Duxfords Blenheim MkI Airborne

I last went to Duxford in September and there was sadly no sign of any ongoing work on the Beaufighter.

 

I believe Mk 11Fs flew with Merlins due to a shortage of Hercules engines,I think about 450 were built,I wonder if that would be possible today ?

 

With the news that a pukka DB powered Bf-109E has been purchased by a UK operator, the BoB 75 is shaping up nicely. Not sure if the Blenheim will appear as a Mk.1F but to have airworthy examples of four of the protagonists will be very nice.

 

Nice. Just need them to paint it in 92 Sqd colours. Not that they flew the Blenheim much after February '40.
The gun packs were manufactured at the SR's Ashford Works IIRC so a nice railway connection there.

 

And to think the prototype was a "private civilian airline". The thirties eqivilant of todays' Lea jet, built for Lord Beaverbrook's newspaper empire. He offered it to the Government as a prototype bomber, as it was faster than the then current RAF fighters in 1935 or so, which said a lot...... Granted by 1940 it had been overtaken by not just UK fighters [Hawkers' Hurricane and Supermarines' Spitfire. Would the Spit have achieved the fame etc it did, had they kept the original planned RAF name, the Shrew?], but also the German Messerschmitt BF 109 and illfated BF110.

 

OK I go the wrong peer Beaverbrook of course was appointed minister of aircraft production during the war.

 

Now you've done it.

 

I suspect he figured that if the RAF weren't interested, he could sell it to the Luftwaffe ...

Tom

 

Tongue in cheek I know but he actually donated it to the nation IIRC.

 

Lets hope this Blenheim does not meet the same fate as the previous 2, that were restored only to be lost
getting onto the other report of a pukka Me109 E4 heeding to these shores, it would be the first genuine 109 to grace the sky for many years are there any other airworthy Emils?

 

Certainly end up as "Dead" meat if it did...... What's more how'd you cook and carve such a roast?