Blackburn Perth Information & Blackburn Perth Links at HealthHaven.com

Perth
Role	flying boat
Manufacturer	Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company
First flight	11 October 1933
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	4
Developed from	Blackburn Iris

The Blackburn Perth was a British flying-boat during the inter-war period. It was essentially an upgraded Iris, hence the largest flying-boat to serve with the Royal Air Force at the time (and the largest biplane flying boat ever to serve with the RAF).

[edit] Design and development

The Blackburn R.B.3A Perth was designed as a replacement to the earlier Iris to Air Ministry Specification 20/32. Developed from the Iris Mk. V, the Perth first flew in 1933.^[1] It differed from the Iris by replacing the Rolls-Royce Condor engines of the Iris by more powerful Rolls-Royce Buzzards and having an enclosed cockpit for the pilots. Unusually, in addition to its normal armament, the Perth was fitted with a Coventry Ordnance Works C.O.W 37 mm (1.46 in) autocannon in its bows.

Four Perths were ordered for service for the RAF.^[2]

[edit] Operational history

The Perth entered service with the RAF in January 1934^[2], when the second aircraft was delivered to No. 209 Squadron RAF at RAF Mount Batten Plymouth ^[1]. Perths remained in service until 1937 ^[1], being replaced by the Short Singapore and the Saro London.

[edit] Operators

United Kingdom

Royal Air Force
- No. 204 Squadron RAF
- No. 209 Squadron RAF

[edit] Specifications (Perth)

Data from Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57 ^[1]

General characteristics

Crew: Five
Length: 70 ft 0 in (21.34 m)
Wingspan: 97 ft 0 in (29.57m)
Height: 26 ft 5½ in (8.06 m)
Wing area: 2,461 ft² (233.3 m²)
Empty weight: 20,927 lb (9,492 kg)
Loaded weight: 32,500 lb (14,772 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 38,000 lb ^[2] (17,237 kg)
Powerplant: 3× Rolls-Royce Buzzard II MS 12 cylinder water-cooled inline engine, 825 hp (615 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 115 kn (132 mph, 213 km/h)
Cruise speed: 95 kn ^[2] (109 mph, 175 km/h)
Range: 1,130 nmi (1,300 mi, 2,093 km)
Service ceiling: 11,500 ft (3,500 m)
Rate of climb: 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)
Wing loading: 13.2 lb/ft² (63.3 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.076 hp/lb (0.12 kW/kg)

Armament

1 × C.O.W 37 mm (1.46 in) automatic cannon in bow
3 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis guns in bow, amidships and tail positions
Up to 2,000 lb bombs

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Thetford, Owen (1957). Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57 (1st edition ed.). London: Putnam. pp. 76–77.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Donald, David (Editor) (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. p. 134. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.

[edit] External links

British Blackburn-General Flying Boats

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[thetford_raf-0] Thetford, Owen (1957). Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57 (1st edition ed.). London: Putnam. pp. 76–77.

[donald_world-1] Donald, David (Editor) (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. p. 134. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.

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