wuzak
Captain
The Blackburn B.20 was a twin Vulture float plane with retractable floats - the main float retracted into the fuselage, while the stabilising floats folded up to form the wing tips.
With the floats retracted the wing span was 82ft (25m), compared to 90ft 1in (27.5m) for the Manchester. The wing area was 1,066 ft² (99 m²) against the Manchester's 1,131 ft² (105.1 m²). The B.20 was almost the same length as the Manchester (within 4in/101.6mm). But the MTOW of the B.20 was 15,000lb (6,803kg) less than that of the Manchester.
Performance wise the B.20 was officially estimated to have a top speed of 306mph @ 15,000ft (Manchester 265mph @ 17,000ft). However, Tonny Buttler indicates in British Experimental Combat Aircraft of World War II that reports show that the B.20 was able to do 345mph in testing, before the prototype crashed.
The B.20's bomb load of 8 x 250lb bombs is far smaller than the Manchester's 10,000lb+ load, but that was constrained by the type being a float plane/flying boat with the bombs held inside the inner wings only, plus the intended role as maritime reconnaissance and ASW aircraft. As a land plane the aircraft could have a proper bomb bay and without the float it could probably take 4000-6000lb bomb loads without worry.
With the float gone and the lower fuselage better streamlined the performance should be increased. Making it in an unarmed bomber, or only retaining the rear turret, could yield some more performance improvements.
In the end the B.20 was thought to be lost from aileron flutter. The Vultures didn't give teh same difficulties experienced in the Manchester, but perhaps that was because they weren't being asked as much in this application.
So, what do you think - could a landplane B.20 bomber have been a useful aircraft in BC's inventory. Think 360-380mph top speed, 4000-6000lb bomb load, and approximately 1500 miles of range.
With the floats retracted the wing span was 82ft (25m), compared to 90ft 1in (27.5m) for the Manchester. The wing area was 1,066 ft² (99 m²) against the Manchester's 1,131 ft² (105.1 m²). The B.20 was almost the same length as the Manchester (within 4in/101.6mm). But the MTOW of the B.20 was 15,000lb (6,803kg) less than that of the Manchester.
Performance wise the B.20 was officially estimated to have a top speed of 306mph @ 15,000ft (Manchester 265mph @ 17,000ft). However, Tonny Buttler indicates in British Experimental Combat Aircraft of World War II that reports show that the B.20 was able to do 345mph in testing, before the prototype crashed.
The B.20's bomb load of 8 x 250lb bombs is far smaller than the Manchester's 10,000lb+ load, but that was constrained by the type being a float plane/flying boat with the bombs held inside the inner wings only, plus the intended role as maritime reconnaissance and ASW aircraft. As a land plane the aircraft could have a proper bomb bay and without the float it could probably take 4000-6000lb bomb loads without worry.
With the float gone and the lower fuselage better streamlined the performance should be increased. Making it in an unarmed bomber, or only retaining the rear turret, could yield some more performance improvements.
In the end the B.20 was thought to be lost from aileron flutter. The Vultures didn't give teh same difficulties experienced in the Manchester, but perhaps that was because they weren't being asked as much in this application.
So, what do you think - could a landplane B.20 bomber have been a useful aircraft in BC's inventory. Think 360-380mph top speed, 4000-6000lb bomb load, and approximately 1500 miles of range.
