Blackburn Twin Blackburn
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The Blackburn TB (for "Twin Blackburn") was one of the most specialized aircraft ever constructed - a long-range twin-engined anti-Zeppelin seaplane. It was Blackburn's first multi-engined aircraft to fly.
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[edit] Design and development
The first attacks by German bombing airships on the United Kingdom in the winter of 1914-15 resulted in the British Admiralty issuing a requirement for a two seat aircraft with long endurance to attack Zeppelins by dropping incendiary Ranken darts onto the airships in the hope of igniting their gas envelopes. [1], with an order for nine Blackburn TBs being placed in March 1915.
The TB was a seaplane with twin fuselages, situated ten feet apart, with the pilot in one fuselage and the observer in the other, having no means of communication other than hand signals[1] . Each of the twin fuselages was a wooden structure with fabric covering, with a tractor engine in front of each fuselage[1] . It had a fabric-covered wooden unstaggered, unswept and unequal span wing. The upper wing extension was wire braced to steel pylons above the wing. The Blackburn had ailerons on all four wings.
Although it was intended that the TB would be powered by two 150 hp Smith Static radial engines, which promised low weight and good fuel consumption, these proved to be unsatisfactory, and 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape had to be substituted, this allowing the first aircraft to fly in August 1915 [1].
Testing showed that the two Gnome engines gave insufficient power, with the aircraft being unable to climb above 8,000 ft varying the required three canisters of 24 one lb Rankin darts. The weapon load was therefore reduced to two canisters. [1]
The ninth (and final) TB was fitted with 110 hp Clerget engines with the hope of improving performance. This modification was found to have little effect [1].
[edit] Operational history
Seven TBs were delivered to the Royal Naval Air Service. They did not see much action, four serving for a short time at RNAS Killinghome in 1917 [1] . All seven were broken up in 1917.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (TB)
Data from The British Bomber since 1914 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 36 ft 6 in (11.13 m)
- Wingspan: 60 ft 6 in (18.45 m)
- Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.12 m)
- Wing area: 585 ft² (54.4 m²)
- Empty weight: 2,310 lb (1,050 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 3,500 lb (1,591 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Gnome Monosoupape rotary engine, 100 hp (75 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 75 knots (86 mph, 138 km/h)
- Endurance: 4 hours
- Climb to 5,000 ft (1,520 m): 12 min
Armament
Three canisters each with 24 1-pound Ranken incendiary darts (intended)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Blackburn T.B. at the British Aircraft Directory
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