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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0415.PDF
MAY 24, 1928 Blackburn test pilot, took the first " Swift " and " Dart " into the air at Brough and tested the production machines. Sqdn.-Ldr. H. J. Payn, then attached to the Air Ministry and now with Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., tested them after Kenworthy, on behalf of the Air Ministry. In 1924 the " Cubaroo " was the next stage in torpedo •design ; meanwhile, the company, turning to other aero- nautical design, had produced the' Blackburn " Blackburn." a three-seater reconnaissance machine which also went into production. The " Cubaroo " was a large biplane driven by the Napier 1,000 h.p. " Cub " engine ; it carried a military It appears, however, that torpedo machines of the " Cub-aroo '' size will not be reproduced owing to a change of policy concerning the size of torpedoes, and the use of land machinesfor long-range flight over the sea. Subsequent progress has tended towards two-seatermachines in the torpedo class in order to give them a measure of self-defence. Thus the latest product of the companyis the " Ripon," a two-seater fitted with a Napier " Lion " of 500 h.p. Maj. F. A. Rumpus, Director and Chief Designer, and hisassistant designer, Mr. G. E. Petty, both of whom have ["FLIGHT" thotographs THE BLACKBURN " RIPON " TORPEDOPLANE : Fitted with a Napier " Lion " engine, this machine carries a 1,400 1b. torpedo, the placing of which is shown in above photographs which illustrate the machine from various viewpoints, with wings folded and spread. load of 5,100 lbs. and 6i hours' full power fuel, with tankage for 10 hours. Flight-Lieut. Bulman, then of the Farnborough establish- ment and now test pilot to the Hawker Aviation Company, made the first test flight in the " Cubaroo," accompanied by the firm's chief inspector. He waited until the wind dropped and rose parallel to the Humber after three initial taxi tests, when dusk was gathering on a summer evening. He described a wide circle over the wolds ranging some distance from the river and as the large machine finally turned homeward against the broad expanse of evening sky rising where the Humber widens and merges into the rivers Ouse and Trent, the flaming exhausts became almost the only but vivid spectacle to be seen, creating a realistic picture of a machine on fire. designed all the Blackburn torpedo 'planes, have designed it specifically for three alternative purposes, however, the other two being for bombing and reconnaissance. In any of these capacities it is available as a land machine or seaplane ; the wheel and float chassis being interchangeable. Also the land type is adaptable for work from aircraft carriers. The maximum torpedo load it carries is 1,500 lbs., in addition to a fixed gun firing through the propeller and a movable machine gun in the rear cockpit. For bombing the torpedo load is replaced by detachable bomb racks with a bomb load approximately equal to the torpedo load. As a reconnaissance machine, it has an extra fuel capacity in place of the armament, except for the two guns. Full fuel capacity gives then six hours' flying at cruising speed. Main characteristics are high performance, general utility 379
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