Blenheim mk.1(F): winggun and gunpack

[phasselgren]

Hi,
I noticed in the letter that one enemy aircraft was shot down by a 235 Sqn Blenheim using the "scare" gun in the nose. Is there anyone with more info about this claim?

Regards,
Peter

[bearoutwest]

Originally Posted by brewerjerry

.....any info on those drawings ?

Gents,
The drawings of the Blenheim Mk IV gun pack were published in the appendix of Andy Bird's book "Coastal Dawn". The book is a great read, but unfortunately, the size of the printed drawings - 2x drawings propably originally A1 size printed 2 onto a B5 page - doesn't allow for much detailed inspection. Perhaps when Andy reappears on the forum, he might be persuaded to share a low res/larger size view? One lives in hope.

Regards,
...geoff

[brewerjerry]

Hi Geoff,
Thanks for the info,
looks like a visit to the library is due for me, or failing that waiting for a cheap copy from one of the book sellers.
cheers
Jerry

[brewerjerry]

Hi
well they are on sale at the book depository
$24 inc shipping,
so I just have to wait for the postie now
cheers
jerry

[andy bird]

Hi Jerry, & Geoff,

Original drawings are in very poor condition, managed to obtain an A4 photograph. Have suggested of doing an enlarged pull out once all the H/B Coastal Dawn have been sold.

Don't know if you'd be able to view them better on the e-book version.

Kindest Regards

Andy Bird

[bearoutwest]

Thanks for taking time to respond Andy.

I'm getting myself a serious resolution photo/negative scanner for other reasons. It'll give me a chance to try scanning the page and seeing if it can shed more legible details.

I'm glad you wrote the book. It certainly highlights a little trumpetted area of fighter operations. Don't s'pose you'd care to do similar on the regular Fighter Command Blenheim Mk If squadrons?

Regards,
...geoff

[gedburke3]

Dear all,
I recently obtained a report into the design of the Blenheim 1f gun pack.
The attached photographs were part of that report and clearly show the pack and the layout of the guns.
Regards
Gerry

[bearoutwest]

Great photos, thanks for sharing.


Are you able to say what the title of the report is?


...geoff

[gedburke3]

Hi,
The report is by the aeroplane and armament experimental establishment and is dated December 1938.
The title is Blenheim L1424 - installation of 4 Browning guns.
Gerry

[bearoutwest]

Thanks Gerry.


While I've got the Blenheim books out - a few more bits of interest...

From Warner's book The Bristol Blenheim - A Complete History:
- Blenheims that served with the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (just some partial extracts of armament trials)

Martlesham Heath (to 03-09-1939)
Mk.I
K7168 (performance & armament trials)
L1201, L1253, L1495, L8662, L8689 (armament trials)
L1424 (prototype Mk.If) ****
L6594 (performance trials and then 37mm COW cannon trials)
L6787 (twin 20mm cannon trials)

Boscombe Down (from 03-09-1939)
Mk.IV
L4838 (gunnery trials)
V6000 (H2S trials)

- Blenheims that served with RAE at Farnborough
(most of the list does not specify what purpose)
Mk.I
...long list that includes L1424

Mk.IV
L4838, L4843, L4888 (centimetric radar nose)

From Roy C Nesbit's book Coastal Command in Action 1939-1945
- caption (can't scan at present, with scanner buried under Blenheim books...perhaps later):
"A gun pack beneath the fuselage of a Blenheim IVF was modified by Coastal Command in January 1941 to take two Hispano 20-mm cannons. However, the normal armament in the pack was four .303-in Browning machine-guns."
It's not the regular gun pack housing a pair of 20mm Hispanos, it's custom built with cylindrical fairings for each individual Hispano. For those who are familiar with British archival photograph numbers, it's Ref: AIR 15/560. I can't tell from the angle if it's a Mk.IVf or a Mk.I (perhaps L6787).


...geoff