Late 1930s and/or WWII fighter flying boats?

[A Tentative Fleet Plan]

In June 1936 Blackburn proposed their BB5 project for a twin-engined 2/3 seat amphibian reconnaissance/fighter. 2xBristol Aquila, Gross weight 8500lb, 50ft span, length 39ft 6in, max speed 260mph. The armament was four machine guns in a remote controlled dorsal turret. Think of it as a scaled-down B-20 as it aircraft would have had a retractable hull and retractable wing tip floats, but plus a retractable undercarriage and folding wings for stowage onboard carriers.

View attachment 641328

Was this aircraft designed to meet Air Ministry Specification S.9/36?

 

[Schneiderman]

Was this aircraft designed to meet Air Ministry Specification S.9/36?

Neither the specification document nor the drawings give any indication as whether this was a purely speculative design or in response to a specification. Given the level of design detail I would favour the latter and, like you, would suggest that it was to S.9/36 or at least guided by it. But that could be wrong.

 

[Justo Miranda]

but what would be look of the ship that was supposed to carry these planes

Here

 

[igor-mich]

The project is not from 1930 to 1929, and it is completely drawn.

 

[Hood]

The remote control dorsal turret, any information on it?

How did it compare to say the remote control turrets on the Douglas A-26?

No mention of the turret at all in the specification document, this is how it appears in the drawing

The only other remote-controlled turret of this period looks to be that offered in the Supermarine 305 and Vickers Type ??? tendered to F.9/35 and was presumably it was a Vickers-Armstrong turret design.
It doesn't look like the turret (in shape and gun layout) shown in the B.B.5 drawing, so my my guess is that its Blackburn own concept.
It is surprising that Blackburn didn't tender something to F.11/37 given the work on the B.B.5.

 

[kocovgoce]

but what would be look of the ship that was supposed to carry these planes

Here

they will use a crane to raise and lower them? I also had some ideas so maybe I will post them if I do not break any rules on the forum

 

[Schneiderman]

The only other remote-controlled turret of this period looks to be that offered in the Supermarine 305 and Vickers Type ??? tendered to F.9/35 and was presumably it was a Vickers-Armstrong turret design.
It doesn't look like the turret (in shape and gun layout) shown in the B.B.5 drawing, so my my guess is that its Blackburn own concept.
It is surprising that Blackburn didn't tender something to F.11/37 given the work on the B.B.5.

Yes, I can't think of any other similar concepts other than those two. Both Vickers and Supermarine chose to patent their turret designs, if they felt there was an advantage, but I haven't found any for these designs. Apparently Supermarine consulted Nash who judged the installation to be insufficiently rigid. I'm not too familiar with Blackburn design capability for such things, certainly for the Roc the turret was a B-P type, but then they manufactured the aircraft too, so it made sense. In the absence of any clues it's not unreasonable to see the B.B.5 turret as a Blackburn concept.
Blackburn are a company in dire need of a bit of deep research. There is a mass of previously unseen material in the BAe archive at Brough that needs to see the light of day to fill the gaps in the existing Blackburn history.

 

[hesham]

Was there any more Info about Helensburgh Jet Flying Boat Fighter Project of 1944 ?,was it real one ?.

 

[Apophenia]

Was there any more Info about Helensburgh Jet Flying Boat Fighter Project of 1944 ?,was it real one ?.

I was waiting for Robin Bird to weigh in here ...

The MAEE commissioned a series of research gliders to test fighter flying boat configurations. The models - some of which were remotely-controlled - were built by the Morris Furniture Company, a Mosquito contractor from Glasgow. Perhaps Robin can confirm that the scale model design in your post was part of this series?

 

[Jemiba]

Both are probably mentioned in this post here https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/seaplane-jetfighters.645/post-4866,
though in a way in the wrong section there. But if realised, they probably would have flown after 1945 ...

 

[hesham]

Both are probably mentioned in this post here https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/seaplane-jetfighters.645/post-4866,
though in a way in the wrong section there. But if realised, they probably would have flown after 1945 ...

OK my dear Jemiba,

and excuse me about my memory,I am very busy to can't remember.

 

[robinbird]

I have just written an article for Helensburgh Heritage Trust about MAEE model aircraft. Watch that space. Helensburgh Skating Lake was used to test such models right up to the SR1 jet seaplane. Morris Furniture made the models, others were made by MAEE chippies. A large wooden catapult, also made by Morris Furniture, launched the models on Helensburgh Skating lake. Included in my article is an actual photograph of the the lake and catapult manned by scientific officers John Allen and Francis McLaren (now sadly deceased). The photograph came courtesy of Frances' personal collection. It was not in the public domain, or previously published, as I understand. Models were also tested on the Gareloch, locations in Wales and at the Glen Fruin testing facility. Morris Furniture made several items for MAEE including the wooden casing for Highball trials. In a twist of fate by late father, then with AFEE, met up with Mr Morris during Flying Jeep trials. See my previous post. Morris made the large rota blade for the Jeep and possibly other parts, ie. fuselage.

 

[F.L.]

The Potez 453 was a prototype of fighter flying boat derived from the observation Potez 452.
A single prototype was built, first flown on 24 September 1935.

 

[F.L.]

 

[Archibald]

What a beauty !!

How do you say "Porco rosso" in french ? cochon rouge ?