The RAF B bomber force gained world-wide fame in the 1960s as the U.K.'s nuclear deterrent.
Crowds thrilled to displays of the Valiants, Victors and Vulcans at air shows and the RAF was pleased to finally modernize a bomber force still equipped with aircraft of W.W. II vintage.
Less known, however, is what started it all, the Blackburn "Blackie" bomber prototype which first took flight in 1950.
Featuring cutting-edge technology like a delta wing and four Sunbeam jet engines hung in pairs on pods under the wing, the Blackburn "Blackie" exceeded all expectations in testing. It set a new closed-course speed record of Mach 1.6 carrying a payload equal to the largest nuclear weapon in the RAF arsenal at the time. The new bomber looked wicked fast just parked due to its arrow-like shape. A service test squadron was ordered.
RAF Bomber Command's 409 Sqn. was soon flying the new aircraft. Most of their missions remain classified to this day. However, the squadron is widely credited in some circles for setting an RAF record for speed and distance when three Blackies overflew Minsk in 1951. Soviet protests over the incident almost led to cancellation of the important Sandwich Summit between the U.S.S.R. and the U.K.
The Blackburn Aero Company prepared for mass-production and the RAF hoped to field the world's largest "B" bomber force. Unfortunately, the events of August, 1952 would end dreams of success. On the 22nd of that month, British Intelligence discovered plans of the top-secret Blackie bomber had been passed to the Soviets by the disgruntled Third Assistant Air Attache Acting Pilot Officer Acton. Included in the secret plans was a study that showed the Blackie's radar and radio could be disabled by beaming the pop hit "Under the Yum-Yum Tree" at a high frequency and Chipmunks-like speed at the bomber. This spelled the end for the Blackburn Blackie, but its deployment was in no small part (about 1/200 scale) the inspiration for the legendary RAF V bombers that would soon follow.
This started about a week ago, using some sub hulls Jeff Fontaine sent me as the fuselage. I found some 1/72 scale MiG 21 wings and one of the MiG's horiz. stabs. to be a good fit. Here's what it looked like after I attached a B-47 radar fairing for a canopy and stuck some box-scale J-47 jets from a box-scale B-36 under the wings.
I wasn't sure where to go from here. I considered Pan Am livery, NASA markings (with an added rocket nozzle on the tail) and finally settled on an all-over black RAF scheme. Some 1/72 scale Chipmunk decals provided the markings. The entire model, including the canopy windows, was painted by hand in acrylics.
I had a lot of fun building this model and I hope you enjoyed it along with some little-known history of the RAF V Bomber Force.
Brian da Basher
