Blackburn Blackburd

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Blackburd
Type Torpedo Bomber
Manufacturer Blackburn Aircraft
Designed by Harris Booth
Maiden flight 1918
Status Prototype
Number built Three

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.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

The Blackburn Blackburd was designed by their designer Harris Booth, who had previously designed the AD Scout and the Blackburn Triplane, as a replacement for the Sopwith Cuckoo torpedo bomber. While the Cuckoo was successful, it could only carry a relatively light 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 [1]. The Blackburd was a large, three bay biplane, with unswept and unstaggered wings, and a slab sided fuselage. Unusually, the pilots cockpit was situated towards the rear of the aircraft, with 17 feet of fuselage ahead of the windscreen. Its undercarriage had to be jettisoned before the torpedo could be dropped, with the aircraft then having to land on skids[1].

The first Blackburn flew in May 1918, and was delivered to Martlesham Heath for evaluation against the Short Shirl[1]. It was found to be unstable , with the first prototype crashing before trials were complete, with the second and third aircraft being 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[1].

[edit] Specifications (Blackburd)

Data from The British Bomber since 1914[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 34 ft 10 in (10.62 m)
  • Wingspan: 52 ft 5 in (15.98 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 4½ in (3.77 m)
  • Wing area: 684 ft² (63.6 m²)
  • Empty weight: 3,228 lb (1,467 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 5,700 lb (2,590 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII V-12 water cooled, 350 hp (261 kW)

Performance

Armament

  • One 1,423 lb (647 kg) Admiralty Mark VIII torpedo

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Mason, Francis K (1994). The British Bomber since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0 85177 861 5. 


[edit] External links

British Aircraft Directory
Blackburd - Pauls Ugly Aircraft Shrine
Virtual aircraft Museum

[edit] See also

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