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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0748.PDF
FLIGHT, OCTOBER 12, 1933 V 1 •P 4 Or bombing purposes. For instance, it could make a com plete " circuit of the North Sea " as a normal reconnais sance flight. Apart from its usual armament of bombs and machine guns, the " Perth " introduces a new feature in air arma ment by being fitted, for the first time, with a large-calibre automatic quick-firing gun which fires l|-lb. shells at a rate of 100 per minute. This gun is mounted in the cockpit in the bows, which have been specially designed to accommodate it. Normally, the " Perth " class of flying boat will carry a crew of five: First pilot, second pilot (who is also the navigator), bow gunner, wireless operator, and an engineer who also mans the rear guns. In addition to the new quick-firing gun the " Perth " carries three machine guns and 2,000 lb. of bombs, so that it will be realised that it THE AERIAL BATTLE CRUISER : The people in the background give a good idea of the size of the Blackburn " Perth." (FLIGHT Photo.) is a formidable opponent and may, in fact, be regarded as the forerunner of the future cruiser of the air. The hull of the " Perth " is, as already mentioned, similar to those of previous boats of the " Iris " family, with two steps and a pronounced vee bottom. The con struction includes full section frames attached to a full- length keelson, and the planking is of " Alclad." This material is metal sheet in the form of a " sandwich," with a central layer of duralumin and outer layers of pure aluminium. Highly-stressed fittings, etc., are of stainless steel. The accommodation in the hull is arranged as follows: In the extreme bows is the station equipped with the quick-firing gun and a machine gun. This cockpit also contains the bomb fusing and release gear, the anchor and winch, and the mooring and towing tackle. Aft of the front cockpit is the pilots' cabin, with side-by- side seating and dual controls. Then comes the navigator's station, equipped with chart table, stool, chart racks, etc. Next comes the " wardroom," which forms the officers' sleeping and living quarters, and then the men's quarters and engineer's station. The wireless cabin is on the port side and the galley on starboard, with rear gun cockpit above. Farthest aft is the lavatory, and in the extreme stern is a gunner's cockpit, whence the defence against attack from the rear is undertaken. The view and field of fire from this cockpit is unobstructed over the entire NEW ARMAMENT : The quick-firing gun mounted in the bows of the Blackburn " Perth." (FLIGHT Photo.) THE BLACKBURN "PERTH " 3 Rolls-Royce " Buzzard II " Engines Length o.a. Wing span .. Overall height Max. beam of hull . Wing area Tare weight Disposable load Normal gross weight Max. gross weight . Ratio gross weight : Ratio gross weight : Maximum speed Minimum speed Initial rate of climb Service ceiling Normal range Max. range . . Dimensions ft. in. m. 70 0 21,33 97 0 29.56 25 6 7,76 12 6 3,81 .. 2,511 sq. ft. (233 sq. m.) Weights lb. kg. 20,927 9 490 11,573 5 250 32,500 14 740 38,000 17 235 tare weight (normal) 1 • 55 tare weight (maximum) 1 -81 Performance . . 132 m.p.h. (213 km./h.) 63m.p.h. (102 km./h.) . . 800 ft./min. (4,06 m./sec.) .. 11,500 ft. (3 510 m.) 870 sea miles (1,613 km.) .. 1,500 sea miles (2 780 km.) 1018
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