Shipshape and Bristol Fashion ... Down UnderThis one is another with a convoluted and long-winded backstory that I never finished
In (slightly) shorter form, it was decided that the last Bristol Type 142M
Blenheim Mk.Is on British production lines would be shipped to Australia for completion. This was meant to satisfy two goals:
- 1: Speed up the introduction of Type 149
Blenheim Mk.IVs onto British lines;
- 2: Familiarize staff at the newly-formed Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) with current Bristol construction techniques before embarking upon Australian production of the Type 152
Beaufort.
As
Blenheim components arrived at Port Melbourne, two problems arose. The first was the complete absence of engines, nacelles, and main undercarriage parts. [1] Secondly, two merchantmen transporting
Blenheim Mk.I components were lost to U-boat attacks in the Atlantic. In both cases, the components lost were centre/forward fuselage sections. That being as it may, the top priority was the assembly of those components which were available at Fisherman's Bend.
Fortunately, DAP was in receipt of detailed plans for the
Beaufort. Accordingly, the Type 152 nacelle shape (although not the exact, rib-integral structure) was adapted to the
Blenheim centre-section. Replacing the single-row
Mercury radial was the American twin-row Pratt & Whitney R-1830 S1C3-4. [2] Thus equipped, the first Australian-assembled Type 142MA
Blenheim Mk.X was rolled out at Fisherman's Bend in early January 1941. As these were no longer 'standard'
Blenheims, it was decided to retain these aircraft in Australia for RAAF use rather than deliver them to the RAF in the Middle East as planned.
Top Bristol/DAP
Blenheim Mk.X of No.7 Squadron RAAF at Singapore in December 1941. The rear turret is armed with a single Lewis gun. The lower-set engines provided the pilot and bomb-aimer a far superior view to that of the standard
Blenheim Mk.X.
This aircraft wears standard RAF camouflage but with sky-blue undersides. The red 'X' on its fuselage was not an individual aircraft number, rather it was some form of recognition mark used by No.7 Sqn. A battle-damaged
Blenheim Mk.X A8-9 was written off on 26 January 1942 in a crash landing at RAF Tengah.
DAP completed as many
Blenheim Mk.Xs as was practical with available components. However, a crash programme was instigated to create new centre/forward fuselages to make use of the remaining
Blenheim Mk.I components. Rather than simply replicating the 'short-nosed'
Blenheim, the opportunity was taken to create a dedicated reconnaissance-bomber variant. Accordingly, the pilot's position was raised and a fairing extend to in front of the dorsal turret. [3] A new, narrower, and more streamlined glazed nose was provided for the bomb-aimer. Approved for completion, this variant was designated as the
Brisbane B.Mk.I.
Bottom DAP
Brisbane B.Mk.I of No.32 Squadron at Port Moresby in late 1942. The '
Brissie' was popular with crews - being both faster and slightly better-armed than the surviving
Blenheim Mk.Xs (note the forward-firing 'cheek' gun ports in the lower nose, the turret is armed was a Vickers GO gun).
'
Breezy Brenda' has been retrofitted with an ugly but necessary dorsal fin to help cure the
Brisbane's tendency to 'hunt' directionally. Note that the
Brisbanes feature ADH 3E50 hydraulic airscrews (as opposed to the imported Curtiss Electric props of the
Blenheim Mk.X).
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[1] It is not clear whether such components ever left Britain. They may have simply been absorbed into new
Blenheim Mk.IV airframes through a wartime lack of communications and coordination.
[2] This US engine also being planned - in its Australian-built R-1830 S3C4-G form - for DAP
Beauforts.
[3] The supplied Bristol Type B.Mk.I turret had a limited traverse. Its operation was not impeded by the new fairing but streamlining was improved. As a result the turret's partial retraction mechanism was deleted.
