blackkite

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Hi Blackburn B-54 and B-88 shipborne, anti-submarine aircraft, Fairey Gannet competitor.
https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/blackburn-b-54-and-b-88

"The first design in this series was the Blackburn B54 or YA5. This type was designed around the proposed Napier Double-Naiad turbo-prop engine, driving co-axial contra-rotating propellers. A deep fuselage contained a weapons bay and a radar system with a retractable radome under the rear fuselage.

The monoplane design featured a tricycle undercarriage and an inverted gull-wing, fitted with an effective high-lift flap system drawing upon experience with the Blackburn B-48 Firecrest. The crew sat in tandem under a long cockpit enclosure. Not wanting to depend on a different, untried powerplant, the design was similar in its general concept to the Fairey Gannet.

When development of the Napier Double Naiad was cancelled, the first prototype (WB781) was completed with a 2,000 hp Rolls-Royce Griffon 56 engine, driving two, three-blade contra-rotating propellers. At the same time, the type designation was updated from YA5 to YA7."
View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27862259@N02/6003502923/in/photostream/lightbox/
 

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There was a fly-off. The gearbox for Double Naiad and Double Mamba was an NGTE invention. This could be a straightforward A&AEE evaluation, with no politics favouring Fairey over Blackburm. Merit. Does happen.
(2 of the 3 prots languished over the back at Farnborough, 1957).
 

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