Breguet's Aircraft Challenge #92

EdStevens · 21 January 2007, 04:32 PM

Breguet's Aircraft Challenge #92

Apparently intended to either check for acrophobia before leaving the ground, or to allow for limited aerial reconnaissance before even taking off..

The score at the start of Challenge #92 is:

15.5 Varese2002
7.3 Dave_Kent
7.0 Breguet
6.6 Rod Filan
6.5 Rbailey
6 Eric Goedkoop
5.6 ercoupepilot
5.3 EdStevens
4.7 JohnMacG
4.5 Colin A Owers
4 greenknight
3.5 YavorD
2 bshatzer
2 Gilles
2 joegertler
1 Cruze
1 Peter Zambori
.7 dpolglaze
.4 Vilkata

21 January 2007, 08:18 PM

Some type of Blackburn creation?

YavorD · 22 January 2007, 03:28 AM

Blackburn Admirality's Air Department (AD) Scout (Sparrow)

Anti-Zeppelin fighter designed by Harris Booth of the Air Department of the Admiralty.
One 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape rotary engine in rear of fuselage driving a two blade pusher propeller.
Designed to carry one Davis two-pounder gun in base of fuselage.

Produced by Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co in 1915 (2 examples), as well as by Hewlett and Blondeau Ltd (further 2 examples).

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equ...arrowlst_e.asp
http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/air...age.php?ID=529

EdStevens · 22 January 2007, 06:07 AM

It is indeed the Blackburn A.D. Scout, or Sparrow. Very good!

I don't know what it was like to fly, but given the combination of a very high centre of gravity with a very narrow track on the undercarriage, landings must have been highly entertaining for the pilot. They did provide two tail skids (one on each rudder) so perhaps that compensated enough for what looks like a tipsy machine.

Paul first identified the manufacturer as Blackburn, so we'll call it a shared victory, with .8 to YavorD and .2 to Paul_J._Fisher. Congratulations for getting on the board, Paul.

The score at the end of Challenge #92 is:

15.5 Varese2002
7.3 Dave_Kent
7.0 Breguet
6.6 Rod Filan
6.5 Rbailey
6 Eric Goedkoop
5.6 ercoupepilot
5.3 EdStevens
4.7 JohnMacG
4.5 Colin A Owers
4.3 YavorD
4 greenknight
2 bshatzer
2 Gilles
2 joegertler
1 Cruze
1 Peter Zambori
.7 dpolglaze
.4 Vilkata
.2 Paul_J._Fisher

Rbailey · 22 January 2007, 08:59 AM

Well, two were built by Blackburn, but two others were built by Hewlett & Blondeau, so as a type the manufacturer isn't quite that definitive.

Rod_Filan · 22 January 2007, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rbailey

Well, two were built by Blackburn, but two others were built by Hewlett & Blondeau, so as a type the manufacturer isn't quite that definitive.

Agreed. But in this case the photo shows No. 1536, one of the two Blackburn-built Sparrows, after delivery to the R.N.A.S. aerodrome at Chingford.

Nevertheless, would "Admiralty-designed Zeppelin hunter" have gotten consideration for contention in this case?

VBR
Rod

Varese2002 · 22 January 2007, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rbailey

Well, two were built by Blackburn, but two others were built by Hewlett & Blondeau, so as a type the manufacturer isn't quite that definitive.

This machine is always described as an A.D. Scout, because the Air Department of the Admiralty designed the machine. The designer was Harris Booth.
As the A.D. did not have (enough) production facility they ordered 2 by Blackburn and 2 by Hewlett & Blondeau.

The Blackburn-built A.D. Scout was of course the master of it all, because of the original narrow track landing gear. It is quite unbelievable that a designer like Harris Booth did not realize that with this landing gear every landing would be a disaster.

It is not known if the machine was ever flown, perhaps no one in his right mind was foulhardy enough

to want to test it.

Kees

EdStevens · 22 January 2007, 11:45 AM

Hmm. Good point. Since it was called a "Blackburn creation" rather than a "Blackburn design" I think we can be tolerant for .2 point? Besides, Yavor misspelled "Admiralty" in bold, so that has to be penalized.

I don't have much on it, but it does seem that A.D. Scout/Sparrow is the most appropriate name. Although it is functionally a zeppelin hunter, I don't believe that was part of the name from what I see.