Blackburn Aircraft
Encyclopedia
Blackburn Aircraft Limited was a British
aircraft
manufacturer that concentrated mainly on naval and maritime aircraft during the first part of the 20th century.
who built his first aircraft in 1908.
The Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company was created in 1914, established in a new factory built at Brough
, East Riding of Yorkshire
in 1916, where Robert's brother Norman Blackburn
was later Managing Director. By acquiring the Cirrus-Hermes
company in 1937, Blackburn started producing aircraft engines, the Blackburn Cirrus range. The company's name was changed to Blackburn Aircraft Limited in 1939, and the company amalgamated with General Aircraft Limited in 1949 as Blackburn and General Aircraft Limited, reverting to Blackburn Aircraft Limited by 1958.
Aircraft production operations were absorbed into Hawker Siddeley and its engine operations into Bristol Siddeley
, as part of the rationalisation of British aircraft manufacturers, and the Blackburn name was dropped completely in 1963.
An American company, Blackburn Aircraft Corp., was incorporated in Detroit on 20 May 1929 to acquire design and patent rights of the aircraft of Blackburn Airplane & Motor Co., Ltd. in the USA. It was owned 90% by Detroit Aircraft Corp. and 10% by Blackburn Airplane & Motor Co., Ltd. Agreements covered such rights in North and South America, excepting Brazil and certain rights in Canada and provided that all special tools and patterns were to be supplied by the UK company at cost.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
manufacturer that concentrated mainly on naval and maritime aircraft during the first part of the 20th century.
History
Blackburn Aircraft was founded by Robert BlackburnRobert Blackburn (aviation pioneer)
Robert Blackburn, OBE, FRAeS was an English aviation pioneer and the founder of Blackburn Aircraft.He was born in Kirkstall, Leeds, Yorkshire, England...
who built his first aircraft in 1908.
The Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company was created in 1914, established in a new factory built at Brough
Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire
Brough , or Brough-on-Humber, is a small town in the civil parish of Elloughton-cum-Brough in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The town has a population of around 7,000.-Location:...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
in 1916, where Robert's brother Norman Blackburn
Norman Blackburn (aviation pioneer)
Captain Norman W G Blackburn , was a World War I pilot, director of Blackburn Aircraft, and pilot instructor.-World War I:...
was later Managing Director. By acquiring the Cirrus-Hermes
Cirrus Engine
Cirrus Aero-Engines Limited was a British aircraft engine manufacturer, known for their line of 4-cylinder air-cooled vertical inline engines for general aviation use. The company traded between 1927 and 1931.-History:...
company in 1937, Blackburn started producing aircraft engines, the Blackburn Cirrus range. The company's name was changed to Blackburn Aircraft Limited in 1939, and the company amalgamated with General Aircraft Limited in 1949 as Blackburn and General Aircraft Limited, reverting to Blackburn Aircraft Limited by 1958.
Aircraft production operations were absorbed into Hawker Siddeley and its engine operations into Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of...
, as part of the rationalisation of British aircraft manufacturers, and the Blackburn name was dropped completely in 1963.
An American company, Blackburn Aircraft Corp., was incorporated in Detroit on 20 May 1929 to acquire design and patent rights of the aircraft of Blackburn Airplane & Motor Co., Ltd. in the USA. It was owned 90% by Detroit Aircraft Corp. and 10% by Blackburn Airplane & Motor Co., Ltd. Agreements covered such rights in North and South America, excepting Brazil and certain rights in Canada and provided that all special tools and patterns were to be supplied by the UK company at cost.
Aircraft
- Blackburn First MonoplaneBlackburn First Monoplane|-See also:-References:* ....
(1909) - single-engine, single-seat high-wing monoplane aircraft - Blackburn Second Monoplane (1911) - single-engine midwing monoplane aircraft
- Blackburn MercuryBlackburn Mercury-References:* *...
(1911) - single-engine, two-seat midwing monoplane training aircraft - Blackburn Type B (1912) - single-engine, two-seat midwing monoplane training aircraft. A development of the Blackburn MercuryBlackburn Mercury-References:* *...
- Blackburn Type D (1912) - single-engine single seat mid-winged monoplane
- Blackburn Type E (1912) - single-engine, midwing metal-framed monoplanes, one single seater one twin
- Blackburn Type I (1913) - single engine 1/2 seat mid-wing monoplane built both as land- and seaplane
- Blackburn Type L (1914) - single engine two seat biplane seaplane
- Blackburn C.A.15CBlackburn C.A.15C|-References:...
(1932) twin-engine ten passenger high-wing monoplane/ biplane airliner - Blackburn C.B.2 Nile (1930) - three-engine, two-seat parasol-wing cargo transport, a variant of the Sydney
- Blackburn F.1 Turcock (1928) - single-engine fighter aircraft
- Blackburn F.2 Lincock (1928) - single-engine, single-seat biplane fighter
- Blackburn F.3Blackburn F.3|-See also:-External links:*...
(1934) - single-engine single-seat biplane fighter: built, never flew - Blackburn 2F.1 Nautilus (1929) - single-engine two-seat engine biplane fighter
- Blackburn R.1 Blackburn (1922) - single-engine, three-seat biplane naval spotter/reconnaissance aircraft
- Blackburn R.2 Airedale (1925) - single-engine three-seat high-wing monoplane reconnaissance
- Blackburn R.B.1 Iris (1926) - three-engine, five-seat biplane flying boat
- Blackburn R.B.2 Sydney (1930) - three-engine, four-seat parasol-wing long-range flying boat
- Blackburn R.B.3 Perth (1933) - three-engine, five-seat biplane flying boat
- Blackburn R.T.1 Kangaroo (1918) - twin-engine, three-seat biplane reconnaissance/torpedo bomber
- Blackburn T.1 Swift (1920) - single-engine, single-seat floatplane torpedo bomber
- Blackburn T.2 Dart (1921) - single-engine, single-seat biplane torpedo bomber
- Blackburn T.3 Velos (1925) - single-engine, two-seat biplane bomber floatplane
- Blackburn T.4 Cubaroo (1924) - single-engine, four-seat large biplane torpedo bomber
- Blackburn T.5 Ripon (1926) - single-engine, two-seat biplane reconnaissance/torpedo bomber
- Blackburn T.7B (1929) - single-engine three-seat biplane bomber/reconnaissance for Japanese Navy
- Blackburn T.8 BaffinBlackburn Baffin-See also:-External links:* * http://avia.russian.ee/air/england/black_baffin.php...
(1932) - single-engine, two-seat biplane torpedo bomber - Blackburn T.9 SharkBlackburn Shark-Bibliography:* Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.* Shores, Christopher, Brian Cull and Yasuho Izawa. Bloody Shambles:Volume One:The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore. London:Grub Street, 1992. ISBN 0-948817-50-X.*...
(1933) - single-engine, three-seat carrier-based biplane torpedo bomber - Blackburn B-1 Segrave (1930) - two-engine, four-seat low-wing monoplane touring aircraft
- Blackburn B-2Blackburn B-2|-See also:-External links:* * *...
(1932) - single-engine, two-seat biplane training aircraft - Blackburn B-3 M.1/30 (1932) - single-engine, two-seat biplane naval torpedo bomber
- Blackburn B-5 BaffinBlackburn Baffin-See also:-External links:* * http://avia.russian.ee/air/england/black_baffin.php...
- Blackburn B-6 Shark
- Blackburn B-7 (1934) - general-purpose biplane
- Blackburn B-9 (H.S.T. 10) (1936) - twin-engine twelve-passenger low-wing monoplane airliner: built, never flew
- Blackburn B-24 SkuaBlackburn SkuaThe Blackburn B-24 Skua was a carrier-based low-wing, two-seater, single-radial engine aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm which combined the functions of a dive bomber and fighter. It was designed in the mid-1930s, and saw service in the early part of the Second World War...
(1937) - single-engine, two-seat low-wing monoplane naval fighter/dive bomber - Blackburn B-25 RocBlackburn Roc|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brew, Alec. The Turret Fighters: Defiant and Roc. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2002. ISBN 1-86126-497-6....
(1938) - single-engine, two-seat low-wing monoplane naval fighter/dive bomber with rear turret (built by Boulton Paul AircraftBoulton Paul AircraftBoulton Paul Aircraft Ltd was a British aircraft manufacturer that was created in 1934, although its origins lay in 1914, and lasted until 1961...
) - Blackburn B-26 BothaBlackburn Botha-See also:-External links:*...
(1938) - two-engine, four-seat high-wing monoplane reconnaissance/torpedo bomber & crew trainer - Blackburn B-20Blackburn B-20|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Townend, David R. Clipped Wings -- World War Two Edition. Markham: Aerofile Publications, 2010. ISBN 978-0-9732020-1-4....
(1940) - twin-engine, six-seat experimental monoplane retractable-hull flying boat - Blackburn B-37 Firebrand F Mk.IBlackburn Firebrand|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brown, Eric, CBE, DCS, AFC, RN.; Green William and Swanborough, Gordon. "Fairey Swordfish". Wings of the Navy, Flying Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War Two. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1980, p. 157–167. ISBN 0-7106-0002-X.* Buttler, Tony....
(1942) - single-engine, single-seat propeller naval fighter - Blackburn B-45 Firebrand TF Mk.IIBlackburn Firebrand|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brown, Eric, CBE, DCS, AFC, RN.; Green William and Swanborough, Gordon. "Fairey Swordfish". Wings of the Navy, Flying Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War Two. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1980, p. 157–167. ISBN 0-7106-0002-X.* Buttler, Tony....
(1943) - single-engine, single-seat propeller naval strike fighter - Blackburn B-46 Firebrand TF Mk.IVBlackburn Firebrand|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brown, Eric, CBE, DCS, AFC, RN.; Green William and Swanborough, Gordon. "Fairey Swordfish". Wings of the Navy, Flying Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War Two. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1980, p. 157–167. ISBN 0-7106-0002-X.* Buttler, Tony....
(1945) - single-engine, single-seat propeller naval strike figher - Blackburn B-48 FirecrestBlackburn Firecrest|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brown, Eric. "The Firebrand...Blackburn's baby 'battleship'". Air International, July 1978, Vol 15 No 1. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. pp. 25–31, 46–47....
(Y.A.1) (1947) - single-engine, single-seat propeller naval strike fighter - Blackburn B-52 single-engined advanced trainer to meet Specification T.7/45, not built.
- Blackburn B-54 (Y.A.5, Y.A.7, Y.A.8) (1949) - single-piston-engine, two-seat contra-rotating propeller naval anti-submarine aircraft
- Blackburn B-88 (Y.B.1) (1950) - single-turboprop-engine, two-seat contra-rotating propeller naval anti-submarine aircraft
- Blackburn B-101 BeverleyBlackburn BeverleyThe Blackburn B-101 Beverley was a 1950s British heavy transport aircraft built by Blackburn and General Aircraft and flown by squadrons of Royal Air Force Transport Command from 1957 until 1967.-Design and development:...
(1950) - four-engine, high-wing, propellers, transport airplane (designed by General AircraftGeneral Aircraft LimitedGeneral Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1931 to amalgamation with Blackburn Aircraft in 1949 to become Blackburn and General...
) - Blackburn B-103 BuccaneerBlackburn BuccaneerThe Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
(Y.B.3) (1958) - two-engine, two-seat jet naval strike aircraft to specification NA.39 - AD ScoutAD Scout|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography*Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Volume One Fighters. London:Macdonald, 1965.*Lewis, Peter. The British Fighter since 1912. London:Putnam, Fourth edition, 1979. ISBN 0-370-10049-2....
(1915) - AdmiraltyAdmiraltyThe Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
designed single-engine, single-seat pusher anti-Zeppelin aircraft. Built by Blackburn and by Hewlett & BlondeauHewlett & BlondeauHewlett & Blondeau was a manufacturer of aeroplanes and other equipment based in Leagrave, Luton, England which produced more than 800 aeroplanes and employed up to 700 people.-History:... - Blackburn BeagleBlackburn Beagle-External links:*...
(1928) single-engine two seat two-seat biplane bomber - Blackburn BlackburdBlackburn Blackburd|-See also:-External links:...
(1918) single-engine, single-seat biplane torpedo bomber - Blackburn BluebirdBlackburn Bluebird|-See also:...
(1924) - single-engine, two-seat biplane training/touring aircraft - Blackburn Bluebird IVBlackburn Bluebird IV|-See also:-External links:**...
(1929) - single-engine, two-seat biplane training/touring aircraft - Blackburn General Purpose (1916) - twin engine three seat seaplane biplane anti-submarine patrol bomber
- Blackburn N.1B (1918) - single-engine single seat biplane flying boat escort bomber (started; not finished; never flew)
- Blackburn PelletBlackburn Pellet|-See also:...
(1923) - single-engine single-seat biplane Schneider racer - Blackburn Sidecar (1919) single engine two seat mid wing monoplane ultra light: may not have flown
- Blackburn Sprat (1926) single-engine two-seat biplane advanced trainer
- Blackburn TriplaneBlackburn Triplane-External links:*http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%201580.html*http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939%20-%201632.html*http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1959/1959%20-%201251.html...
(1916) - Blackburn designed triplane version of Scout - Blackburn Twin BlackburnBlackburn Twin Blackburn-External links:* at the British Aircraft Directory...
(1915) - twin-fuselage, two-engine, two-seat anti-ZeppelinZeppelinA Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
seaplane - Blackburn White Falcon (1916) - single engine two seat mid-wing monoplane
- Alula D.H.6 (1921) - experimental aircraft to test the Alula wing using an Airco DH.6Airco DH.6The Airco DH.6 was a British military trainer biplane used by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. Known by various nicknames, including the "Skyhook", the trainer became a widely used light civil aircraft in the postwar era....
fuselage - Alula Semiquaver (1921) - single-engine Alula wing conversion of the Martinsyde Semiquaver
- Handley Page HP.88Handley Page HP.88|-See also:-Bibliography:* Barnes, C. H. Handley Page Aircraft Since 1907. London: Putnam & Company, Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-85177-803-8.* Clayton, Donald C. Handley Page, an Aircraft Album. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1969. ISBN 0-7110-0094-8....
(Blackburn Y.B.2) - Experimental aircraft for Handley Page using a Supermarine-built fuselage.
Piston engines
- Blackburn Cirrus BombardierBlackburn Cirrus Bombardier-See also:-Bibliography:** Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6....
- Blackburn Cirrus Minor
- Blackburn Cirrus Major
- Blackburn Cirrus MidgetBlackburn Cirrus Midget-See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:**...
Gas turbine engines (with Turbomeca)
- Blackburn-Turbomeca Artouste
- Blackburn-Turbomeca Palas
- Blackburn-Turbomeca Palouste
- Blackburn-Turbomeca A.129