Blackburn Blackburn: The Ugliest Eyes of the Fleet Ever Seen - Key Aircraft Series 1 Aircraft 1

[@karlvongazenberg8398]

Praise be

[@c.a.mcdivitt9722]

Praise the Blackburn Blackburn!

[@albertzapalski5287]

All hail the mighty Blackburn Blackburn

[@JCrtr666]

Praise Be The Blackburn Blackburn!

[@scootergsp]

Happy to hear your mother is doing better. Hope she makes a full recovery in record time.

[@davidbrennan660]

A Blackburn “so striking in appearance” only another Blackburn could love it.

[@waynesworldofsci-tech]

It would have scared the wits out of any aircraft to face it based on looks alone, but hot dog the valuable experience this gave the RN.

[@PaulfromChicago]

The Blackburn Blackburn brings succor to those in need and guides 15" delivery to others also in need.

[@USAACbrat]

Blackburn was a master of Weird and somebody kept paying for these wonderful examples the Aerotic.

[@The_New_IKB]

Our BlackBurn who art in BlackBurn Hallowed be thy name. May Thy engine drone with thy spotting done, Over decks, and sea, and land. Give us this day our daily Avgas And forgive our lack of canvas, As we forgive those with less wing struts than us. Lead us not into the Flak Cloud But deliver us from the Messerschmitt For thine is the Lion, the Merlin and the Pegasus For ever and ever. Amen

[@karlvongazenberg8398]

Praise be

[@BlackburnM]

Praise be!

[@ruhnon331]

Praise Be!

[@JCrtr666]

Amen

[@serbancretu9319]

@@Knight6831 Already is

[@DERP_Squad]

Praise be. All are observed equally.

[@hmsverdun]

You'll excuse me Dr I am just going to go and get a large bucket of popcorn for the comments on this one! 😂

[@alexhunt7810]

ALL HAIL Also, get well soon Mrs Clarke

[@davidbrennan660]

This is a benediction... bless you Doctor Clarke....... bless you may you always fly with a plotting table and a full set of navigation instruments wherever you go......bless you .

[@TheShrike616]

Praise be . Also good to hear your mom is getting better.

[@EA-History]

All hail the mighty Blackburn Blackburn, guide of 15" shells and destroyer of eyesight!

[@A-world-of-My-Own]

A Bi-plane only a mother could Love. But it Flew!

[@USAACbrat]

Billy Mitchell proved you could sink a stationary ship. It was a step ahead in Night Flying Combat, no body else can do it until mid '42

[@jackray1337]

It's good to hear your mom is doing better. Thank you for letting us know.

[@USAACbrat]

Not getting notifications from Utube. Mom will be glad to be back

[@waynesworldofsci-tech]

I think this may have been your best video yet. Seriously. You covered the details beautifully. Hopefully I have them inscribed on my mind, the principles matter. Hmm. Blackburn at least went out with style. The Buccaneer was a gorgeous plane.

[@paulamos8970]

BZ Doc and congratulations on reaching 11K.

[@robertlock1580]

G.A.L.38 Fleet Shadower definitely was at back of the queue when good looks were being handed out

[@jonathanlee5907]

I was thinking of this as well in the AWACS aspect

[@JCrtr666]

Glad your mother is doing better!

[@USAACbrat]

Hope you do not mind me following along. You should publish your whole thesis

[@Stevgar2]

All hail our saviour of sailors, dread of the KriegsMarine, deliverer of unimaginable damage..... The BlackBurn BlackBurn

[@agesflow6815]

Thank you, Dr. Clarke.

[@DanielsPolitics1]

Didn’t an earlier Blackburn model set itself on fire on engine startup? I feel this feature should have been retained on the R-1.

[@20chocsaday]

"Exciting". That answers a question we were asked a long time ago:- are there more inventions in wartime?

[@USAACbrat]

You can hear them, on land with a huge parabolic sound accumulator. I saw one somewhere on the East Coast in England.

[@karlvongazenberg8398]

There were WEARABLE parabolic "listeningdevices" for ground observers.

[@whtalt92]

Sound mirrors, off of Lydd airport in the Romney sands (Dungeness).

[@USAACbrat]

these were 15' high and 20' wide made of concrete. i think i was in Sussex near Nelson's home. i was lost a lot in England, surprised i made it back to Florida. Might have been Essex.@@karlvongazenberg8398

[@felixtheswiss]

I cant believe it too, at first place even.

[@Glamthing]

so, your open question, fascinating. My take (and yes, yank here who hasn't served). 1st and foremost, the relationship between the aircraft and the ships that carry them is symbiotic, any change in one forces changes in the other, further complicated by the fact the carrier is carrying more than 1 type of aircraft and must accommodate them all in a limited space using shared equipment. If the Royal Navy doesn't really need to adapt to accommodate conventional operations, their planes would be much more purpose-built and more importantly purpose DEVELOPED, their munitions as well; seeing superior air capabilities likely spurs AA development as well. Before the radar I actually see superior radio, as in you can communicate your early warning without having to return to base, the same with their artillery plotting role, increasing reaction speeds and removing LOS limitations. When Radar becomes available, efficiency would only increase as obstructed view becomes less of an issue. Sturdier planes would be demanded to accommodate foul weather operations, with the peripheral benefit of stronger, lighter materials being developed for other applications, including civilian uses. I don't necessarily see size growth as those improved materials would lend themselves quickly to miniaturization, mostly to decrease take-off weight issues. It's also quite predictable that with the RAF and the RN having separate development tracks that competition would predictably spur rapid innovation between the branches. Functionally, I see one of 2 things happening, either the Treasury puts the kibosh on everything by limiting access to the checkbook OR American world air dominance doesn't happen until much later when their superior access to natural resources to build finally exceeds British manufacturing capacity. What's more interesting to speculate on is what effect this would have had on other nations' development as they all watch and react to each others' activities. I mean, think of the effect on the Battle of Britain if the RN and RAF had developed tech faster when Germany finally started attacking London? Do they even get through? What are their losses? The whole war could have gone much differently.

[@danielphillips6825]

Airfix need to do a 1/32 kit of the Blackburn Blackburn.

[@DanielsPolitics1]

21:35 are the nephews not even allowed to hear he11 in the theological meaning?

[@michaeltruett817]

Praise be!

[@Duke_of_Petchington]

Praise be the Blackburn Blackburn!

[@PaulfromChicago]

If the FAA gets these very large observer aircraft, you might see them adopt single seat fighters sooner with a greater preference for doctrinalyl diverse airframes used in combined arms operations. Seems unlikely and difficult to manage, but there you are.. One of these could drop a lot of flares over an Italian harbor.

[@alistercrowe8531]

The more I think of it as an AWACS aircraft, the more the look of it makes sense. Function defines form.

[@WildBillCox13]

Naval fleet reconnaissance . . . the view forward is so bad that the navigator/observer had to walk on up and stand atop the wing to see anything . . . or land. I'm a'tellin' ya, Doc-them thar As39 and G.A.L.38 Fleet Shadowers is more mah speed. A room with a view, four engine surety, and a flat head to put your beer on. Also make a dandy fleet ambulance, Liaison, and communications plane. Plus, my brother in law owns stock in BOTH companies!

[@davidbrennan660]

Spiritual the Blackburn Blackburn has never left service and they all haunt both small children who read naval aviation history books and (of course) Doctor Clarke.... they will be waiting for us in Valhalla .

[@JokeFranic]

In hunt for the Bismarck..how did the pilots mistake Sheffield? (or whatever cruiser it was) for Bismarck...i know it was low visibilty conditions but still,wouldnt they be familiar with her design (but they actually did a torpedo attack on her??)...Any details on that happening?

[@Shrike58]

Regarding your open question, I'd think that there would have to be a much bigger aircraft to carry radar; something like the twin-engine Breguet 810s that the Marine Nationale was looking to populate the "Joffre" and "Painleve." If that's the case, it would seem to me that this would abort the notion of the armored flight decks, unless the RN decided to grit its teeth and have these planes always spotted on deck. Though that seems unlikely, considering all the tender, loving, care those radar sets would need.

[@TheMolesRevenge]

You might be able to overtake a Blackburn Blackburn in an old Mini Cooper, but you weren't going to manage it in the regular version with the 850cc engine! I don't think it was possible to get one of those much past 60mph on the flat - mine certainly couldn't.

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

3:54 the shameless book plug is more like a delay tactic then a plug. Seems Alex is not fond of hideous naval aircraft. 9:29 (Billy Mitchell has entered the chat) 48:46 I would disagree with this premise and so would naval planners. Their first impulse is can I replace these scouting aircraft with strike aircraft not fit scouting aircraft with radar. Even with the speed of aircraft at the time the ship based radar still gives ample time for defense fighters to be launched and repel the attack. 49:39 (HMS Revenge has entered the chat)

[@karlvongazenberg8398]

Retaining flight organisation (as opposed to squadrons and up) thus longer preserving the dedicated or at least primary recon-spotter role , with by neccessity "not so fast" biplanes might have resulted in spotter-fighter sub-10K ton carriers?

[@lesliemitchell4984]

You opened the door, you created the Monster, by accident I agree but hell has a no fury like a Blackburn Blackburn scorned.

[@AdurianJ]

How long do you have to Marinade an engine for it to be Marinized and can any fancy restaurant do it for you =

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

My answer to your question. Using you premise about RNAA desperately wanting AEW radar. I would think they would use a Fairey Battle to accomplish this. It has the size and load carrying to do it. As far as ugly Aircraft the Gannet comes to mind or the Helldiver is a better contender, or I could throw the Grumman FF in there.

[@canuckled]

I could see Blackburns in some sort of anime series as a secret weapon - who has the flight certificate to put them back in production?. If the RN had kept the flight concept I think dedicated AWACS on carrier happens sooner possibly squadroned together with a dedicated gunnery observer flight. With radar potentially coming earlier it may lead to twin engine aircraft for more power for the radar and then need for bigger hangers with angled flight decks and catapults appearing sooner. Essentially accelerating carrier evolution so Malta sized carriers are ready in late '43 early '44. Of course Japan and the US would have to respond with something similar. I look forward to the rest of the aircraft; Pup, Avenger, Swordfish, Walrus, Zero, Fifi, Catalina/Canso, Sutherland Flying Boat, Sea Vampire, Kestral

[@albireo8166]

PRAISE BE

[@jimheaton9503]

Praise be. For it is written that in the hundredth year after entering service a new prophet shall arise and speak to the faithful of the One True Observation Platform.

[@currybr]

1) Pirates to Peers would be a good title for a history of the UK parliament. 2) In romance literature, Fairey Flycatcher pilots get the girl, Blackburn Blackburn pilots have to settle for the cow.

[@shinjiikari1021]

Waiting for swordfish

[@obwontc]

BZ and Praise be .

[@drakenred6908]

German cowboy books by Karl Friedrich May were an obsession ofy great grandmother on Mom's side. She somehow found English versions for her kids because she did not want them not being fluent in English. What I read of one of them ... I can see why some Natives consider them to be racist with the astrix note saying the racism was a cultural relic of third hand information...it's fascinating how we manage to find out how embarrassing our ancestors could be before breakfast...

[@whtalt92]

My gran gave me those, and the ones in the Orient. Spurred my curiosity back then, and those books may or may not have been a contributing factor in pursuing a History degree...

[@EricDKaufman]

Praise the Blackburn Blackburn. Bow at its altar.

[@robmarsh6668]

Being the ugliest aircraft in Royal Navy history is a real accomplishment. It's up against some stiff competition

[@dariuszrutkowski420]

Now imagine a season 5 of Blackadder. Edmund, George and Baldric are in the FAA and due to political disfavour (aka they accidentaly humiliated Cpt Darling whose grandfather is high up in the air ministry ) as punishment they are ot assigned a plane. Edmund tries many scheemes to get assigned a Fulmar (and fails hillariously). George seeing his friend frazzle by this decides to write to gis reletive in the Admirality and gets permission to use any older aircraft in FAA inventory if they can get it to fly. Geoege shares the good news but Edmund points out that the FAA uses all planes that can fly so the only thng thay coud use would be something their fathers flew in The Great War and in that case he'd rather be a substitute Anchor on HMS Hermes. The next day Edmund is woken up by a racket and when he runs out to yell at the person making said racket Baldrick opens the door and hits Edmund in the nose. When asked for an explenation Baldric says that he had an idea that if the plane was from after the Great War than Blackadder wouldn't mind flying it. So as it turns out Baldrick is an idiot savant in the area of aircraft maintenence and somehow managed to enlist the help of a very eager young mechanic "BOB" to get the plane working. What plane you ask? A late production Blackburn Blackburn, the last of her kind that the FAA used for experiments. Blackadder facepalms and is about to berate Baldric when Cpt. Darling shows up sees everything and decides to muck things up and as a result team Blackadder gets assigned the Blackburn Blackburn as their plane.

[@gossythepadre]

Bravo zulu

[@aaron_mk.I]

The Blessed Biplane!

[@karlvongazenberg8398]

According to the Adriatic Orhtodox Church of The Late Day Biplane (praise be ), the mereOBSERVATION of the Blackburn Blackburn puts the fear of the Almighty into mortal souls, therefore it is sacred. Praise be. (The Adriatic Orthodox Church of The Late Day Biplane is a FICTONAL organisation, any similarities to existing faiths is purely coincidental)

[@serbancretu9319]

And let us not forget it also foretells the arrival of the 15 inch shell-hailstorm

[@MsZeeZed]

This is a reward!? 😹

[@nathanbrown8680]

I would have agreed that the Blackburn Blackburn was probably the ugliest aircraft I'd seen until you showed the Avro Bison. Sorry, but that is not an improvement. I'm curious about why flying boats didn't take over the role more. There were IIRC transatlantic passenger/mail boats and the Navy might have had a better time claiming something that has a boat-like flotation hull and a boat sized crew and range that pushes into ship territory should be their thing, and they wouldn't require the fleet carriers to handle larger long range aircraft alongside their defensive fighters. The USN had the Catalinas, but it seems like something more navies should have gone for after the Akron, R-101, and Hindenberg thoroughly killed confidence in Zepplins.

[@steveclarke6257]

We are rewarded for our good behaviour by........"where's the brain bleach" !

[@mikecavallaro466]

I'm not sure if this is the ugliest aircraft ever; but Blackburn Blackburn is certainly not the most creative name.

[@jamesricker3997]

The only good aircraft Blackburn built was their last one.

[@carlsneyd1315]

Glad I moved out of academia, lots of good people but as organisations they can have a dam cheek teaching ethics.

[@shoootme]

I wonder if there is full engineering drawing anywhere still? I am not going to turn them into a 3D model and print them out...

[@juicysushi]

Bravo Zulu. Glad to hear your mother will be able to come home. To answer your question, it might lead to a dedicated recon aircraft being developed by the RN. And maybe that starts as an adapted Swordfish or the like, but by 1939 might be a new monoplane using a Bristol Hercules. Maybe mostly parts shared with a torpedo bomber, maybe not. It could be you get a more powerful Skua that has TSR standing for Torpedo, STRIKE, reconnaissance; acting as AWACS for the single-seat fleet defence fighter (maybe a navalized Gloster F5/34 successor using a Hercules as well).