Blackburn Firecrest; The “Improved” Firebrand

Recognising that the Firebrand had issues, Blackburn tried to come up with an improved aircraft to fill the FAA's role for a torpedo/attack aircraft.
Too little, too late, as it turned out.
Sources for this video can be found at the relevant article on:
militarymatters.online/
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[@mbryson2899]

"Plod around and smash stuff..." That's the best summary of the Skyraider's mission I have ever heard.

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

I should probably get a job with a defence contractor on marketing :D

[@mbryson2899]

@@EdNashsMilitaryMatters Honestly speaking, I think you'd be good at it. You have an honest voice, keen insight, and usable facts. I keep getting ads from Rafael that sound like they're trying to sell me a minivan or a dishwasher they're so smooth, calm, inoffensive, and bland. They're not compelling in the least, but that may have been at (misguided, IMO) customer request.

[@Farweasel]

@@mbryson2899 Maybe that's because Defence Deaprtments like our MoD have become so *woke* it could almost be funny. Here is our new weapon. It has a range of personal pronouns, is gender flexible or neutral as required, fully diverse and never mentions the fact it can swiftly slaughter - sorry, convert to non-agressive status - thousands of people without resorting to offensive terms such as 'foreigners'.

[@CaptainLumpyDog]

@@mbryson2899 Isn’t honesty the LAST thing you’re looking for in a marketing or PR role? 😉😉😉

[@CaptainLumpyDog]

@@mbryson2899 Also, if you're getting ads from Rafael, I'd take bland and inoffensive any day over the typical attitude of Israelis (a people I adore), namely blunt to the point of being hurtful! HA HA HA HA

[@kiwidiesel]

The Firecrest was yet another awesome looking british design.

[@loumencken9644]

Now that we've had two excellent videos on Blackburn's failures, how about one on its last aircraft, the Buccaneer? As I recall it was pretty successful and had some interesting design features.

[@apex107lrp]

"...plod around and smash stuff...". Five more words, and my reaction to them, that keep me coming back. Who gets to snort a laugh watching a uniquely informative video on the history of military aircraft? Only Mr. Nash's audience. Thanks Ed, well done as ever.👍

[@ade22805]

Does have a bit of a Wyvern vibe going on. Go on, give us a Wyvern video!

[@cdl0]

He will have to now; there is no way out of it.

[@timgosling6189]

A very nice summary. As you say, in hindsight and likely also at the time these aircraft were dinosaurs, but no less interesting for that. A minor point but 'counter-rotating' refers to multiengine aircraft that have propellers that trun in opposite directions. The P-38 and current A400M are examples. The phrase you need here is 'contra-rotating', which refers to propellers turning in opposite directions on the same axis. Examples include the Wyvern you mention, Gannet, Shackleton and, still in service, the venerable and notoriously noisy Bear.

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

Yes, apologies.

[@AnonNomad]

It might not have been been on time, or been much to write about in the air - but it was a hell of a looker imo.

[@benhooper1956]

Always been quite fond of this one, and can we just appreciate what a beautiful, clear photo at 8:27 is? Those reflections are stunning

[@jimdavis8391]

It does look a cracker there. With over 2,500hp and those lines I'm surprised it wasn't a good bit quicker to match its looks.

[@apex107lrp]

The wonders of "old" technology black and white films of the 20th century...says the former (for a time long ago) commercial photography supply salesman.

[@6thmichcav262]

Same photo at :56, for more enjoyment.

[@bigblue6917]

To be fair the Skyraider only stayed as long as it did because of the Viet Nam War. Having said that it now looks like propeller driven aircraft are making a comeback as it has been realised that using the A-10 in counterinsurgency is a lot like using a Rolls-Royce for pizza delivery.

[@JTA1961]

Possibly...however those two words A-10 & RR shouldn't be used in the same sentence

[@rayjames6096]

The Skyraider stayed in production until 1957 because of how good it was in Korea, its bomb load and 10 hour flight duration. Jets at that time couldn't come close to matching it. It also performed outstandingly in Vietnam, 3200 were made.

[@stevenhoman2253]

True, the Warthog is still a Cold War design, looking for Cold War enemies. All the actual protagonists have been third world for a long time now.

[@rocketguardian2001]

Well I want my pizza fast and protected like royalty, so....

[@Kyoptic]

"Rolls Royce as a pizza delivery vehicle" Awesome but entirety unnecessary? Yeah that works pretty well as a simile. Kudos.

[@johnhudghton2287]

I think your comments regarding Blackburn are spot on. Yep they built some duff aircraft but the Firebrand was not their fault and was a decent aircraft. However they made one of the best strike aircraft ever in the shape of the Buccaneer.

[@stephenpointon]

your final description of " offering incremental improvement when others are leaping forward" has just described so many projects and i am going to have to steal it for a presentation on a project I am giving to my bosses next week. May i suggest a couple of aircraft well worthy of their own vids the westland wyvern and the westland Welkin.

[@Zorglub1966]

The last piston engined fighters were really gorgeous.

[@Farweasel]

But the Mk5 Spitfire was possibly, indeed probably, the nicest thing to fly - *ever* - from a Pilot's point of view. (Well, assuming you're going to fly the bloody thing not keep slamming it into carrier decks or suchlike tomfoolery)

[@Zorglub1966]

@@Farweasel I'm not going to fly the bloody thing!!! 😄My point of view was purely aesthetic.

[@Farweasel]

@@Zorglub1966 That made me smile

[@PaulMcElligott]

Blackburn seems like they were very good at designing airplanes that looked like they had already crashed.

[@JackManiacky]

😆

[@user-xq2zn8bu9q]

Brilliant. 😂

[@callenclarke371]

The Firecrest was not the right aircraft at the right time, but I do think it had very pleasing lines.

[@wyverncoch4430]

Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown has been mentioned in the last two clips, his biography is well worth reading. Highest number of carrier landings, Most types of aircraft flown, Flew most allied and axis aircraft used/produced during WW2 and many service aircraft post war. (includes: flying boats, single engine, multi engine, piston engine, jet engine, rocket (Komet) and rotary), first landing/take off on a carrier of a Mosquito and jet aircraft. Well worth a vid of his own.

[@moss8448]

that guy could fly anything

[@alexandermarken7639]

If Great Britain had done manned space launches I am sure he could have been the first into space as well. The same is true with the British Supersonic program. Not taking anything away from Chuck Yeager but Eir Brown has to be one of the best pilots who has ever lived.

[@moss8448]

@@alexandermarken7639 well it was a simple fact of WWII draining Britain's resources. Rationing ended in `54 it was just a hard fact of WWII and yes he (Eric) was in the pantheon of fliers.

[@alexandermarken7639]

@@moss8448 The British Empire had not overcome the cost of WW1 when WW2 began. By the end of the war it was in a terrible state and the refusal of certain powers to pay for the war supplies hardly helped. The British Supersonic program was ahead of the Americans at the time it was suspended, the all moving tail was given free of charge as well.

[@moss8448]

@@alexandermarken7639 agree with you, that to me is what makes this partnership what it is

[@aaronlopez492]

Another great video Ed. If you keep this up, the volume of substantial mini-documentaries your going to spoil a lot of people...... Starting with me. 👍

[@simonbrooks6073]

Skyraider was an amazing aircraft. Great analysis during this rapid transition from piston to jet.

[@raven-wf9so]

There’s some really good videos on this channel, thanks for finding the somewhat obscure but interesting 👍👍

[@Farweasel]

Ah, to be fair, at the time the Fleet Air arm was pogoing Vampires along Brit carriers the Yanks weren't even trying hard to bounce jet along theirs. And by the time they did get to F86 Sabers they had already run through Shooting Stars, Panthers (and was there another 'big cat' named thing?) *before* getting F86 Sabers.

[@JohnyG29]

Yeah, this fellow does very good videos but he leaves out or misses lots of stuff/context. I often get the feeling he is just regurgitating wikipedia articles, but they are concise videos so I am being rather unfair.

[@johnshepherd8687]

I think you may be referring to the swept wing version of the Panther, the F9F-6 Cougar. The aircraft was about 20 mph slower than the Fury.

[@mikepette4422]

Very interesting looking plane especially for Blackburn. Even beefier now and yet lighter which shows how ungainly the Firebrand III had become.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

A real beauty, but too late.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

They took out the heavy armnament....40mm cannons..of the predecessor...and sugested .50 machine guns in external pods? That's just going backwards...

[@dags6292]

Always enjoy your videos, thanks Ed

[@robbudden]

That is a good looking plane, it's no skyraider, but what is.

[@owen368]

Nicely donee Edd

[@luvr381]

Good one, Ed.

[@grizwoldphantasia5005]

Well ... wow. I thought the Gannett was the only plane with two folds per wing. I wonder why no one copied Grumman's folding wing design. That dinky canopy and big fuselage make it look chunkier than the Thunderbolt and Skyraider. And a five-bladed propeller. But I actually like the looks of it. Peculiar enough to be function over form, and sleek enough to look capable.

[@tarikwildman]

Excellent Video, Ed. Now...you MUST do a piece on the wonderful and plagued WYVERN, one of my favourite aeroplanes for it´s looks, and at least it saw action in that 1956 bit of 1888 Gunboat Diplomacy Wannabe operation.... SUEZ !!

[@TheStevewhelan]

I like the idea of a pilot being told that his mission is to "Plod around smashing stuff" :)

[@LV_CRAZY]

Another excellent educational video on the more obscure aircraft of the era. Well, obscure because most Americans never heard of them. But now we know! Thank you.

[@brianbooth4435]

Please do the Wyvern.

[@cdl0]

He will have to now; there is no way out of it.

[@CAP198462]

P-47: hi F-4U: howdy Blackburn Firecrest: mom, dad?

[@PhantomLover007]

Hey Ed. In the same token as the what if for the Martin Mauler, the Douglas BTD-1 Destroyer, Douglas Sky Pirate, and the Curtiss XSB-3C could be incorporated

[@theymusthatetesla3186]

A good-looking plane, no doubt.

[@parrotraiser6541]

Great phrase, "plod around and smash stuff"!

[@gunner678]

It looks like the Aussie kangaroo fighter! Interesting video

[@charlesrousseau6837]

If it weren't for the Buccanneer, I'd almost feel sorry for Mr Blackburn. Maybe the saying nomen est omen has reflected on the majority of his company's aircraft designs.

[@rogerjohnson6676]

Watching your channel and others on Blackburn aircraft, it's a wonder that company ever made the Buccaneer.

[@williammagoffin9324]

The RN ended up flying the Skyraider in the end.

[@zednotzee7]

Yes, The RN used them in the airbourne early warning role. They had a sort of radar dome(ish ) along the centre-line, and had a 3 man crew. The RN never used them in the attack role.

[@bigearl3867]

I did a little reading about the Blackburn aircraft limited. I found it interesting that around 1960 Hawker Siddeley, and Bristol Sidney took over the company. What I'd like to know is more about the Blackburn Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer. How did they keep them flying until 1994? Both companies had gone under by 1977. Where did they get spare parts?

[@uingaeoc3905]

SIDDELY!

[@bigearl3867]

@@uingaeoc3905 When I was looking at the name, my mind read Sidney. Today I was watching a video about the Nimrod. We both spelled it wrong. It's Siddeley, not Siddely. But thanks for bring this to my attention. (I've been saying the name wrong every since I first read about the Battle of Britain in 1975).

[@uingaeoc3905]

@@bigearl3867 yes. The various aviation firms in the UK had mergers and joint ventures. So there were many different organisations with same names. So Vickers, Armstrongs and Siddeley can be found but with little connection to each other. There was a Vickers-Armstrong, an Armstrong-Siddeley, an Armstrong-Whitworth, a Bristol-Siddeley. Hawkers eventually acquired one of the Siddeley operations and became Hawker-Siddeley Group (DeHavilland,, Avro, Armstrong-Siddeley, Blackburn, Gloster). Bristol-Siddeley became part of the British Aircraft Corporation group (with Vickers-Armstrong, English Electric and some other smaller firms) nothing to do with Blackburns apart from providing engines, and spun off the engine group which then was acquired by Rolls-Royce Engines. Bristol-Siddeley Engines originated the Pegasus for the Harrier and the Olympus for Concorde.

[@macjim]

Viewed in certain angles, you could mistake it for the Australian ’mustang’ if you covered over the radial engine. From others, it looked like it was about to trip over its nose due to the ‘cab forward’ design.

[@TheGrant65]

"Australian Mustang"? In fact, the CAC CA-15 (unofficially the Kangaroo), was inspired (1943) by the Fw 190. In early drawings, the "radial CA-15" had notable similarities to the Fw 190 (and its high altitude derivative, the Ta-152). The CA-15 was then developed as a _replacement_ for the ~200 Mustangs built under licence by CAC (1945-46). That idea was scrapped after jets came on the scene.

[@JTA1961]

Fire this & Fire that... mater~a~fact you're ALL FIRED...

[@user-xq2zn8bu9q]

Good one. 😂

[@IvorMektin1701]

Douglas' secret was designing planes they thought the military would need without waiting for a request. Hence Skyraider and F-4 Phantom. They made a few lemons too.

[@fredmyers120]

Not true on the Skyraider, & the Phantom was a McDonald evolution

[@marklittle8805]

Douglas pretty much could anticipate what the Navy needed and hit the target. The FAA kept moving the goal posts and had radically changed the engine available as well as what the plane would do.

[@mbryson2899]

Lemons?

[@schore69]

@@mbryson2899 are yellow sour citrus thingies!

[@user-do5zk6jh1k]

They didn't make the Phantom

[@JGCR59]

Westland Wyvern needs a video :)

[@iberiksoderblom]

"just plud around and smash stuff". That made my day 😆

[@davidrobinson4553]

Plod Around and Smash Stuff, Nice One Ed, Buccaneer Please 👍🇬🇧👍

[@TomPrickVixen]

Funny since the Wyvern also had a enormous tail, despite its counter-rotating props...

[@Farweasel]

Historical accuaracy see - Wyverns, unlike Dragons, always had big tails with something of a nod toward the 'Thagomiser' at the end. Bit skimpy of Westland to simply put an arrestor hook there if we're being honest about things really.

[@TomPrickVixen]

@@Farweasel Yet Bethesda calls Wyverns as Dragons in TES.

[@tarikwildman]

May be as it was originally designed for the RR Eagle, not the Python?

[@babboon5764]

@@TomPrickVixen Bethesda wouldn't stand a chance if Bruce Lee was still around. He'd draw 'em a clear line between enter the Dragon, Enter the Wyvern and exit the Skyrim. (Unless Skyrims are supposed to be a sort of absent minded Dragon that lands front feet first on anti-personnel mines).

[@allangibson8494]

The Wyvern started out it’s design life with a completely different engine (the Rolls Royce Eagle) and had four different engines (from different manufacturers) trialled before it got an Armstrong Siddeley Python gas turbine.

[@peterk2455]

7:33 That's the first time I've seen a Fury on a carrier. So much like the Sabre, but with folding wings

[@ewhartiii]

That's exactly what it was, a navalized Saber.

[@DoWoZ]

You can see so much of the Sea Fury in this Aircraft....did Hawker do some Poaching ?

[@Insanitypants80]

It's actually quite a good-looking aircraft. Had it come 10 years earlier it would have been amazing.

[@rayjames6096]

The British were making bi-planes ten years earlier.

[@solreaver83]

Gday mate, great videos. Any chance you have looked into Australias Commonwealth Aircraft Corp. Jets? Love a video on some of the advanced jet design that werent built.

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

I'm tempted to cover the CAC sabre one day 😁

[@solreaver83]

@@EdNashsMilitaryMatters nice. Look up the ca-23 and ca-31 trainer.

[@KevinSmith-vv2jd]

Give us a video on the Wyvern, you known you want to.

[@andrewpease3688]

The first 100 or more of any aircraft are essentially prototypes/pre production. This was a huge problem for the British aircraft industry post ww2

[@JTA1961]

That & let's give our jet engine to the enemy who'll shoot us down with it later.

[@jimdavis8391]

Good point, the British aircraft industry needed to look towards greater export. The strength of Sterling may have been an issue there, American 'interests' certainly were.

[@jimdavis8391]

The superlative Sea Fury used the Centaurus engine in a smaller, lighter airframe, so why was excessive torque no issue there?

[@allangibson8494]

The Sea Fury started its design life off with the Hawker Tornado in 1939 with a Rolls Royce Vulture. It was designed from the ground up for massive torque.

[@simonmcowan6874]

Such a good looking aircraft though.

[@rayjames6096]

Ungainly yet dainty...😳

[@exb.r.buckeyeman845]

Still a beautiful aircraft.

[@simonmcowan6874]

Shame,such a good looking aircraft.

[@mracce55]

Did Blackburn ever make anything that was an out and out success? They always seem to be a " close, but no cigar" type of manufacturer.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

The Buccaneer

[@paulnutter1713]

the Beverly was very good at the job it was designed to do

[@TypeZeta2]

The buccaneer

[@allandavis8201]

The fact that the design was submitted to the Admiralty and then a specification order to Blackburn issued is just a bit backwards, the Royal Navy and/or should be telling the brass what they wanted/needed and then the specification order issued, because of this “backwards” approach the actual needs of the end user get lost in translation, the piece of equipment needed doesn’t get built and then when it does enter service it is obsolete and not what the end users wanted, and perhaps if the end user was involved or consulted during the design and manufacturing process the number of failed/useless pieces of equipment would have been lower and more importantly the end users would have received the equipment they asked for.

[@richardbrowne3641]

Eric Brown? Firecrest? It looks simular to a Sea Fury. The Sky Raider was better? I never knew the Sky Raider was a design better than a Firecrest and I never heard of a Firecrest being tested during the ending of WW2. I know the Sky Raider was an aircraft used in the Korean & Vietnam wars. I learned something new. Awesome video!

[@joe7327]

"For it's ability to plod around and smash stuff." 🤣

[@onkelmicke9670]

Well there isn't a wealth of videos on the Wyvern either

[@eze8970]

🙏🙏

[@rolanddutton]

I was hoping you'd do a Firecrest video. Would have been a cool looking turboprop strike fighter, if the concept hadn't been rendered completely pointless.

[@JohnyG29]

It didn't have a turboprop, just a normal radial. The Wyvern had a turboprop.

[@rolanddutton]

@@JohnyG29 there were plans for a Python powered Firecrest. It would have looked better than the Wyvern imo, if nothing else.

[@stewartgrant9832]

Great to see some actual footage of a very rare type. Somehow Blackburn never quite got aviation. The Beverley was probably their best product?

[@Nagumo9206]

The Buccaneer was by far their most successful aircraft.

[@sim.frischh9781]

"...for it´s valued abilities to just plot around and smash things" If there was ever said anything appropriate about the Skyraider, this is it XD

[@MrMan5014]

There were many new developments in piston aircraft leading up to the end and after the war and that being said, one would think aircraft designers would only design better and better planes as time went on. This plane would be an example of an unacceptable failure in that order of progression …especially when P47’s and late model Corsairs were as good or much better than these newer developments…I guess that’s why they continued to build the Corsairs long after WW2 and well into the Korean War!…and the Seafury’s were even better again!..

[@shauny2285]

Reminds me of a fatter and longer F8F. See photo at 8:27 mark.

[@user-en9zo2ol4z]

Four bear? I am fairly certain it was three bears.

[@ronaldharris6569]

Blackburn is siris cybernetics. So close to brilliant but always something missing or al little off. But they keep plugging away

[@sealove79able]

I did not know there was the naval version of the Sabre.

[@KevinSmith-vv2jd]

Yep, armed with 4 20mm cannons.

[@sealove79able]

@@KevinSmith-vv2jd Thank you.

[@flyingarts6765]

wasn't that the Fury?

[@TypeZeta2]

@@flyingarts6765 yes it was called the FJ Fury

[@Trevor_Austin]

Only the British could do this. We were so desperate to get rid of petrol from our aircraft carriers we went all out for turbine powered aircraft. The only problem is that most British jets at this time were started with Avpin, a mono-fuel aka explosive. Petrol was positively benevolent when compare with Avpin. Out of the frying pan and into the furnace.

[@davefellhoelter1343]

OR? you could just purchase Sky Raiders and have a known value that soldiered on for Generations as a well supported Flying Gun Truck/Tank?

[@davefellhoelter1343]

Is It Just Me? or do others see some Zero or Focke-Wulf in the look?

[@elhanson5426]

I don't know, but I saw elements of the F4U Corsair in the cranked wing, and the vertical stabilizer mounted ahead of the horizontal stabilizer in the tail. The Corsair also had forward visibility problems because the main fuel tank was mounted ahead of the cockpit over the wing.

[@johngritz9267]

What is Ed’s accent called?

[@bentilbury2002]

English. What did you think it was? If you mean regional accent, south-east English.

[@EdNashsMilitaryMatters]

Messy. :) But I'm originally from Essex. Though as im married to an American I have developed the alarming tendency to say "pants" instead of trousers and occassionally "zee" instead of "zed" ;D

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Yesterday: the Firebrand Today: the son of Firebrand Tomorrow: Return of the Firebrand Or perhaps: Revenge of the Firebrand How about: the Wrath of Firebrand

[@apex107lrp]

Postscript...this, the previous video and several earlier ones must, in the minds of many watchers, beg the question. "Did Blackburn make ANYTHING worth more than its weight in scrap?"😜

[@davidbell1250]

It's natural to think that their record is mixed but they built 1,699 Fairey Swordfish and 700 Barracudas so as a contractor were of more worth, ironic that with their amalgamation looming their best work emerged with the Beverley and finally the Buccaneer. After ww2 they also made bread tins for Jackson's Bakeries - don't know if they were a successful design though!

[@huskyflylangley6053]

I like the Wyvern, but I'd put a round motor in it. Simple, air cooled and rugged, plus no valve lash adjustment and complicated tune ups due to sleeve valve design.

[@JohnyG29]

Round motor?? Also, the Wyvern was powered by a turbo-prop, so it didn't have any valves.

[@huskyflylangley6053]

@@JohnyG29 Yes, that's true, but turboprops at the time were pretty unproven, so I figured the the Centaurus was a happy medium, reliable, powerful and proven. Over the open ocean that's valuable. Now if they had the later RR Dart or a single Mamba which were very reliable, yes indeed. In the late 40s though, turboprops like the Proteus had problems, even we Yanks had the horrible T-40 in the Skyshark which was essentially a turbine Skyraider. Even it reverted to the R-3350. I love AN-2s though, so I might have a bias towards roundies😂

[@JohnyG29]

@@huskyflylangley6053 The Rolls Royce Dart was one of the first turboprops and was highly reliable. By the early 50s (the time of the Wyvern and aeroplanes like it) turboprops were well established and they have many advantages over piston engines.

[@androidemulator6952]

hmmm, Hawker Sea Fury copy , looks to me

[@macjim]

Did Blackburn actual make any aircraft that were successful?

[@JohnyG29]

Yes.

[@TypeZeta2]

The Buccaneer

[@moosifer3321]

HEY Blackburn, save your efforts for the new kids (Jets!) - could you call it the Buccaneer? I`m SURE it could be a Winner and OUTLAST ALL previous designs (even if the RAF don`t REALLY want an Ex Navy `Plane). Cheers to Harold and co. for destroying our LEAD in Aircraft - Great Video, what else left in your mysterious little shed/hanger?

[@JDWDMC]

"Contra-Rotating Propellers."

[@RemusKingOfRome]

Looks like a Fairy Battle to me .. obviously needed a turret ..

[@johnjephcote7636]

Whereas the Sea Fury...

[@lairdcummings9092]

A shame... It's absolutely lovely.

[@salty4496]

:)

[@uingaeoc3905]

How can you have a 2,475hp single seater and only achieve 380mph? Blackburn did produce some worthwhile designs in the 1930s for the RN eg the Shark. But nothing of merit in WW2 eg Botha. How did it achieve the incredible Buccaneer from this mess?

[@RedXlV]

The real reason that the Firebrand and Firecrest were failures is that they weren't ugly enough to be Blackburn aircraft.

[@anthonysantiago1999]

She was a Beautiful Bird but too late to the party..

[@MrDino1953]

With so many ugly and badly designed products, how did the Blackburn company stay solvent for so long?

[@TelegraphRoadWhittier]

I'm just glad there was no Seacrest....as it would have been an idol failure......😂

[@dkoz8321]

But Firecrest looked fantastic. It looked quite German. Like if Kriegsmarine had developed aircraft carriers and advanced, for WWII, torpedo and dive attack aircraft.

[@paulqueripel3493]

How did Blackburn survive long enough to produce the Buccaneer? Everything else they designed seems to have been a dud. Also, how did they finally design something that worked?

[@raymondyee2008]

Holy cow...this plane is so fracking ugly.....

[@sealove79able]

It looks like a bigger fw190.

[@jamesbugbee9026]

Firecrest also failed 2 uphold the Blackburn standard of ugliness

[@gavinfroggatt1760]

Blackburn made some dreadfull crap, yet in the end they produced the superb Buccaneer.

[@jean-francoislemieux5509]

no wonder the brits were bankrupt at the end of the war... such quantity of redundant designs that go nowhere

[@simong9067]

More due to buying the non-redundant designs in quantity.

[@JohnyG29]

To be fair, they produced loads of great and successful aircraft designs. This channel just focuses on those lesser known/weirder British designs so it presents a rather distorted picture of the industry as a whole. All nations have a large back catalogue of designs that never made it for some reason or another.

[@bentilbury2002]

Um no, that's absolutely not why we were bankrupt.

[@karlp8484]

Pile of junk. 380 mph is ridiculously slow by 1945.