Blackburn B-2

infobox Aircraft
name = B-2
type = Trainer
manufacturer = Blackburn Aircraft



caption = Blackburn B2 at the Shuttleworth Collection
designer =
first flight = 1931
introduced = 1932
introduction=
retired = 1942
status =
primary user = Royal Air Force
more users =
produced =
number built = 42
unit cost =
developed from = Blackburn Bluebird IV
variants with their own articles = The Blackburn B-2 was a British biplane side-by-side trainer aircraft of the 1930s. Designed and built by Blackburn Aircraft, 42 were built.

Development

The Blackburn B-2 was developed by Blackburn as a successor for its earlier Bluebird IV trainer, retaining the layout and side-by-side seating of the earlier aircraft, but having a semi-monocoque all-metal fuselage. The prototype B-2 (registered "G-ABUW") first flew on 10 December 1932cite book|author=Donald, David (Editor)|title = The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft|year = 1997|publisher = Aerospace Publishing|isbn= 1-85605-375-X] , powered by a de Havilland Gipsy III engine. A total of 42 B-2s, including the prototype, were built.

Operational history

The prototype B-2 was shipped to Lisbon in September 1933 for evaluation by Portugal. Although it performed well in the evaluation, the Portuguese preferred a tandem layout and purchased the de Havilland Tiger Mothcite book |last= Jackson|first= A.J.|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 1|year= 1974|publisher= Putnam|location= London|isbn=0 370 10006 9 ] . Although not successful in competing for major military orders, the B-2 continued in production to equip civilian flying schools in the United Kingdom, which were busy training pilots for the Royal Air Force under the RAF expansion scheme, the B-2 equipping flying schools at Brough and Hanworth owned by Blackburn.

The last three B-2s were sold to the RAF and used by No. 4 EFTS (Elementary Flying Training School), also at Brough.

On the outbreak of World War II, the aircraft at Hanworth were moved to Brough and merged with that school's aircraft. The school at Brough continued to be operated by Blackburn, with the aircraft remaining with civilian registrations (although they were repainted with wartime training markings with yellow fuselages, camouflaged wings and RAF roundels) . The remaining aircraft were taken over by the RAF in February 1942 , being handed over to the Air Training Corps, where they were used as instructional airframes.

Operators

;UK
*Royal Air Force
**No. 4 EFTS

urvivors

Only two B-2s survived to fly postwar, one crashing in 1951, with the sole survivor ("G-AEBJ") preserved and maintained in airworthy condition by Blackburn (now part of British Aerospace). G-AEBJ is maintained in airworthy condition as part of the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden [cite web |url= http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com/news/Blackburn_B2_biplane_trainer_moves_to_the_Shuttleworth_Collection_news_114797.html|title=Aeroplane Monthly - Blackburn B2 moves to the Shuttleworth Collection|accessdate=2007-06-23 |date= 2007-04-01|format= |work= ]

pecifications (B-2)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 1

crew=Two
capacity=
length main= 24 ft 3 in
length alt= 7.39 m
span main= 30 ft 2 in
span alt= 9.20 m
height main= 9 ft 0 in
height alt= 2.74 m
area main= 246 ft²
area alt= 22.9 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,175 lb
empty weight alt= 534 kg
loaded weight main= 1,850 lb
loaded weight alt= 841 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)=de Havilland Gipsy III
type of prop=4 cylinder in-line engine
number of props=1
power main= 120 hp
power alt= 90 kW
power original=
max speed main= 97 knots
max speed alt= 112 mph, 180 km/h
cruise speed main= 83 knots
cruise speed alt= 95 mph, 153 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 278 nm
range alt= 320 mi, 515 km
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main= 700 ft/min
climb rate alt= 3.6 m/s
loading main= 7.52 lb/ft²
loading alt= 36.7 kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.065 hp/lb
power/mass alt= 0.11 kW/kg
more performance=

armament=

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related= *Blackburn Bluebird
*Blackburn Bluebird IV

similar aircraft= *de Havilland Tiger Moth
*Miles Magister

lists=

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.acf.clara.net/scale/scale-pics-3/bipes/blackburn-B2/blackburn-b2.html Blackburn B2 photos]

* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/blackburn%20b2.htm British Aircraft of World War II]