Blenheim into a MK1

You’ve edited your post Mike, pity.

Brian

Well there you go Brian, straight from the book of excuses, page 17. I wonder if they’ve already got a parking slot allocated in Krakow for it?

Correct it’s ‘not an original Blenheim’, it’s a Fairchild Bolingbroke.

Brian

Oh, I’m sure they’ll finish it. And then declare it ‘not an original Blenheim’ and flog it to the Poles for 50p. 🙁

where is the logic in investing time and money into her then putting her into store?

Hopefully they’ll restart it again after the current ‘murican kick is done next year.

Yep, in one of those long workshop buildings just behind the hangars, you can see it through the windows, although the center wing section is still in hangar 5.

Brian

That’s good to hear, I missed that Brian. Has it gone back into storage again now?

The IWM Bolingbroke was being worked on in 5 hangar in 2009 & 10

Brian

The restoration was stopped around a decade or so ago.

How is the IWM one getting on?

It’s a thing of beauty and something I never thought I’d see fly, whatever it “really” is. 🙂

Airshows past their peak? When we have increasing numbers of beauties like this and the Hawker Fury to look forward to? Nonsense, we are in a golden age!

Anything is possible ! However I guess some of the guys involved with the Blenheim have been at it since the mid 1970’s on and off ! Maybe they feel like a break!

I was just thinking, would it be possible for the IWM owned Bolingbroke (RCAF 9893) to fly again with either the nose that is with the fuse in one of the storage buildings or the old/ damaged Mk.IV nose? I understand that most, if not all the main structure is intact and is in good condition.

KIGAS thank you for that insight.

Tim

Okay Dokay Roobarb,

many thanks for the clarification, tis an excellent restoration and a lot of hard work & man hours spent on it no doubt.

The control column, rudder pedals, throttles, fuel levers, trim wheels, pitch change and carburettor controls are all from the MKI nose, as are the pilots seat, observers seat and bomb aiming seat fuel gauge panel and cylinder head gauge panels. There were a goodly number of brackets and some ribs that were usable. All stressed skins were replaced as these had been cut about by the conversion to a car, the tubular steel cockpit structure was replaced due to corrosion. Ralph Nelson who had built the car threw very little away which was fortunate for us as it eased the restoration. I will point out that the production break at the rear of the cockpit is the same for all marks of Blenheim wherever they were built and the main flying control systems all go through the same spot it is the throttle and hydraulic systems that are the difference between the Canadian and British built Bristol type 149 and of course the type 149 is a modified type 142 that’s why most things fit. The aircraft is registered as a Fairchild Bolingbroke (Modified). There no sizeable portions of the MKI nose left it being completely dismantled. I hope this answers some questions

How much of the genuine Mk.1 nose (which had been converted into car) has been incorporated? I saw what appeared to be that remnant in store after the Bolingbroke had appeared with its new short nose. Was the original used as a pattern or part cannibalised, or did I misconstrue what I thought I saw?

It is a Fairchild Bolingbroke Mk.IVT that was previously reconfigured to represent a Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV. It is now a Fairchild Bolingbroke Mk.IVT reconfigured to represent a Bristol Blenheim Mk.I(f) by the mating of the (now repaired) Bolingbroke airframe to an original Mk.I(f) nose section and the alteration of the Bolingbroke systems and control runs to make that mating correct from a technical point of view for a MkI(f) layout.

OK, that’s it.

If you wish to refer to it as a Fairchild Bolingbroke you are not incorrect. You might find it could be described as a “Fairchild Bolingbroke MK.IVT (modified)”, but I think that most enthusiasts and airshow commentators will be referring to it as “The Mk.I Blenheim”

I hope that clarifies things for you.

So can anybody unmuddy why this is now a Blenheim ? surely it’s a Bolingbroke ?

G-MKIV was a Fairchild Aircraft Ltd Bolingbroke Mk. IV T as is G-BPIV, (both registered with the CAA as such)

CONFUSED