Originally designed to Specification N.11/40 as a single-seat carrier based fighter, powered by the Napier Sabre liquid-cooled engine. Owing to the unavailability of the Sabre engine, a new specification, S.8/43, was drawn up to provide for the Bristol Centaurus air-cooled engine. At the same time the requirements of the specification were broadened to include a strike role, carrying a torpedo, bombs and/or rockets.

The unarmed B-36 prototype was first flown by February 27th, 1942 with a Napier Sabre III, a 24-cylinder H-type inline engine, followed by nine Firebrand Is (B.37) powered by 1,718kW Napier Sabre III engines. These were followed by 12 TF.II powered by similar engines but able to carry a 457mm torpedo.

Blackburn was forced to re-engine their design and settle on the Bristol Centaurus VII 18-cylinder radial piston powerplant. This redesign also forced a rethinking in the intended roles of the Firebrand. Along with its fighter duties, the Firebrand was now envisioned to double as a strike platform capable of delivering bombs, rockets and a 457mm torpedo. The new design was fitted with lengthened wings and appropriate munitions provisions in the form of pylons. The resulting product became the model – achieving first flight on March 31st, 1943 – and entered production as the B-45 TF.Mk II. The TF.Mk II was limited to just 12 production examples.

An attempt at improving the Firebrand line came in the form of the 1,878kW Bristol Centaurus IX radial engined TF.Mk III model. This “improved” design revealed flaws in low-speed flight thanks to poor rudder control and a tremendous amount of torque output from the new engine. A first flight was achieved on December 21st, 1943 and further testing resulted in the deaths of two test pilots along with months of re-evaluation before the Firebrand was even successfully test-landed on a carrier deck. Despite the successful landing, the aircraft was deemed too dangerous for use as a production aircraft. As such, this particular Firebrand model was dropped from production contention. 27 TF.III were built.

Model B-46 became the true improved Firebrand as the TF.Mk IV model, first flying on May 17th, 1945. A new engine – the 2500 hp Bristol Centaurus VII or IX engine – was allocated to the TF.Mk IV as well as a revised tail with increased surface areas. Dive brakes were installed on both the upper and lower wing assemblies for improved control. The TF.Mk IV became the first quantitative and somewhat definitive Firebrand in production with 102 examples produced. Performance specifications included a top speed of 350 miles per hour with a listed cruise speed of 289 miles per hour. Range was equivalent to 1,250 miles when fitted with drop tanks. A rate-of-climb of 2,600 feet-per-minute was possible with a service ceiling of approximately 28,500 feet. At least 40 of these aircraft were later converted to the newer TF.Mk 5 standard.

In September 1945, Fleet Air Arm No 813 Squadron was equipped with the Firebrand IV.

The TF.Mk 5 followed the TF.Mk IV into service with horn-balanced elevators and other refinements to improve manoeuvrability. Production only lasted through 68 examples (plus about 40 TF.4 converted to the later standard). The improved TF.Mk 5A finished the Firebrand line to which total production amounted to 193 examples, lasting from 1943 through December 1947. The 5A had powered ailerons and the torpedo crutch was hinged to rotate the weapon into the minimum drag attitude after takeoff.

Cannon armament was the standard firepower for the Firebrand, consisting of 4 x 20mm Hispano Mk II series cannons mounted in pairs on each wing. The Firebrand could carry a single 1,850lb 18″ Mark XVII series torpedo running centerline under the fuselage or 2 x 1,000lb bombs under the wings – one to a wing pylon.

The Firebrand served with the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) Fleet Air Arm (FAA). The FAA squadrons utilizing the type were the 700, 703, 708, 736, 738, 759, 764, 767, 778, 787, 799, 813 and the 827 Naval Air Squadrons. The Blackburn Firebrand was officially operated by the British Royal Navy from 1943 through 1953 before facing retirement from operational status.

Firebrand I
Engine: 1,718kW Napier Sabre III
Armament: four 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano cannon

Firebrand TF.II
Engine: 1,718kW Napier Sabre III
Armament: four 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano cannon, 457mm torpedo.

TF.III
1,878kW Bristol Centaurus IX radial
Armament: four 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano cannon

Firebrand IV

TF.4
Engine: 1 x Bristol Centaurus IX, 2,500hp
Length: 39.37ft (12m)
Width: 51.25ft (15.62m)
Height: 14.93ft (4.55m)
Empty Weight: 11,354lbs (5,150kg)
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 16,226lbs (7,360kg)
Maximum Speed: 348mph (560kmh; 302kts)
Maximum Range: 1,243miles (2,000km)
Rate-of-Climb: 2,600ft/min (792m/min)
Service Ceiling: 28,510ft (8,690m)
Armament: 4 x 20mm Hispano Mk II cannons
Bombload: 2,000lb
Accommodation: 1
Hardpoints: 2

TFA
S.4

TF.5
Engine: Bristol Centaurus IX, 2485 hp, 1879kW
Length: 38 ft 9 in / 11.81 m
Height: 13 ft 3 in / 4.04 m
Wingspan: 51 ft 3 in / 15.63 m
Wing area: 382.983 sq.ft / 35.58 sq.m
Max take off weight: 17503.3 lb / 7938.0 kg
Weight empty: 11836.4 lb / 5368.0 kg
Max. speed: 295 kts / 547 km/h / 340 mph
Cruising speed: 222 kts / 412 km/h / 256 mph
Service ceiling: 28494 ft / 8685 m
Wing load: 45.72 lb/sq.ft / 223.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 643 nm / 1191 km
Armament: four 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano cannon, 1 Torp. 839kg / 2x Bomb. 454kg / Rocket
Crew: 1

TF.5A
Engine: Bristol Centaurus IX, 2485 hp, 1879kW
Span: 15.63 m (51 ft31 in)
Length: 11.87 m (38 ft 11.5 in)
Gross weight: 7945 kg (17515 lb)
Maximum speed: (with torpedo) 550 km/h (342 mph).
Armament: four 20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano cannon

The RN had been asking for a dive bombing sight since the early 1930s, but it never became a reality. The RAF was largely indifferent to dive bombing, and, as it controlled naval aircraft development until 1937, held back the RN’s ability to develop a true dive bomber. Finally, with specification O.27/34, the RN was allowed to have its way.

On December 12, 1934, the Air Ministry invited Vickers and Blackburn to submit designs for an Osprey replacement. Two months later Blackburn tendered the B-24, an all-metal low-wing monoplane. Vickers submitted its Type 280, a midwing monoplane with semielliptical wings, powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin.
The Blackburn design, with its retractable undercarriage and flaps, was the most modern submission. Blackburn was awarded a contract for two prototypes, but the B-24 had still not flown by October 1936. On the 24th the Air Ministry confirmed a production contract for 150 B-24s, later increasing it to 190. Blackburn apparently saw the design as a dive bomber above all else, designating the project the DB-1.

The Air Ministry stipulated a number of production requirements. The Bristol Mercury radial engine was replaced by a nine cylinder Perseus PRE3M, Bristol’s first production sleeve-valve engine; relatively untried for an aircraft already suffering delays. Armament was to be four Browning 0.303in machine-guns in the wings, with 600 rounds per gun, and a Lewis Mk III machine-gun in the rear cockpit. The main bomb proposed was a 250pounder, though later the Air Ministry asked that a 500lb semi-armour-piercing (SAP) bomb be carried. It was also requested that the aircraft be readily convertible for target towing.

Both the Skua and the Roc were of all-metal stressed-skin construction, with external plating flush-riveted to longitudinal stringers over transverse frames. The fuselage was built in two sections. The main fuselage ran from the firewall at the nose to a point just ahead of the fin, while the detachable rear fuselage incorporated the fin and tailplane mountings. The fuselage had a hollow in the upper surface containing a liferaft, and the cover was faired in with the top of the rear fuselage. The raft was accessed by pulling a D-ring on a cord in the rear cockpit, which rarely worked as advertised.

Along most of its length the fuselage was of circular section, but under and immediately aft of the wings triangular-section fillets joined the mainplanes to the fuselage, giving a complex cross-section. Two watertight compartments were built in. The cockpit was watertight up to the coaming and was enclosed by a long framed glazing with a steep windscreen. Two of the fuselage frames in the cockpit area extended to the top of the cockpit to prevent crushing if the aircraft overturned.

The glass was unarmoured initially, although from July 1940 armoured glass was added to the windscreen front panel. The standard RAF blind-flying panel formed the centre of the instrument panel; the gunsight was a Mk II reflector unit.

Two 200gal non-self-sealing fuel tanks were installed in the middle of the cockpit on either side, while a small tank for starting the engine was mounted in the forward fuselage.

The rear gun was mounted on a Fairey pillar, and lowered into a recess in the rear fuselage when not in use. The glazing enclosing the rear cockpit could be swivelled back into the canopy when the gun was to be used.

Rather than a seat, the Observer or Telegraphist Air Gunner(TAG) had only a thinly rubber-padded bench atop the bomb recess. To keep the TAG in place during diving and other violent manoeuvres a “g-string” was bolted to the floor, and the occupant could attach this to his harness. A bar could also be attached across the rear cockpit to give added support.

The production Skua II and Roc I had a cartridge-started Bristol Perseus XII nine-cylincler sleeve valve moderately-supercharged air-cooled radial engine giving 745 b.h.p. maximum climbing for 30min and 905 b.h.p. in level flight for 5min. Cooling gills at the rear of the cowling could be opened to provide greater flow of air. The engine was mounted on a two-bay tubular steel structure and fully cowled. An exhaust collector ring fed into a single tube discharging to starboard. The three-bladed, two-pitch de Havilland propeller was hydraulically operated.

The wings comprised three main sections; a centre section and two outer panels. The outer panels could be manually folded back along the fuselage for stowage of the aircraft in carrier hangars. The wings were based on two box-girder spars, on to which were attached the latch pin fittings that locked the wings in place when unfolded. The ailerons were fabric-covered. The all-metal flaps, of aerofoil section, were operated by hydraulic jack rams. The flap was arranged so that the leading edge moved aft as the flap was extended. At full extent the flap was vertical and the leading edge had moved through approximately 16 of the chord of the flap.

The tailplane was a two-spar structure similar to the wings, with a fabric-covered mass balanced elevator. The fin, which was detachable, was set forward of the tailplane to avoid the airflow being blanketed in a spin and at low speeds. The rudder was fabric-covered and horn balanced. Trim tabs on elevators and rudder could be controlled from the cockpit.

The Roc had no fixed forward facing weapons. The Boulton Paul power turret was fitted with four belt-fed Browning 0.303in machine-guns, fired by a control stick operated by the gunner.

The Roc was essentially similar to the Skua, but with its shape and construction altered as necessary for the role of turret fighter. The changes needed to instal this device mainly affected the rear fuselage. The body aft of the centre section was widened slightly. Instead of having the Skua’s complex underbody shape, the Roc was flat underneath and a hatch was incorporated to provide an escape route for the gunner.

The centre cockpit housed a small “radio room”, so fuel storage was in the fuselage, of a reduced capacity compared to the Skua.

The central section of canopy automatically retracted to allow the turret to traverse clearly, as did a plywood fairing aft of the turret. The fairings were pneumatic, powered by a pump run off the engine. Pressure could run down if the turret was revolved too much, the fairings becoming stuck until the pressure had built up again.

The pilot’s cockpit was largely similar to that of the Skua. Control of the turret guns could be transferred to the pilot with the turret facing forward.

The wings were similar to those of the Skua but had greater dihedral and no upturned tips.

The first production Roc M k 1, L3057, made its maiden flight on December 23,1938, piloted by Blackburn test pilot Fit Lt H.J. Wilson. It remained at Brough for contractor’s trials until March 1939, when the A&AEE took it for handling tests. Stalling speed was rather higher than that of the Skua, but handling was better. However, if the turret was used over-exuberantly the air pressure system operating the fairings would run down, preventing full turret movement until pressure was restored. While L3059joined the A&AEE test programme, the second Roc, L3058, was used for turret tests.

The Admiralty thought Roc floatplanes could be used for fleet defence, so when handling trials were largely complete, in November 1939, L3057 and L3059 were fitted with floats at Dumbarton. Tests at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Helensburgh showed that the floats degraded directional stability, and L3059 crashed on December 3. As a result L3057 was given a much deeper ventral fin. Although L3060 and L3074 were also converted, the poor performance was evident and further trials scheduled for June 1940 were cancelled. Even so, L3074 retained its floats and was used as a target tug in this form.

Rocs entered service in late 1939. They were never allotted their own squadrons, but were issued to existing Skua units to operate alongside their stablemates. Small numbers, typically three or four, were later operated by Nos 800, 801, 803 and 806 Sqns, FAA.

The first combat work undertaken by Rocs was with 803 Sqn, protecting the fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow. Early in the war this target was tempting for German bombers, and RAF fighter squadrons were not available, so 803 Sqn moved to Wick in October 1939.

The Roc’s shortcomings quickly became apparent. After October 18 the Luftwaffe rarely approached Scapa Flow, confining its attacks mainly to transport convoys and warships in the North Sea. Increasingly, 803 Sqn was called upon to deal with flying-boats shadowing warships of the Home Fleet, and civilian shipping under attack. The squadron was divided into sections of three, usually comprising two Skuas and one Roc. As the aircraft were frequently required at longer range, the Rocs were said by 803 Sqn’s CO, Lt-Cdr D.R.F. Cambell, to be “a constant hindrance” ‘ He described an occasion when the C-in-C of the Home Fleet requested fighter assistance 210 miles from Wick. Two sections were on standby but only the four Skuas could cover the distance, reducing the squadron’s strength by a third.

Blackburn was developing a long-range fuel tank for the Roc, but it was not ready for Service use. In January 1940 Cambell wrote to the Admiral Commanding Orkney and Shetlands, requesting that the four Rocs be replaced by Skuas, but was strongly opposed by the Naval Air Division (NAD) of the Admiralty, which was desperate to gain experience in tactics for the turret fighters. Even the C-in-C Home Fleet, Admiral Forbes, favoured 803 retaining Rocs.

Even Cambell said that the Roc could be considered “slightly superior” to the Skua. Forbes noted that with its “excellent multi-gun turret” the Roc was “more than slightly superior to the Skua; it offers the only chance of effective action against an enemy aircraft of equal or superior performance”. The concept still had quite a few supporters, Forbes, in a letter to the secretary of the Admiralty in February 1940, suggested that all future FAA fighters should be of the turret fighter type. Nevertheless, in March 1940 the Rocs were replaced by Skuas. It had been decided that all aircraft in the Scapa Flow area must have identification friend or foe (IFF) to avoid “friendly fire” incidents, but the Roc’s cockpit had no space for the equipment. So the Rocs had to be withdrawn from the region. Ironically, the Luftwaffe chose this moment for a concerted attack on the fleet anchorage, and in the ensuing five days of air raids a Roc made the type’s first combat claim, a Heinkel He 111 damaged.

On April 8 Germany invaded neutral Norway and the RN was hurriedly required to respond. The early strikes were carried out by Skuas, the only aircraft with the range and accuracy to attack targets in Norway. Both Glorious and Ark Royal were training their Swordfish squadrons in the Mediterranean, and their Skua and Roc units were disembarked. Furious left for the combat zone in such a hurry that 801 Sqn was left behind at Evanton. Therefore, until Glorious and Ark Royal returned, the FAA’s Rocs were unable to contribute.

A nonentity in Norway On April 20 Ark Royal and Glorious, under Vice-Admiral Wells, embarked their fighter squadrons and set out to join the Norway Campaign Task Force. Ark Royal’s fighter squadrons took Rocs as well as Skuas; 801 Sqn had three and 800 Sqn two. On Glorious, 803 Sqn was now exclusively a Skua unit, although it was the only squadron with any Roc combat experience.

Most missions in support of the ground forces needed every bit of the Skua’s endurance, so Rocs were limited to providing combat air patrols (CAP) over the task force. Roy Stevens, an 800 Sqn armourer, remarked: “When the Rocs were ranged, you knew there was a raid coming! “

Rocs had about twice the endurance of the Gloster Sea Gladiators with which they shared CAP duty, but while the Gladiators had the speed and rate of climb to make interceptions, Rocs struggled to catch even the slowest shadowing seaplanes. Furthermore, on the few occasions when a Roc was able to bring its guns to bear, lowering the fairings and swinging the four Brownings into the airflow usually reduced the hapless fighter’s speed enough to allow the prey to escape. The Rocs made little impact during the campaign, and one 800 Sqn armourer summed up their contribution to the Norwegian campaign as “bloody useless”.

The higher echelons in the RN pushed the squadrons hard to make the Roc work. But an almost symbiotic co-operation between pilot and gunner was required, as the latter had to tell the pilot where to place the aircraft. Pilots were often officers, and gunners were enlisted men, expected to speak only when spoken to. The Admiralty requested that a second-line squadron be tasked with investigating the best tactical use of the Roc, with particular emphasis on co-operation between the pilot and gunner. This job was given to 759 Sqn at Eastleigh, but it seems little was done before the Roc was withdrawn from service.

The fourth Skua and Roc squadron, 806, had been formed in February 1940 and blooded over Norway with a number of long range strike missions from Orkney, flying Skuas. The squadron transferred to RAF Coastal Command control and flew to Manston in May, and then to Detling, to help cover the Allied withdrawal from France. On May 29 two Skuas and a Roc flown by Midshipman Day, RNVR, with Naval Airman Newton as his gunner, were patrolling the French coast. They saw a gaggle of Junkers Ju 88s about to bomb some ships, intent on their targets and flying slowly. Performing as intended for once, the Roc drew alongside a Ju 88 and a broadside of Brownings sent the bomber crashing inflames. It was the only confirmed kill ever scored by a Roc.

At the end of May 806 Sqn was replaced at Detling by 801 Sqn, which then became the closest thing to a Roc squadron when it exchanged some of its Skuas for the Rocs from 800 and 806 Sqns. Endurance was less important over the Channel, so the Skuas were kept for the squadrons still fighting in Norway.

From early in the morning on June 2 numerous patrols were flown over the ships ferrying troops back from France, the Skuas and Rocs joining RAF Hudsons and Blenheims. On the following day therewere hardly any German aircraft over the Channel and the squadron Operations Records Book states: “Nothing to report”. The three Skuas and three Rocs patrolled at 4,000ft around the North Foreland and saw nothing; the evacuation was all but over. However, the Battle of France raged on and Channel convoys were now even more vulnerable. The Roc’s work was to continue.

The next mission for 801 Sqn, escorting convoys, did not take place unti1June 9. Similar missions were flown on the 11th and 12th, the convoys being hard to locate because of poor visibility. While part of the squadron searched in vain for convoys, the rest attacked E-boats in Boulogne Harbour.

At around 1235hr Skuas and Rocs dive-bombed the harbour where the E-boats were moored and strafed the boats themselves. On returning to Detling the flight commander suggested another attack with the addition of 201b bombs in Light Series carriers, so at 1525hr the Flight of five aircraft took off again. The E-boats had been moved across the harbour, but were no less vulnerable. The aircraft dropped three 2501b bombs and 40 x 201b bombs. One E-boat suffered several direct hits and two others were damaged.

More convoy and reconnaissance missions followed, plus further strikes against German positions. On June 20 four Skuas and five Rocs of 801 Sqn were despatched to bomb heavy gun emplacements for a large battery being installed at Cap Blanc Nez.

Apparently the lessons of the recent past had been learned (a disastrous attack on the Scharnhorst in Norway had taken place only the previous week), and fighter escort was on hand. At 1440hr the squadron attacked from the sea in line astern. Diving to 1,000ft before dropping their bombs, they caught the defences off guard, but by the time the third sub-flight had winged-over into the dive the anti-aircraft artillery batteries were firing. Sub- Lieutenant Day and Naval Airman Berry’s Roc was hit as it dived, and plunged into the sea wreathed in black smoke. The others scored four direct hits and a number of near misses.

Shortly afterwards 801 Sqn was released by Coastal Command and returned to Hatston. It soon re-equipped with Skuas, and the Roc’s front-line career ended. Various trials had not yet been completed, so swiftly did the end come. The second wave of floatplane trials was cancelled, and the long-range tank never saw Service use. In December 1940 the Admiralty decreed that trials on tactical use of the Roc were no longer required. The Roc had outlived its usefulness. It continued in second-line service as a target tug and gunnery trainer, and the last was phased out in 1943.

Gallery

Engine: Bristol Perseus XII, 893 hp / 675kW
Length: 35 ft 7 in / 10.85 m
Height: 12 ft 1 in / 3.68 m
Wingspan: 46 ft / 14.02 m
Width folded: 15 ft 6 in
Wing dihedral: 2 deg
Wing area: 310.003 sq.ft. / 28.8 sq.m
Empty weight: 6124 lb
Combat weight – fighter: 8670 lb
Max speed: 194 kt / 359 km/h / 223 mph @ 10,000 ft
Cruising speed: 117 kt / 217 km/h / 135 mph
ROC: 1500 fpm
Service ceiling: 17995 ft / 5485 m
Wing load: 25.63 lb/sq.ft / 125.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 704 nm / 1304 km
Endurance: 2 hr 30 min
Crew: 2
Armament: 4x cal.303 MG (7.7mm)
Undercarriage track: 9 ft 7 in

Swayed by the RAF’s enthusiasm, the Royal Navy invited Blackburn to design a naval turret fighter based on the Skua, issuing Specification O.30/35 on December 31,1935. The Skua’s maiden flight was still more than a year away, but the Air Ministry ordered 136 Rocs to production standard “off the drawing board” and without prototypes.

Blackburn B.24 Skua Article

First flying on 9 February 1937, the design was similar to the production Skua, modified to accept a Boulton Paul Type-A Mk 11 electrically-driven turret. The centre of the cockpit, which in the Skua contained the main fuel tanks, became a space for the gunner to operate the radio.

Retractable fairings in front of and behind the turret could be lowered to allow it to rotate freely. The Skua’s central bomb recess was deleted, but wing racks for two 2501b bombs were added. To avoid the Skua’s lowspeed instability the Roc’s wing panels gained 2 degrees dihedral, doing away with the upturned tips.

Blackburn was too busy with Skua and Botha work, so the production order went to Boulton Paul. Blackburn subsidiary General Aircraft built the tail units.

Both the Skua and the Roc were of all-metal stressed-skin construction, with external plating flush-riveted to longitudinal stringers over transverse frames. The fuselage was built in two sections. The main fuselage ran from the firewall at the nose to a point just ahead of the fin, while the detachable rear fuselage incorporated the fin and tailplane mountings. The fuselage had a hollow in the upper surface containing a liferaft, and the cover was faired in with the top of the rear fuselage. The raft was accessed by pulling a D-ring on a cord in the rear cockpit, which rarely worked as advertised.

Along most of its length the fuselage was of circular section, but under and immediately aft of the wings triangular-section fillets joined the mainplanes to the fuselage, giving a complex cross-section. Two watertight compartments were built in. The cockpit was watertight up to the coaming and was enclosed by a long framed glazing with a steep windscreen. Two of the fuselage frames in the cockpit area extended to the top of the cockpit to prevent crushing if the aircraft overturned.

The glass was unarmoured initially, although from July 1940 armoured glass was added to the windscreen front panel. The standard RAF blind-flying panel formed the centre of the instrument panel; the gunsight was a Mk II reflector unit.

Two 200gal non-self-sealing fuel tanks were installed in the middle of the cockpit on either side, while a small tank for starting the engine was mounted in the forward fuselage.

The rear gun was mounted on a Fairey pillar, and lowered into a recess in the rear fuselage when not in use. The glazing enclosing the rear cockpit could be swivelled back into the canopy when the gun was to be used.

Rather than a seat, the Observer or Telegraphist Air Gunner(TAG) had only a thinly rubber-padded bench atop the bomb recess. To keep the TAG in place during diving and other violent manoeuvres a “g-string” was bolted to the floor, and the occupant could attach this to his harness. A bar could also be attached across the rear cockpit to give added support.

The production Skua II and Roc I had a cartridge-started Bristol Perseus XII nine-cylincler sleeve valve moderately-supercharged air-cooled radial engine giving 745 b.h.p. maximum climbing for 30min and 905 b.h.p. in level flight for 5min. Cooling gills at the rear of the cowling could be opened to provide greater flow of air. The engine was mounted on a two-bay tubular steel structure and fully cowled. An exhaust collector ring fed into a single tube discharging to starboard. The three-bladed, two-pitch de Havilland propeller was hydraulically operated.

The wings comprised three main sections; a centre section and two outer panels. The outer panels could be manually folded back along the fuselage for stowage of the aircraft in carrier hangars. The wings were based on two box-girder spars, on to which were attached the latch pin fittings that locked the wings in place when unfolded. The ailerons were fabric-covered. The all-metal flaps, of aerofoil section, were operated by hydraulic jack rams. The flap was arranged so that the leading edge moved aft as the flap was extended. At full extent the flap was vertical and the leading edge had moved through approximately 16 of the chord of the flap.

The tailplane was a two-spar structure similar to the wings, with a fabric-covered mass balanced elevator. The fin, which was detachable, was set forward of the tailplane to avoid the airflow being blanketed in a spin and at low speeds. The rudder was fabric-covered and horn balanced. Trim tabs on elevators and rudder could be controlled from the cockpit.

The undercarriage consisted of two retractable main units and a non-retractable tailwheel. The main units were oleo-pneumatic struts mounted on the outer edges of the centre section. The undercarriage legs and all the hydraulic retraction gear were located in the centre section, but folded outwards into the outer mainplanes. The tailwheel was fixed and later modified with an anti-shimmy device that could lock it straight or leave it free.

The Skua and Roc were equipped with an RT1110 Wireless Telegraphy (W/T) set consisting of a 1082 Receiver and a 1083 Transmitter. The W/T used an overhead aerial, but to make best use of the high-frequency equipment a trailing aerial could be wound out by the TAG or Observer. Communication was only by Morse code, but the transmitter was also used as an amplifier to provide intercom between the front and rear cockpit, a vast improvement on the Gosport tubes of previous FAA aircraft.

Communication between aircraft in flight was basic or non-existent. The W/T set was tuned laboriously by fitting pairs of plugs (twenty pairs, one red plug and one green) into sockets, more or less by trial and error until the correct coil for a particular frequency was reached. In the Skua this equipment was situated at the rear of the cockpit; in the Roc it was repositioned in the central space between the turret and the pilot’s cockpit.

The Roc had no fixed forward facing weapons. The Boulton Paul power turret was fitted with four belt-fed Browning 0.303in machine-guns, fired by a control stick operated by the gunner.

The Roc was essentially similar to the Skua, but with its shape and construction altered as necessary for the role of turret fighter. The changes needed to instal this device mainly affected the rear fuselage. The body aft of the centre section was widened slightly. Instead of having the Skua’s complex underbody shape, the Roc was flat underneath and a hatch was incorporated to provide an escape route for the gunner.

The centre cockpit housed a small “radio room”, so fuel storage was relocated to the wings. The central section of canopy automatically retracted to allow the turret to traverse clearly, as did a plywood fairing aft of the turret. The fairings were pneumatic, powered by a pump run off the engine. Pressure could run down if the turret was revolved too much, the fairings becoming stuck until the pressure had built up again.

The pilot’s cockpit was largely similar to that of the Skua. Control of the turret guns could be transferred to the pilot with the turret facing forward.

The wings were similar to those of the Skua but had greater dihedral and no upturned tips.

The first production Roc M k 1, L3057, made its maiden flight on December 23,1938, piloted by Blackburn test pilot Fit Lt H.J. Wilson. It remained at Brough for contractor’s trials until March 1939, when the A&AEE took it for handling tests. Stalling speed was rather higher than that of the Skua, but handling was better. However, if the turret was used over-exuberantly the air pressure system operating the fairings would run down, preventing full turret movement until pressure was restored. While L3059joined the A&AEE test programme, the second Roc, L3058, was used for turret tests.

The Admiralty thought Roc floatplanes could be used for fleet defence, so when handling trials were largely complete, in November 1939, L3057 and L3059 were fitted with floats at Dumbarton. Tests at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at Helensburgh showed that the floats degraded directional stability, and L3059 crashed on December 3. As a result L3057 was given a much deeper ventral fin. Although L3060 and L3074 were also converted, the poor performance was evident and further trials scheduled for June 1940 were cancelled. Even so, L3074 retained its floats and was used as a target tug in this form.

Rocs entered service in late 1939. They were never allotted their own squadrons, but were issued to existing Skua units to operate alongside their stablemates. Small numbers, typically three or four, were later operated by Nos 800, 801, 803 and 806 Sqns, FAA.

The first combat work undertaken by Rocs was with 803 Sqn, protecting the fleet anchorage at Scapa Flow. Early in the war this target was tempting for German bombers, and RAF fighter squadrons were not available, so 803 Sqn moved to Wick in October 1939.

The Roc’s shortcomings quickly became apparent. After October 18 the Luftwaffe rarely approached Scapa Flow, confining its attacks mainly to transport convoys and warships in the North Sea. Increasingly, 803 Sqn was called upon to deal with flying-boats shadowing warships of the Home Fleet, and civilian shipping under attack. The squadron was divided into sections of three, usually comprising two Skuas and one Roc. As the aircraft were frequently required at longer range, the Rocs were said by 803 Sqn’s CO, Lt-Cdr D.R.F. Cambell, to be “a constant hindrance” ‘ He described an occasion when the C-in-C of the Home Fleet requested fighter assistance 210 miles from Wick. Two sections were on standby but only the four Skuas could cover the distance, reducing the squadron’s strength by a third.

Blackburn was developing a long-range fuel tank for the Roc, but it was not ready for Service use. In January 1940 Cambell wrote to the Admiral Commanding Orkney and Shetlands, requesting that the four Rocs be replaced by Skuas, but was strongly opposed by the Naval Air Division (NAD) of the Admiralty, which was desperate to gain experience in tactics for the turret fighters. Even the C-in-C Home Fleet, Admiral Forbes, favoured 803 retaining Rocs.

Even Cambell said that the Roc could be considered “slightly superior” to the Skua. Forbes noted that with its “excellent multi-gun turret” the Roc was “more than slightly superior to the Skua; it offers the only chance of effective action against an enemy aircraft of equal or superior performance”. The concept still had quite a few supporters, Forbes, in a letter to the secretary of the Admiralty in February 1940, suggested that all future FAA fighters should be of the turret fighter type. Nevertheless, in March 1940 the Rocs were replaced by Skuas. It had been decided that all aircraft in the Scapa Flow area must have identification friend or foe (IFF) to avoid “friendly fire” incidents, but the Roc’s cockpit had no space for the equipment. So the Rocs had to be withdrawn from the region. Ironically, the Luftwaffe chose this moment for a concerted attack on the fleet anchorage, and in the ensuing five days of air raids a Roc made the type’s first combat claim, a Heinkel He 111 damaged.

On April 8 Germany invaded neutral Norway and the RN was hurriedly required to respond. The early strikes were carried out by Skuas, the only aircraft with the range and accuracy to attack targets in Norway. Both Glorious and Ark Royal were training their Swordfish squadrons in the Mediterranean, and their Skua and Roc units were disembarked. Furious left for the combat zone in such a hurry that 801 Sqn was left behind at Evanton. Therefore, until Glorious and Ark Royal returned, the FAA’s Rocs were unable to contribute.

A nonentity in Norway On April 20 Ark Royal and Glorious, under Vice-Admiral Wells, embarked their fighter squadrons and set out to join the Norway Campaign Task Force. Ark Royal’s fighter squadrons took Rocs as well as Skuas; 801 Sqn had three and 800 Sqn two. On Glorious, 803 Sqn was now exclusively a Skua unit, although it was the only squadron with any Roc combat experience.

Most missions in support of the ground forces needed every bit of the Skua’s endurance, so Rocs were limited to providing combat air patrols (CAP) over the task force. Roy Stevens, an 800 Sqn armourer, remarked: “When the Rocs were ranged, you knew there was a raid coming! “

Rocs had about twice the endurance of the Gloster Sea Gladiators with which they shared CAP duty, but while the Gladiators had the speed and rate of climb to make interceptions, Rocs struggled to catch even the slowest shadowing seaplanes. Furthermore, on the few occasions when a Roc was able to bring its guns to bear, lowering the fairings and swinging the four Brownings into the airflow usually reduced the hapless fighter’s speed enough to allow the prey to escape. The Rocs made little impact during the campaign, and one 800 Sqn armourer summed up their contribution to the Norwegian campaign as “bloody useless”.

The higher echelons in the RN pushed the squadrons hard to make the Roc work. But an almost symbiotic co-operation between pilot and gunner was required, as the latter had to tell the pilot where to place the aircraft. Pilots were often officers, and gunners were enlisted men, expected to speak only when spoken to. The Admiralty requested that a second-line squadron be tasked with investigating the best tactical use of the Roc, with particular emphasis on co-operation between the pilot and gunner. This job was given to 759 Sqn at Eastleigh, but it seems little was done before the Roc was withdrawn from service.

The fourth Skua and Roc squadron, 806, had been formed in February 1940 and blooded over Norway with a number of long range strike missions from Orkney, flying Skuas. The squadron transferred to RAF Coastal Command control and flew to Manston in May, and then to Detling, to help cover the Allied withdrawal from France. On May 29 two Skuas and a Roc flown by Midshipman Day, RNVR, with Naval Airman Newton as his gunner, were patrolling the French coast. They saw a gaggle of Junkers Ju 88s about to bomb some ships, intent on their targets and flying slowly. Performing as intended for once, the Roc drew alongside a Ju 88 and a broadside of Brownings sent the bomber crashing inflames. It was the only confirmed kill ever scored by a Roc.

On Wednesday 10 April 1940, 15 Blackburn Skua took-off from the aircraft carrier Furious to carry out their first successful dive-bomb attack. They made three direct 562-lb bomb hits on the light cruiser Konigsberg and sank it, losing only one plane.

At the end of May 806 Sqn was replaced at Detling by 801 Sqn, which then became the closest thing to a Roc squadron when it exchanged some of its Skuas for the Rocs from 800 and 806 Sqns. Endurance was less important over the Channel, so the Skuas were kept for the squadrons still fighting in Norway.

From early in the morning on June 2 numerous patrols were flown over the ships ferrying troops back from France, the Skuas and Rocs joining RAF Hudsons and Blenheims. On the following day therewere hardly any German aircraft over the Channel and the squadron Operations Records Book states: “Nothing to report”. The three Skuas and three Rocs patrolled at 4,000ft around the North Foreland and saw nothing; the evacuation was all but over. However, the Battle of France raged on and Channel convoys were now even more vulnerable. The Roc’s work was to continue.

The next mission for 801 Sqn, escorting convoys, did not take place unti1June 9. Similar missions were flown on the 11th and 12th, the convoys being hard to locate because of poor visibility. While part of the squadron searched in vain for convoys, the rest attacked E-boats in Boulogne Harbour.

At around 1235hr Skuas and Rocs dive-bombed the harbour where the E-boats were moored and strafed the boats themselves. On returning to Detling the flight commander suggested another attack with the addition of 201b bombs in Light Series carriers, so at 1525hr the Flight of five aircraft took off again. The E-boats had been moved across the harbour, but were no less vulnerable. The aircraft dropped three 2501b bombs and 40 x 201b bombs. One E-boat suffered several direct hits and two others were damaged.

More convoy and reconnaissance missions followed, plus further strikes against German positions. On June 20 four Skuas and five Rocs of 801 Sqn were despatched to bomb heavy gun emplacements for a large battery being installed at Cap Blanc Nez.

Apparently the lessons of the recent past had been learned (a disastrous attack on the Scharnhorst in Norway had taken place only the previous week), and fighter escort was on hand. At 1440hr the squadron attacked from the sea in line astern. Diving to 1,000ft before dropping their bombs, they caught the defences off guard, but by the time the third sub-flight had winged-over into the dive the anti-aircraft artillery batteries were firing. Sub- Lieutenant Day and Naval Airman Berry’s Roc was hit as it dived, and plunged into the sea wreathed in black smoke. The others scored four direct hits and a number of near misses.

Shortly afterwards 801 Sqn was released by Coastal Command and returned to Hatston. It soon re-equipped with Skuas, and the Roc’s front-line career ended. Various trials had not yet been completed, so swiftly did the end come. The second wave of floatplane trials was cancelled, and the long-range tank never saw Service use. In December 1940 the Admiralty decreed that trials on tactical use of the Roc were no longer required. The Roc had outlived its usefulness. It continued in second-line service as a target tug and gunnery trainer, and the last was phased out in 1943.

Blackburn B.24 Skua Recovery & Restoration Article

Gallery

Skua
Engine: 1 x Bristol Perseus XII, 905 hp
Span: 46 ft 2 in
Width folded: 15 ft 6 in
Height: 12 ft 6 in
Wing dihedral: 1.2
Undercarriage track: 9 ft 7 in
Empty weight: 5496 lb
Combat weight – fighter: 8105 lb
Combat weight-bomber: 8204 lb
Fuel capacity: 145 Imp.Gal
Max speed: 225 mph @ 6500 ft
Cruise speed: 187 mph
Econ cruise: 114 mph
ROC: 1580 fpm
Service ceiling: 20,200 ft
Endurance: 4 hr 20 min

B-24 Skua II
Engine: 1 x Bristol Perseus XII, 664kW, 878 hp
Max Take-Off Weight: 3732 kg / 8228 lb
Empty Weight: 2490 kg / 5490 lb
Wingspan: 14.07 m / 46 ft 2 in
Length: 10.85 m / 35 ft 7 in
Height: 3.81 m / 12 ft 6 in
Wing Area: 28.98 sq.m / 311.94 sq ft
Wing load: 26.45 lb/sq.ft / 129.0 kg/sq.m
Max. Speed: 195 kt / 362 km/h / 225 mph
Cruise Speed: 144 kt / 266 km/h / 165 mph
Service Ceiling: 6160 m / 20200 ft
Cruising altitude: 14993 ft / 4570 m
Range: 660 nm / 1223 km / 760 miles
Crew: 2
Armament: 5 x 7.7mm machine-guns, 340kg bombs