00:00 Blackburn Blackburn: The Ugliest Eyes of the Fleet Ever Seen – Key Aircraft Series 1 Aircraft 1
12:00 Part 2
24:00 Part 3
36:00 Part 4
48:00 Part 5
01:00:00 Finale
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Waiting for swordfish
Praise the Blackburn Blackburn!
All hail the mighty Blackburn Blackburn
Praise Be The Blackburn Blackburn!
Glad your mother is doing better!
Spiritual the Blackburn Blackburn has never left service and they all haunt both small children who read naval aviation history books and (of course) Doctor Clarke…. they will be waiting for us in Valhalla .
PRAISE BE
In hunt for the Bismarck..how did the pilots mistake Sheffield? (or whatever cruiser it was) for Bismarck…i know it was low visibilty conditions but still,wouldnt they be familiar with her design (but they actually did a torpedo attack on her??)…Any details on that happening?
I could see Blackburns in some sort of anime series as a secret weapon – who has the flight certificate to put them back in production?. If the RN had kept the flight concept I think dedicated AWACS on carrier happens sooner possibly squadroned together with a dedicated gunnery observer flight. With radar potentially coming earlier it may lead to twin engine aircraft for more power for the radar and then need for bigger hangers with angled flight decks and catapults appearing sooner. Essentially accelerating carrier evolution so Malta sized carriers are ready in late '43 early '44. Of course Japan and the US would have to respond with something similar. I look forward to the rest of the aircraft; Pup, Avenger, Swordfish, Walrus, Zero, Fifi, Catalina/Canso, Sutherland Flying Boat, Sea Vampire, Kestral
The Blessed Biplane!
We are rewarded for our good behaviour by…….."where's the brain bleach" !
Really the Blackburn R-1 Blackburn is a product of its time when naval aviation was in its infancy even if the aircraft looks ugly
ALL HAIL
Also, get well soon Mrs Clarke
All hail the mighty Blackburn Blackburn, guide of 15" shells and destroyer of eyesight!
1) Pirates to Peers would be a good title for a history of the UK parliament.
2) In romance literature, Fairey Flycatcher pilots get the girl, Blackburn Blackburn pilots have to settle for the cow.
1:03:00 There is always a problem in all organizations with the wrong people getting promoted. The workers want to work, but the jackwagons want to lead. They never learn their job, saying instead that a leader needs to lead. It creates a culture of loser leaders.
It was pretty bad for the British during and after the long nineteenth century. I am concerned this is the US today.
How long do you have to Marinade an engine for it to be Marinized and can any fancy restaurant do it for you =
If the FAA gets these very large observer aircraft, you might see them adopt single seat fighters sooner with a greater preference for doctrinalyl diverse airframes used in combined arms operations. Seems unlikely and difficult to manage, but there you are.. One of these could drop a lot of flares over an Italian harbor.
It's good to hear your mom is doing better. Thank you for letting us know.
Being the ugliest aircraft in Royal Navy history is a real accomplishment. It's up against some stiff competition
The more I think of it as an AWACS aircraft, the more the look of it makes sense. Function defines form.
Regarding your open question, I'd think that there would have to be a much bigger aircraft to carry radar; something like the twin-engine Breguet 810s that the Marine Nationale was looking to populate the "Joffre" and "Painleve." If that's the case, it would seem to me that this would abort the notion of the armored flight decks, unless the RN decided to grit its teeth and have these planes always spotted on deck. Though that seems unlikely, considering all the tender, loving, care those radar sets would need.
Praise be!
3:54 the shameless book plug is more like a delay tactic then a plug. Seems Alex is not fond of hideous naval aircraft.
9:29 (Billy Mitchell has entered the chat)
48:46 I would disagree with this premise and so would naval planners. Their first impulse is can I replace these scouting aircraft with strike aircraft not fit scouting aircraft with radar. Even with the speed of aircraft at the time the ship based radar still gives ample time for defense fighters to be launched and repel the attack.
49:39 (HMS Revenge has entered the chat)
Naval fleet reconnaissance . . . the view forward is so bad that the navigator/observer had to walk on up and stand atop the wing to see anything . . . or land. I'm a'tellin' ya, Doc-them thar As39 and G.A.L.38 Fleet Shadowers is more mah speed. A room with a view, four engine surety, and a flat head to put your beer on. Also make a dandy fleet ambulance, Liaison, and communications plane. Plus, my brother in law owns stock in BOTH companies!
BZ and Praise be .
My answer to your question.
Using you premise about RNAA desperately wanting AEW radar. I would think they would use a Fairey Battle to accomplish this. It has the size and load carrying to do it.
As far as ugly Aircraft the Gannet comes to mind or the Helldiver is a better contender, or I could throw the Grumman FF in there.
so, your open question, fascinating. My take (and yes, yank here who hasn't served). 1st and foremost, the relationship between the aircraft and the ships that carry them is symbiotic, any change in one forces changes in the other, further complicated by the fact the carrier is carrying more than 1 type of aircraft and must accommodate them all in a limited space using shared equipment. If the Royal Navy doesn't really need to adapt to accommodate conventional operations, their planes would be much more purpose-built and more importantly purpose DEVELOPED, their munitions as well; seeing superior air capabilities likely spurs AA development as well. Before the radar I actually see superior radio, as in you can communicate your early warning without having to return to base, the same with their artillery plotting role, increasing reaction speeds and removing LOS limitations. When Radar becomes available, efficiency would only increase as obstructed view becomes less of an issue. Sturdier planes would be demanded to accommodate foul weather operations, with the peripheral benefit of stronger, lighter materials being developed for other applications, including civilian uses. I don't necessarily see size growth as those improved materials would lend themselves quickly to miniaturization, mostly to decrease take-off weight issues. It's also quite predictable that with the RAF and the RN having separate development tracks that competition would predictably spur rapid innovation between the branches. Functionally, I see one of 2 things happening, either the Treasury puts the kibosh on everything by limiting access to the checkbook OR American world air dominance doesn't happen until much later when their superior access to natural resources to build finally exceeds British manufacturing capacity. What's more interesting to speculate on is what effect this would have had on other nations' development as they all watch and react to each others' activities. I mean, think of the effect on the Battle of Britain if the RN and RAF had developed tech faster when Germany finally started attacking London? Do they even get through? What are their losses? The whole war could have gone much differently.
Praise the Blackburn Blackburn. Bow at its altar.