Blenheim Production Marks and Operators
Production began with the Blenheim Mk.I and this carried a crew of three with 2 x Bristol Mercury VIII series radial piston engines of 840 horsepower each. Armament included a 7.7mm machine gun fixed to the port side wing mainplane and a 7.7mm (Vickers K) machine gun at a dorsal turret emplacement. Internally the aircraft could haul a war load of 1,000lb. Production resulted in 1,552 units built to the standard.
The Blenheim Mk.IF followed and this was evolved along the lines of a night fighter. Even as the original Mk.I bomber was being introduced back in 1937, the design was already losing out to newer aircraft - it carried an inadequate bombload for its role as a bomber and lacked the offensive punch to be considered a useful heavy fighter. As such it was outfitted with AI Mk.III or Mk.IV series radar and had its armament improved to 4 x 7.7mm machine guns all fitted to a ventral gun pack. A stock of about 200 Blenheim Mk.I bombers were converted for the night fighter role featuring this equipment. The aircraft were in action before the end of 1940 but were nothing more than interim night fighters at best.
The Blenheim Mk.II was developed as a long-range reconnaissance platform and given extra fuel stores as a result. However this mark was not adopted for serial production and only one example was ever completed.
The Blenheim Mk.IV was introduced as an upgraded model and featured 2 x Bristol Mercury XV radial piston engines of 905 horsepower each as well as the definitive lengthened, stepped nose section. The 7.7mm machine gun in the port side wing was retained but two 7.7mm machine guns now adorned the dorsal turret. A pair of remotely-controlled 7.7mm machine guns were fitted just under the nose (though sometimes a single gun was installed), rear-facing to engaging an potential trailing enemies. Armor protection was added to increase crew and aircraft survivability. The crew numbered three. The bomb load remained 1,000lb while an externally-carrying capability (eight hardpoints) could add 320lb more. 3,307 of this mark were produced making it the definitive variant of the series.
Performance for the Mk.IV included a maximum speed of 266 miles per hour, a cruising speed of 200 miles per hour, a range out to 1,460 miles and a service ceiling of 27,260 feet.
Introduced into service with the RAF in 1939, the Mk.IV form quickly superseded the once-highly-touted Mk.I series models.
The Blenheim Mk.IVF became a long-range heavy fighter and was armed similarly to the Mk.IF night fighter (4 x 7.7mm machine guns to a ventral gun pack). Mk.IV models served as the basis and were modified to the Mk.IFV standard through 60 examples.
The Blenheim Mk.V became the final production form of this aircraft series and was used in the high-altitude bomber role. Power came from a pair of Bristol Mercury XV or XXV series radial piston engines.
Operators of the Blenheim (beyond the UK) included Australia, Canada, China, Croatia, Finland, France, Greece, India, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Turkey and Yugoslavia.
In all, 4,422 Bristol Blenheims of all marks were produced including 44 from Yugoslav factories (by Ikarus) and 55 by Finland. Canadian factories (Bristol Fairchild) outputted 626 of the related "Bolingbroke" bombers from 1939 to 1943. The final frontline aircraft was not retired until 1956 by the Finns. The Bristol Beaufort (introduced in 1939) was an off-shoot of the Blenheim and 1,821 were produced in the UK and Australia.
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