Pioneering Spirit, Perilous Reality: The Bristol Blenheim Story

🛩️ About This Video:
In today's video we delve into the interesting and quite fascinating tale of the Bristol Blenheim light bomber. Developed originally as a high speed civilian transport at the request of Lord Rothermere, the Blenheim was quite modern for its time. It had a top speed in excess of 300km/h, retractable undercarriage and made primarily from metal. It was said to be faster than any RAF fighter at the time of its first flight. Ordered in large quantities as both the Blenheim I and Blenheim IV in the years prior to the Second World War, it would make up a key part of Bomber Command's light bomber force when war broke out. However, when pipped against modern fighter planes, the Blenheim squadrons would suffer heavily. Still it stayed around in RAF service until 1944 and saw significant service in Europe, Northern Africa and the Far East throughout the Second World War.
🔍 Key Points:
- Learn about the Bristol Blenheim's design innovations.
- Explore its historical context and pivotal moments in WWII.
- Discover the impact of the Blenheim on military aviation.
📚 Resources:
Books:
Bristol Blenheim in action - Aircraft No.88 by Ron Mackay and Perry Manley.
Profile Publications Number 93: The Bristol Blenheim I by Phillip J.R. Moyes.
The British Bomber Since 1914 by Peter Lewis
Websites:
211 Squadrons: www.211squadron.org/bristol_bl...
Aircraft Restoration Company: www.aircraftrestorationcompan...
BAE Systems (Bristol 149 Blenheim IV): www.baesystems.com/en/heritag...
BAE Systems (Bristol 160 Blenheim V and Bisley): www.baesystems.com/en/heritag...
Bomber Command Museum of Canada: www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/ai...
Classic Warbirds: www.classicwarbirds.co.uk/bri...
History of War: www.historyofwar.org/articles/...
Key Aero: www.key.aero/article/battling...
Key Model World: www.keymodelworld.com/article...
RAF Museum: www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/art...
📌 Disclaimer:
All comments that are not from The Antique Airshow in the comment section are not opinions of The Antique Airshow.
Links:
Purchase your official The Antique Airshow merchandise here: www.tomatoeins.com.au/s/shop
Follow The Antique Airshow on Instagram: / tomato_eins
The Bristol Beaufighter:
The Bristol Buckingham:
• The MOST unremarkable ...
Thank you for Watching! I appreciate your time spent exploring the intriguing history of Bristol Blenheim with me. If you enjoyed the video, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share!
0:00 - 3:05 - Type 142
3:05 - 6:01 - Blenheim I
6:01 - 6:15 - Blenheim II
6:15 - 9:24 - Blenheim IV
9:24 - 12:42 - Early Combat
12:42 - 13:52 - Blenheim Fighter
13:52 - 15:10 - European Combat
15:10 - 15:54 - Overseas
15:54 - 17:03 - Blenheims in Greece
15:54 - 17:38 - Northern Africa
17:38 - 18:19 - Far East
18:19 - 21:07 - Blenheim V
21:07 - 22:42 - Conclusion
#BristolBlenheim
#WWIIHistory
#AviationLegends
#Warbird
#AircraftHistory
#MilitaryAviation
#VintageAviation
#RAF
#HistoricAircraft
#AirplaneSpotting
#AviationEnthusiast
#AeroHistory
#FlightHeritage
#BlenheimBomber
#SkyHistory
#AirForceHistory
#ClassicWarplanes
#AircraftInnovation

[@richarddixon7276]

Another well written & comprehensive rundown on a plane that was left in the shadows by its contemporaries , yet managed to continue as a frontline aircraft long after its would be successor's joined the fLight , from a true aviation enthusiast . Well worth the watch , Thanks , Keep on flying high and true .

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you, appreciate the positive comments 👍✈️

[@spacecadet35]

The Blenheim then transformed into the Beaufort, then the Beaufighter and finally the Buckingham and the Brigand. It didn't go away, it just evolved.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Yes that is very true 👍✈️

[@frasermitchell9183]

My father was called up into the RAF in 1942, and became a radio mechanic. He was posted to Training Command and told us of "clapped-out Blenheims" with battery-operated radios. Aircraft of this era had no electrical power, the engines used magnetos. He was constantly on the move to new airfields, eventually being posted to 139 Wing, 2nd Tactical Airforce at Dunsfold, to a "real airforce", with "pressure and tension in the air", operating B25 Mitchell bombers, where Form 700 was taken very seriously !! Just before he died, I assembled a model of a Bleinheim for him. I'm not sure what happened to it.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That is really interesting to read. Lest we forget

[@malcolmgibson6288]

The story of the Blenheim illustrates the rapid development of aircraft during the interwar years.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

It really does. It really highlights the transitions from biplanes to monoplanes and how quickly everything moved.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

The last flying example is show in 23 Squadron markings (code letters YP). For those who don't know the story it was crashed at an airshow at Denham in 1987 when the pilot mishandled her a month after the completion of 12 years of restoration.

[@RemusKingOfRome]

My first model kit as a child was a Blenheim 4, I thought it looked so cool especially the artwork on the box.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Nice, that's cool. It does have quite a distinctive look 👍✈️

[@ianbell5611]

Another Great video and very interesting . Cheers

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you 👍✈️

[@growlers90]

Strange how pre-war spec’s for a twin engine bomber to outrun fighters failed but during conflict actually were achieved with DH Mosquitoe.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That is very true. I guess the Blenheim was going to outrun biplanes where as the Mosquito knew what the modern monoplanes were capable of

[@williamroberts1819]

Just gorgeous. Great video my friend.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you 👍✈️

[@williamroberts1819]

Can we get the Miles Monitor please.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

@@williamroberts1819 I haven't heard of that one. I'll add it to the list and see what can be done 👍✈

[@alanmiller8887]

Flew in one of these back in 1941/2. I was 11, and in the ATC, and on an airfield in Yorkshire. Long War Story etc.. Now I'm the last person alive, who flew in one, during the War, etc.

[@towgod7985]

Excellent video, well done. Cheers from Hamilton Ont.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thank you 👍✈

[@peterlovett5841]

Slight error, from the photo shown at the time of the narration, it was the port side of the nose fairing that was lowered, not the starboard.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Ahh yes whoopsie. Thank you for the pickup. I believe that I may have gotten mixed up during my research as two separate sources had put the lowered nose on differing sides.

[@tsr207]

Totally unsuited for any active role, the Blenheim was shot down in large numbers by the Luftwaffe - I greatly respected the men who must have known how useless it was and yet took off in it to almost certain death. Britain had nothing else to deploy in France (apart from the equally tragic Fairley Battle)in a light bomber role, so units were wiped out. Read "Six Weeks of Blenheim summer" to understand the circumstances of the times. Also wonder why the RAF "forgets" about it's supposed role as a point defence fighter when it remembers the battle of Britain.

[@williamroberts1819]

It kept em busy

[@barriemilgate]

Yes, got a copy of "Blenheim Summer" a very good read.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Very much agree. At the beginning of the war the Blenheim was an important part of RAF Bomber Command and you're right they had nothing else to send into battle. They were brave men. I'll have to check it out, thanks for the recommendation. I guess their role was far less glamours than that of the other fighters. I did come across one author who argued that the Blenheim role was quite important as it tied up important Luftwaffe resources.

[@markgordon2260]

Stunning looks as a transport aircraft.

[@AntiqueAirshow]

As far as I am aware they were rarely used as transports

[@zacklewis342]

Blenheim I - beauty... Blenheim IV - blech!

[@AntiqueAirshow]

That's fair. The Mk.IV was definitely quite different to look at

[@petesheppard1709]

Thanks for good coverage of an unrecognized warrior. Oddly, though, that little chin turret always draws my attention; I'd like to learn more of how it was operated

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Thanks, it certainly doesn't get to much attention even though it was a major part of the RAF Bomber Command leading into the war. My understanding was that the turret underneath the chin is remotely controlled by I believe the navigator

[@petesheppard1709]

@@AntiqueAirshow It's like the turrets on the B-36. We see them, but there seems to be no film of them actually being operated. In the Blenheim's case, was in only rear/down, or could it be rotated forward?

[@AntiqueAirshow]

@@petesheppard1709 Yeah there definitely seems to be a lack of information out there on the chin turrets. My understanding is that they could not be rotated forward. This forum discussion might be of interest: www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/117574-question-concerning-bristol-blenheim

[@petesheppard1709]

@@AntiqueAirshowWow--thanks! That link is GOLD!

[@AndrewGivens]

@@AntiqueAirshow That's right - very limited traverse on the twin-gun 'solid' type and just elevation on the single-gun glazed one. I get the idea of fighters usually being directly behind when attacking from below, but that lack of traverse in the first version must have been bad news for the crew? It's a pity the MkIV had to wait so long to get a Browning-armed twin dorsal to go with the twin chin turret, but once it had both, it could put out a decent volume of sustained defensive fire. The K gun was just too much of a handful for the gunner, with constant reloading of drums and short sustained firing periods. If the Blenheim had been gifted with belt-fed guns from the off, it might have saved a lot of aircrew maybe?

[@richard63]

Did they never upgrade the engines over that time?

[@AntiqueAirshow]

Yes the Mk.I was powered by the Mercury VIII and the Mk.VI had the Mercury XV. However there performance was not greater on the Mkk.Iv due to increases in weight

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 13:14 we have 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron (code letters NG), followed by at 13:34 25 Squadron (code letters ZK).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 5:40 we have some 84 Squadron Blenheims (code letters VA).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 15:55 we have a Blenhiem from 13 Squadron (code letters OO).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 16:06 we have a 211 Squadron aircraft (code letters UQ).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

OY-K was a 48 Squadron aircraft.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 12:16 we have a Blenheim of 105 Squadron (Code letter GB).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Code letters VE represent 110 Squadron (7:10 mark).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 7:00 we have some 139 Squadron Blenheims (code letters XD)

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 17:51 we have 27 Squadron (code letters PT).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 21:11 we have 18 Squadron (code letters WV).

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

At 9:52 we see 40 Squadron (Code letters BL).