Bristol Blenheim Aircraft

Blenheim I, 61 Sqn RAF. Copyright: Arvo Vercamer

Production Details

Design Company:

The Bristol Aeroplane Company Limited, Filton

First Flight:

25 June 1936

Blenheim I:

700 - Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd, Filton 250 - A.V.Roe & Co Ltd, Chadderton 380 - Rootes Securities Ltd, Speke 16 - Ikarus A.D., Yugoslavia 45 - Valtion Lentokonetehdas, Finland

Bolingbroke I:

18 - Fairchild Aircraft Ltd, Canada

Bolingbroke IV:

658 - Fairchild Aircraft Ltd, Canada

Blenheim IV:

312 - Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd, Filton 750 - A.V.Roe & Co Ltd, Chadderton 2100 - Rootes Securities Ltd, Speke and Blythe Bridge 10 - Valtion Lentokonetehdas, Finland

Blenheim V:

2 - Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd, Filton 942 - Rootes Securities Ltd, Blythe Bridge

Type Specification

Applies to:

Bristol 149 Blenheim IV

Type:

Twin-engined, long-range, day bomber

Wing:

Mid-wing cantilever monoplane, metal structure, metal stressed skin

Fuselage:

Light alloy monocoque

Tail Unit:

Cantilever monoplane type, all metal construction

Landing Gear:

Retractable type, tailwheel

Power Plant:

Two Bristol Mercury XV nine-cylinder radial air cooled engines, with three-bladed, controllable pitch airscrews

Accommodation:

Pilot, navigator / bomb-aimer, wireless-operator / gunner

Armament:

1 0.303 in machine gun in port wing, 2 0.303 in machine gun in turret aft of wing, 2 0.303 in machine gun in blister under nose. Internal 1,000 lb bomb bay

Span:

56 ft 4 in

Length:

42 ft 9 in

Height:

9 ft 10 in

Wing Area:

469 sq ft

Empty:

9,790 lb

Loaded:

13,500 lb

Max Speed:

266 mph at 11,800 ft

Initial Rate of Climb:

1,500 ft / min

Service Ceiling:

27,000 ft

Max Range:

1,900 miles

Preserved in British Museums

Bolingbroke IVT:

L8756 - Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon - Display R3821 - Aircraft Restoration Company, Duxford - Restoration 9041 - Manx Aviation and Military Museum, Ronaldsway - Forward Fuselage 9893 - Aircraft Restoration Company, Duxford - Restoration 9940 - Museum of Flight, East Fortune - Restoration

Web Sites