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Bristol Blenheim I (Type 142M)
211 Squadron El Dabaa 1939, LJ-R (L1490) leading (CFR Clark) The 1930s background In Britain, the metropolitan airforce grew rapidly with the successive expansion plans of the period, the Blenheim for example being one element of Expansion Scheme 'C'. In the flurry of rapid growth, the Air Ministry and Air Staff struggled to juggle resources and to rethink requirements as better designs came into being through the specification system and through private venture. Here, too, lay the roots of somewhat confused progress among the sound, the not so sound and the ill-judged, with fatally slow development for some projects (like the Boulton Paul Defiant), effectively none for others pressed into production (like the Fairey Battle), and comparatively speedy development for others (like the Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley and the Blenheim). Bristol beginnings This, the sole Type 142, was donated by its owner to the Air Ministry shortly after delivery. The original Bristol Type 135 design was never built, proceeding instead to a further development, the Type 143 with 2xAquilas and slightly enlarged to 8 passengers plus 2 crew. A single Type 143 was built in parallel with the Type 142. A militarised transport version of the Type 143 was also proposed (the Type 143F with 2 Mercury IX). With an interchangeable nose/armament option and provision for a "free-mounted Lewis" in a dorsal position, the Type 143F design attracted the attention of the Finnish government who opened negotiations to buy 9 of the type. However, the Finnish proposal was overtaken by the RAF's initial order for 150 of the Type 142M Blenheim (which the Finns subsequently both bought and license built). Likewise, Bristols were unable to take up Rothermere's offer to order a replacement for his donated Type 142. Blenheim development Development was quick in the sense that production orders were placed straight off-plan: that is, off the Type 142M plans. Following the "Britain First” first flight at Bristol Filton in April 1935, Bristol's July 1935 Type 142M proposal was met with Air Ministry Spec B.28/35 (bomber) in August, incorporating the modifications described above and followed immediately by the first production order for 150 aircraft. The first flight of the Type 142M/Blenheim I prototype K7033 took place on 25 Jun 1936, 14 months after the "Britain First" flight. Service trials followed, and the design was given final production approval in December 1936. The first service delivery (K7036) on 10 March 1937 was just short of 2 years development since the "Britain First" flight, and not far short of 4 years from Barnwell's initial twin design. Successful conversion: no doubt. Quick? Perhaps. A tribute to Barnwell's expertise? Certainly. But let's not pretend it was simple. The fabled top speed of 307 mph (and more realistically, of 285 mph with maximum load) were in fact those achieved by "Britain First", and in its as-delivered condition. Mischievously, Jane's 1939 edition quoted the latter as the Type 142M/Blenheim I top speed, often re-quoted since, alongside the equally unattainable 295mph for the Mark IV. Development summary
Into service
For the period between its service entry in March 1937 and the arrival of Hawker Hurricanes in 111 Squadron at Christmas that year, the Blenheim was as fast as any fighter in the RAF. Bristol figures show, for production Blenheim Mark Is, a maximum full-load speed of 279 mph at 15,000 ft and of 265 mph at 10,000 ft. For the Mark IV, Bristol data show a maximum speed of 266 mph at 11,800 ft. By 1941, ageing operational aircraft could not have achieved these speeds in level flight. In action, fully laden aircraft on a long sortie might cruise at 180 mph or 200mph for an endurance of around 5 hours. At high rates of power, the consumption of the Mercuries made daunting inroads into the 280 gallon fuel capacity of the Mark I. While cruising with the mixture set fully lean, you might eke out 55 gallons an hour: pull on the boost in rich mixture to dodge an unwelcome visitor and you might be looking at 150 gallons an hour or more. By the time Mark IV Blenheims entered service at home in early 1939, Mark Is had found their way to the Middle East and the Far East. By 1940 in Europe, and by 1941 overseas, the Blenheim's place as a "fast" medium day bomber had been eclipsed by later developments. Under-bombed, under-gunned and under-powered, Mark Is and Mark IVs alike were obsolescent if not obsolete. Even so, the Blenheim had been built in large numbers and was very active in the early part of the RAF’s war. Operating in every conceivable role and in literally every Home and Overseas Command, the Blenheim recorded many “firsts”, apart from the early technical achievements already noted. Its service as the first radar night fighter may stand as exemplar for them all. With the Battle of Britain and the beginning of Luftwaffe night bombing attacks, 6 RAF Squadrons were equipped with Blenheim IFs converted to the night fighter role, fitted successively with Aerial Interception (AI) Mark II, III and IV radar sets. At the time, a nimble multi-seat twin was highly desirable as a night fighter, the early AI radar sets weighing around 600 lb. The first successful radar night interception was achieved by a Fighter Interception Unit Blenheim IF with AI Mark IV on 22/23 July 1940, guided to AI range by Ground Controlled Interception (the standard technique). The Blenheims continued radar night fighter operations with modest success until April 1941, even as Beaufighters were being introduced. As radar development continued, Blenheim Mark IFs with obsolete AI sets accompanied Mark IV bombers on offensive night intruder operations over occupied Europe. The Blenheim paid the price for being conceived in that period of rapid development which saw it arrive as the premier medium day bomber of the time (with the similarly tasked Battle its contemporary), just as equally radical development in fighter design was bearing fruit. The Air Ministry and the Air Staff had contemplated and successfully encouraged development of high speed monoplane bomber and interceptor designs virtually simultaneously in 1934 and 1935. The urgent need to expand with modern equipment apart, the rationale for pressing ahead with lightly armed day bombers in quantity while developing the Hurricane and Spitfire remains to be explained. The entry to service of high speed, single-seat multi-gun monoplane fighters rendered the fast medium day bomber role untenable for the time being. Speed, power, armament and endurance all advanced very greatly in those few short years before war finally came again to Europe. All were to advance again in the press of war. Blenheim Is in Middle East and Far East Commands When Italy entered the war in June 1940, the Middle East Command order of battle included nine Blenheim squadrons:
In Far East Command at the same date, 27 Squadron was equipped with the Blenheim IF (the fighter version, created by the addition of a four Browning gun belly pack under the bomb bay), while 34, 60 and 62 Squadrons operated Blenheim Is. By May 1941, Middle East Command had at its disposal the following 11 Blenheim Squadrons:
In Jan 1942, 84 Squadron and 211 Squadron (211 having been rested from June 1941 while operating as 72 OTU) had re-equipped with Mk IVs and were in transit to the Far East. 113 Squadron had departed the Middle East in early January, to fight in Burma at Toungoo and Mingaladon alongside 45 Squadron, until forced to withdraw to India. By March 1942, 11 Squadron had transferred to Colombo, disaster having befallen the other Blenheim Squadrons (Nos 27, 34, 60 (Mk Is and Buffalos), 62 (Mk Is and Hudsons), 84, and 211) in the struggle for Singapore, Sumatra and Java. By April 42, Middle East Cmd was still operating Blenheim units in the Western Desert, for example 203 Squadron, 55 Squadron, (Mk IVs), 14 Squadron, (Mk IVs) at various posts. The best in-print sources recognise that the official records of these Units, their movements and their place in Orders of Battle is incomplete and occasionally in conflict, as are later interpretations of the state of play. It was a difficult period of WWII. L6670
One of the best known pictures of a 211 Squadron aircraft, shown here in desert paint (Middle Stone and Dark Earth). This photograph has been been published on a number of occasions captioned as “at a forward landing ground” or “at Paramythia”, but see the next photograph.
Compared with the highly cropped state so often used, here the original full-frame photograph shows L6670 caught mid-flare and within feet of the ground, quite unmistakably at Menidi (Tatoi) with the mass of Parnes in the background. For other pictures of Menidi (Tatoi) topography see Clark Part V, Checketts, Cooper, Fryatt, Tatoi today. It seems that the enlarged, cropped version is the source of the confusion in reference works and illustrations about the correct Squadron code at this period: UQ, applied in red, has often been misinterpreted. Photo source: Royal Air Force in the World War, Volume 3 1940-1945, N Macmillan (Harrap 1949). Macmillan gave no attribution, though the cropped version is sometimes credited to the Imperial War Museum. In 1998 I inquired of the IWM Photograph Archive about photographs of 211 Squadron personnel or aircraft. Their response was that there were none. 211 Squadron Blenheim Is May 1939 to June 1940 June 1940 to June 1941 June 41 onwards operating as 72 OTU Note: These lists of aircraft flown by 211 Squadron personnel were sourced from the Operations Record Book and from Logbook facsimiles or transcripts of the crews. In the nature of things, aircraft recorded as flown by 211 Squadron crews may not have been recorded as on 211 Squadron charge. ORB and Logbook entries or transcripts are good sources but may nevertheless contain errors. There are some discrepancies with Warner’s account. Specifications
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