The Bristol Blenheim is considered
a significant and unique aircraft in RAF history. It was the
first stressed skin aeroplane to enter service, marking a
significant leap in technology. Although intended initially as
a bomber at the time of its development it was actually
markedly faster than the current RAF biplane fighters. The
Blenheim was the mainstay British bomber at the outbreak of
the 2nd World War and significantly contributed to the Battle
of Britain as a night fighter. When Britain declared war there
were 1089 Blenheim bombers in service, more than any other RAF
aircraft.
The
Blenheim Pictured above is now the only flying example left in
the world and serves as a lasting memorial to those who crewed
them. She is currently operated by the Aircraft Restoration
Company and The Blenheim Society in the Mk1 configuration
which was restored after an incident in 1987 (prior to this
the Blenheim was flown as a MK IV).
The Nose
of World’s only flying Blenheim began life as a Bristol
Blenheim Mk1 built under license by AVRO and issued to 23
Squadron on 2nd September 1939. It served as a night fighter
throughout the Battle of Britain before being struck off
charge in December 1940. After the war Ralph Nelson, who was
working at Bristol, was given permission to buy the nose which
he then went on to convert into an electric car. Ralph drove
the car for 10 years before it suffered a fire which damaged
the systems beyond repair, however, he had heard of the
ongoing 2nd Blenheim restoration at Duxford and donated the
car to the project in 1992.
Since
restoration the Blenheim has performed at several air shows
across the UK and Europe, operating from its home base in
Duxford. Here its unique history and role in Battle of Britain
have made it an integral part of the Imperial War Museums
annual Battle of Britain Air Show and it has appear in several
film and TV roles, notably the recent Dunkirk movie directed
by Christopher Nolan. For more details see the websites below.
Escorting
the Blenheim are two Hawker Hurricanes. One of which is a Sea
Hurricane that saw service with the Royal Navy during the 2nd
World War. The Hurricane found fame during the Battle of
Britain, shooting down more aircraft than the more famous
Spitfire. It was one of the most numerous airplanes ever built
and saw service throughout the war. There are now over 10
Hurricanes airworthy in the UK and both of these are now based
at Old Warden, Bedfordshire and can be seen in the air
regularly as part of the Shuttleworth Collections regular air
shows.
https://www.aircraftrestorationcompany.com/ |
