Pictures of Bristol Blenheim's only

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by NickFenton, Aug 29, 2012.

  1. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Blenheim IV L4835 - 17 OTU lost 14 December 1940, crashed Clee Hill, 6 miles E of Ludlow, Shropshire in bad visibility on a navigation exercise. Crew Sgt. I. Curror, Sgt. A. Secker RNZAF and Sgt. J. Pinchard killed. [​IMG]
     
  2. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Some superb pictures up there (where were they taken?), and I got to see the ARC Blenheim at Duxford during Flying Legends, and contributed a tiny bit to its restoration. Good luck to them.

    Now having said that, I think that the Blenheim soldiered on for too long, and this did cost the RAF a lot of crews that might have survived in a more modern plane, flying missions which were not as beneficial as they would have been if a more modern plane had flown them. The amount of ordnance the Blenheim could deliver was puny by 1941 standards, and the speed was lacking.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
  3. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]

    A Line-up of Bristol Blenheim Mk 1F's at Singapore in April 1941.
     
  4. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

  5. NickFenton

    NickFenton Well-Known Member

    Well done guys,

    David, is that second picture Bicester? I think l recognise the hanger in the back ground and it would therefore be 13 OTU.

    Following the Battle for France where the Blenheim suffered severe losses, in May 1940 the Senior Officer Commanding Bomber Command, Charles Portal, said “I am convinced that the proposed use of these Blenheim units is fundamentally unsound and that if it is persisted in it is likely to have disastrous consequences on the future of the war in the air”

    But as has been demonstrated above, the pilots had a great affection for them and their dedication earned them a great deal of respect from their peers in the RAF.

    Regards,

    Nick
     
  6. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    [​IMG]

    Photo taken RAF Wattisham.

    Blenheim IV R3600.
    No.110 Squadron
    Lost 6 May 1941

    Shot down by flak during an anti-shipping strike

    Crew.

    F/L. E. Steel. NZ +
    F/S. R. Freestone +
    Sgt. J. Bramhall +
     
  7. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    [​IMG]

    An unidentified Blenheim IV of RAF Coastal Command undergoing maintenance work.
     
  8. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    [​IMG]
    http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/561770-4/blenheim_catturato_pantelleria
    This Bristol Blenheim MK,IV, N3589, flying directly from Great Britain to Malta, September, 13th 1940 land for mistake and lacking of fuel on airport of Pantelleria's island.
    Italian Forces - Captured Blenheim


    [​IMG]

    Some Blenheims with unusual outfits!
     
  9. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

  10. Clint_NZ

    Clint_NZ Member

    When you read about the anti-shipping strikes the Blenheim crews took part in....bloody dangerous!!!
     
  11. Marco

    Marco Senior Member

    Flying Legends 1994.

    Regards,

    Marco
     

    Attached Files:

  12. londoner

    londoner Member

    These are photos of 113 Squadron Blenheims at Asanol. They were purchased by me from the IWM but as my father was the squadron photographer at the time I'll take the chance on posting them, I will understand if the mods see fit to remove them. David
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Driver-op

    Driver-op WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Not much to add apart from before joining the army I was with 12F Walthamstow Squardon ATC, and we were attached to North Weald airfield, Essex. There were Hurricanes and Blenheims which we were allowed to look all over, so they have been my favourites ever since. Oh, haapy days.

    Jim
     
  14. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    These are photos of 113 Squadron Blenheims at Asanol. They were purchased by me from the IWM but as my father was the squadron photographer at the time I'll take the chance on posting them, I will understand if the mods see fit to remove them. David

    David

    Was your father with them in North Africa already? What's the plane in the foreground in the first picture?

    All the best

    Andreas
     
  15. londoner

    londoner Member

    Andreas,

    No sorry, father joined 113 at Asansol in August 1942 having travelled to India from the UK with 82 Squadron.

    The first picture is captioned by the IWM “Blenheim taxiing at Asansol Oct-Nov-Dec 1942” and as the engines are running I think they mean the plane in the foreground. I had not really studied the image but now I have I can see why you are asking with the unusual nose, cockpit glass and rear facing gun; the engines and the rest of the configuration look correct though.

    Perhaps one of the experts on here can tell us what it is?

    In North Africa I did have one uncle (army intelligence), another uncle in the RAPC and my wife’s father was a driver there (Sherwood Rangers I think and if that would be possible). My wife’s father was wounded twice in North Africa and the second wound was a major contributory factor in his death some 30 years after the war finished.

    I have been waiting some 10 months for the records of the uncle in the RAPC, why him you might ask. Well to do with family history and his unusual personal life which led to his death in 1945.

    Kind regards, David
     
  16. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Hi David

    Thanks for the response! 113 Squadron was issued cannon-armed Blenheims for improved strafing prior to CRUSADER, so maybe it is one of those?

    All the best

    Andreas
     
  17. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

  18. David Layne

    David Layne Well-Known Member

  19. Vitesse

    Vitesse Senior Member

    A long shot - in more ways than one - but can anyone suggest where this picture of a Blenheim and an Anson might have been taken? The photo dates from July 1945 and - circumstantially - it's somewhere not far north of London, possibly near Cockfosters.

    [​IMG]
     
  20. chick42-46

    chick42-46 Senior Member

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