Blackburn B-3
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = B-3 (M.1/30)
|image = BlM.130.jpg
|caption =
|type = Torpedo Bomber
|manufacturer = Blackburn Aircraft
|designer =
|first_flight = 8 March 1932
|introduction =
|retired =
|status = Prototype
|primary_user =
|more_users =
|produced =
|number_built = 2
|unit cost =
|developed_from =
|variants =
}}
The Blackburn B-3 was a prototype British torpedo bomber designed and built by Blackburn Aircraft as a potential replacement for the Ripon. It was unsuccessful, with only the two prototypes being built.
Design and development
In 1930, the British Air Ministry issued Specification M.1/30 for a carrier-based torpedo bomber to replace the Ripon, to be powered by the Rolls-Royce Buzzard or Armstrong Siddeley Leopard engines. Prototypes were ordered from Blackburn, Handley Page and Vickers. The Blackburn design was a single-bay biplane, with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage, powered by a Buzzard engine. The prototype was flown first on 8 March 1932 {{Cite book |author=Mason, Francis K
|title=The British Bomber since 1914 |publisher=Putnam Aeronautical Books |location= London |year=1994 |isbn= 0-85177-861-5}} and crashed in June 1933 following an engine failure. Because it had been ordered by the Air Ministry, this machine carried an RAF serial (S1640) and was known throughout its life as the M.1/30, after the Specification.{{cite book |title= Blackburn Aircraft since 1909|last= Jackson|first=A.J.|year=1968|page=344|publisher=Putnam Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-370-00053-6}}
Following relaxation of some of the specifications requirements, Blackburn constructed a second aircraft as a private venture, with a watertight metal monocoque fuselage replacing the previous steel tube fuselage,{{cite book |title=The British Bomber since 1914 |last=Lewis |first=Peter |edition= Third |year=1980 |publisher=Putnam |location= London |isbn= 0-370-30265-6}} this first flying on 24 February 1933. Because it was a private venture it received and carried the Blackburn Class B civil test marking B-3 and was referred to as such, though it was also known as the M.1/30A.{{cite book |title= Blackburn Aircraft since 1909|last= Jackson|first=A.J.|year=1968|page =345|publisher=Putnam Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-370-00053-6}} It performed poorly during testing, still being incapable of meeting the performance requirements of the specification even though they had been relaxed, and being too heavy for the carrier deck lifts. As none of the competitors for the specification could meet its requirements, the specification was cancelled, with no aircraft being ordered.
Specifications (M.1/30A)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=The British Bomber since 1914
|prime units?=imp
|crew=2
|length ft=39
|length in=10
|length note=
|span ft=49
|span in=6
|span note=
|height ft=14
|height in=7
|height note=
|wing area sqft=651
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight lb=6138
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=10393
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rolls-Royce Buzzard IIIMS
|eng1 type=V-12 water-cooled piston engine
|eng1 hp=825
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=fixed-pitch propeller
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|max speed mph=142
|max speed note=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed note=
|range miles=
|range note=
|combat range miles=
|combat range note=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling ft=9150
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude={{cvt|6500|ft|0}} in 20 minutes
|lift to drag=
|wing loading lb/sqft=16
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass={{cvt|0.079|hp/lb}}
|more performance=
|armament=
- 1 × fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun (not Mk II) and 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun in rear cockpit
- 1 × 1,900 lb (860 kg) 18 in (457 mm) torpedo or 4 × 551 lb (250 kg) bombs
}}
See also
{{aircontent
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|sequence=
|lists=
|see also=
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Blackburn B-3}}
- {{cite web |title=Blackbun M.1/30 |url=http://www.historicaircraft.org/British-Aircraft/pages/Blackburn-M1-30A.html |website=Historical Aircraft Photographs |access-date=21 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927075456/http://www.historicaircraft.org/British-Aircraft/pages/Blackburn-M1-30A.html |archive-date=27 September 2007}}
{{Blackburn aircraft}}
Category:1930s British bomber aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1932