing, and also consisted of a metal structure with fabric covering. The tail unit had a braced tailplane and fin with balanced rudder. The divided landing gear had main wheels on oleo legs that allowed the fitting of a standard torpedo below the fuselage.

The Dart was powered by either a Napier Lion IIB or V engine that was mounted with a thrustline angled upward; the fuselage also dropped sharply downwards from the cockpit creating an effective if ungainly profile. Due to the twisted nose contours, the Dart acquired the unfortunate accolade of being one of the "ugliest" aircraft built ^[1].

The prototype Dart was first flown in October 1921 and despite its size, handled well and exhibited a remarkable 43 mph stalling speed.

An export model of the Dart retained the name Swift and used the 450hp (336kW) Napier Lion engine. Seven were built as the Swift Mk II, two for the Japanese Navy, three for the Spanish Navy, and two for the United States Navy. The US Navy aircraft were designated Swift F and following competitive trials in 1921, the US Navy decided not to proceed with an order and purchased the Douglas DT-2 instead.

[edit] Operational Service

The Dart T.2 entered service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1923 with No 460 Flight aboard HMS Eagle stationed in the Mediterranean and with 461 and 462 Flights on the HMS Furious based in home waters. Shore training was conducted by "D3" Flight at Gosport. In 1928, the Blackburn Dart flew with Nos. 463 and 464 Flights embarked on HMS Courageous in the Mediterranean fleet. The following year, a single Dart was delivered to RAF No. 36 Squadron (Coastal Defence Torpedo Flight), intitially for smoke-screen trials and later to form part of the complement of torpedo bombers in the first fully operational Royal Air Force torpedo bomber squadron.

Three Darts were converted into two-seat seaplanes to provide advanced training from 1925-1929, at Blackburn's RAF Reserve School on the River Humber. The conversions led to a new variant, the T.3 Velos which was ordered as a torpedo bomber by the Greek Navy in 1925.

The Dart continued in service with the Blackburn Reserve School, alongside a number of T.3s converted to landplanes until their eventual replacement by Ripons and Baffins in 1933.

One notable event marked the career of the Blackburn Dart. Air Commodore G.H. Boyce became the first pilot to carry out a night deck landing when he landed his Blackburn Dart aboard HMS Furious on 6 May 1926. The flight deck was illuminated by flood lights for the attempt but the docile Dart easily handled the task.

[edit] Variants

• T.1 Swift: Prototype torpedo bomber, one built.
• Dart  : Prototype; one built.
• T.2 Dart : Initial production variant - 117 built (three converted to two-seat trainers).
• Swift Mk II: Export version - seven built.
  • Swift F: US Navy designation of the Swift Mk II for evaluation (would have been designated the BST-1 if ordered).
• T.3 Velos: two-seat variant for the Greek Navy - 16 built (12 under licence in Greece).
• T.3A Velos: Company demonstrator and trial aircraft - six built.

[edit] Operators

•  Japan
  • Japanese Navy(as Swift Mk II)
•  Spain
  • Spanish Navy(as Swift Mk II)
•  United Kingdom
  • North Sea Aerial & General Transport Company(as T.3A Velos)
  • Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
  • Royal Air Force
•  United States
  • United States Navy (as Swift F)

[edit] Specifications (Dart T.2)

Data from Jane's Encylopedia of Aviation^[2].

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 35 ft 4.5 in (10.78 m)
• Wingspan: 45 ft 5.75 in (13.86 m)
• Height: 12 ft 11 in (3.91m)
• Wing area: 654 ft² (199 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,599 lb (1,900 kg)
• Loaded weight: 6,383 lb (3,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Napier Lion IIB or V 12 cylinder broad arrow piston engine, 450 hp (IIB), 465 hp (V) (335.3 kW (IIB), 346.5 kW (V))

Performance

• Maximum speed: 107 mph (with dummy torpedo) (170 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 100 mph (161 km/h)
• Stall speed: 43.5 mph (70.5 km/h)
• Range: 356 nm (410 mi, 660 km)
• Service ceiling: 12,700 ft (4,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 600 ft/min ()

Armament

• 1 fixed, forward firing Vickers gun (not Mk II) and one Lewis gun in rear cockpit.

Either

• One Mark VIII or IX, 18 in torpedo

or

• up to two 520 lb bombs under each wing.

[edit] References

• Sturtivant, Ray. "Fleet Air Arm Colours 1923-33." Scale Aircraft Modelling, Vol. 4, No. 6, March 1982.
• Taylor, Michael, J.H. (ed.) Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational Corporation, 1980. ISBN 0-7106-0710-5.

[edit] External links

• The Royal Air force in the 1930s

[edit] Related content

Related development

Blackburn Baffin

Designation sequence

Blackburn R.T.1 Kangaroo - Blackburn T.1 Swift - Blackburn T.2 Dart - Blackburn R.1 Blackburn - Blackburn T.3 Velos - Blackburn R.B.1 Isis - Blackburn T.5 Ripon - Blackburn L.1A Bluebird II and L.1B Bluebird III - Blackburn R.B.2 Sydney/C.B.2 Nile - Blackburn L.1C Bluebird IV - Blackburn T.7B - Blackburn R.B.3A Perth - Blackburn B-1 Seagrave - Blackburn B-2 - Blackburn B-5 Baffin - Blackburn B-6 Shark - Blackburn B-24 Skua - Blackburn B-25 Roc - BlackburnBlackburn B-26 Botha I -Blackburn B-37 Firebrand - Blackburn B-101 Beverley