1912 Blackburn Monoplane Type D

I found an old Blackburn Aeroplane Company advertisement with a line drawing depicting their 1912 Type D monoplane. I though I would have a go at reproducing it and go for a colour version as well.

Amazingly this machine is still flying and can be seen on a regular basis on those calmer days when the Shuttleworth collection puts on a show – well worth going and that’s a reminder to myself as its been far too long since I have been.

Imagine being transported back to 1912 when there is hardly anything on the roads let alone in the air and there you are cutting through the ether at a blistering 50 - 60MPH with a big grin on your face. I mean come on; aircraft couldn’t get any faster … could they?

That’s a Gnome Omega 7 cylinder rotary engine up front and is a slightly more powerful version of the original being of 1916 vintage. However the original engine is still available but I guess every bit of horsepower helps when a great many birds, large and small, are faster than you.

I wouldn’t want to be in charge of checking all that rigging as I bet its as much of a pain as it was to work out from photos where it all goes and I still managed screwed it up. Its wrong and I really should sort it out but I won’t tell anyone if you don’t ;)