| Blenheim. Oh Dear!
The primary controls were excellent, ie. Flying controls, throttles, braking and instrumentation. Trouble was caused by the poor layout of the secondary controls: The pitch change controls were two push/pull plungers behind the pilot's left elbow, just below two identicalplungers for the carburretor cut-outs - the latter were soon guarded by a sprung flap! Like the throttles, they were red and green for port or starboard engine, but that wasn't much use at night, unless the pilot had colour sensitive elbows! The hydraulic system was controlled by three identical push/pull stirrup plungers down by the pilots right thigh - and the circuit had first to be energised from 'neutral' by selecting either 'Undercarriage and flaps' or 'turret' followed pushing or pulling the flaps or undercarriage selector up or down as needed. It was all too easy to retract the undercarriage rather than the flaps after landing, especially at night. Pilota had also to remember to first activate the control to provide pressure in the correct circuit before raising or lowering the wheels or flaps, or providing hydraulic power to the turret. If he didn't do this, nothing happened. Just imagine, wrong circuit selected, no turret supply and a Messerscmitt attacking!!!
The fuel cocks were on the right hand wall of the cockpit 'behind' the pilots right shoulder and difficult to reach from his seat. (As were the winders for the cowl gills) The fuel gauges were mounted in the roof behind his head! Good God!!! Hope this makes sense.
Ken |