British WWII's bombers

QUICK LINKS

Bristol Blenheim

Development of the model 142 civil transport, that was faster than the R.A.F. fighters when it appeared. In the early years of WWII the Blenheim was used as bomber, fighter, nightfighter, reconnaissance aircraft and close-support aircraft. It was very vulnerable to enemy fighters. Early models had a blunt, glazed nose, but the Mk.IV featured an elongated 'stepped' nose with an assymetric shape, and the nose of the Mk.V was even longer. Blenheim Mk.IV was a standard light bomber, Mk. I a fighter, Mk.IF nightfighter and Mk.IVF an attack/fighter aircraft.

General characteristics Blenheim Mk.IVL
Primary function	Light bomber
Power plant	Two Bristol Mercury XV radial engines
Thrust	2x 920 HP		2x 686 kW
Wingspan	56.3 ft		17.17 m
Length	42.6 ft		12.98 m
Height	12.8 ft		3.91 m
Wingarea	470 sq ft		43.57 sq m
Weight	empty	2,015 lb	4,441 kg
	max.	2,962 lb	6,531 kg
Speed max.	266 mph		428 km/h
Initial rate of climb	1,500 ft/min		457 m/min
Ceiling	31,500 ft		9,600 m
Range	1,950 mi		3,138 km
Armament	8x 7.7mm machine gun; in weapons bay 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs, if necessary, under wings 2x 500 lb.
Crew	Three
First flights	Type 142		12.4.1935
	142M Blenheim		25.6.1936
Date deployed	1936
Number built	4,422
Users	GB, Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey, France, Canada, Portugal

Jirka Wagner