Blackburn Perth
| R.B.3A Perth | |
|---|---|
 A Perth, flying with the MAEE in 1935 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Flying boat |
| Manufacturer | Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company |
| Designer | |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 4 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1933–1934 |
| Introduction date | 1934 |
| First flight | 11 October 1933 |
| Retired | 1938 |
| Developed from | Blackburn Iris |
The Blackburn Perth was a British flying boat which was in service during the interwar period. It was essentially an upgraded Iris, and hence the largest flying-boat to serve with the Royal Air Force at the time (and the largest biplane flying boat ever to serve with the RAF).
Design and development
[edit]The Blackburn R.B.3A Perth was designed as a replacement for the earlier Iris to Air Ministry Specification 20/32. Developed from the Iris Mk. V, the Perth first flew in 1933.[1] It differed from the Iris by replacing the Rolls-Royce Condor engines of the Iris by more powerful Rolls-Royce Buzzards and having an enclosed cockpit for the pilots. Unusually, in addition to its normal armament, the Perth was fitted with a Coventry Ordnance Works C.O.W 37 mm (1.46 in) autocannon in its bows.[2]
Four Perths were ordered for service for the RAF.[3]
Operational history
[edit]The Perth entered service with the RAF in January 1934,[3] when the second aircraft was delivered to No. 209 Squadron RAF at RAF Mount Batten Plymouth.[1] Perths remained in service until 1937,[1] being replaced by the Short Singapore and the Saro London. One aircraft was retained by the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment until 1938.
Operators
[edit]
Specifications (Perth)
[edit]Data from Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918–57[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 5
- Length: 70 ft 0 in (21.34 m)
- Wingspan: 97 ft 0 in (29.57 m)
- Height: 26 ft 5.5 in (8.065 m)
- Wing area: 2,461 sq ft (228.6 m2)
- Empty weight: 20,927 lb (9,492 kg)
- Gross weight: 32,500 lb (14,742 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 38,000 lb (17,237 kg) [3]
- Powerplant: 3 × Rolls-Royce Buzzard II MS V-12 water-cooled piston engines, 825 hp (615 kW) each
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 132 mph (212 km/h, 115 kn)
- Cruise speed: 109 mph (175 km/h, 95 kn) [3]
- Range: 1,300 mi (2,100 km, 1,100 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 11,500 ft (3,500 m)
- Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)
- Wing loading: 13.2 lb/sq ft (64 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.076 hp/lb (0.125 kW/kg)
Armament
- Guns:
- 1 × C.O.W 37 mm (1.46 in) automatic cannon in bow
- 3 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis guns in bow, amidships and tail positions
- Bombs:
- Up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) bombs
See also
[edit]Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Thetford, Owen (1957). Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918–57 (1st ed.). London: Putnam. pp. 76–77.
- ^ "C.O.W. 37mm cannon fitted to Blackburn Perth flying boat", YouTube
- ^ a b c d Donald, David, ed. (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. p. 134. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
External links
[edit]
- British Blackburn-General Flying Boats Archived 19 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- "New Plane Hunts Submarines" Popular Science, January 1934
- "Huge All Metal Flying Boat Weighs Ten Tons" Popular Mechanics, March 1931