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Blackburn B-26 Botha

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For a description of the format and data included in Production Tables, see here.

Contents

Type Description
Projected Variants

Type Description

  • B-26 Botha I
  • Four-seat high-wing monoplane reconnaissance/torpedo bomber and crew trainer to Specification M.15/35 to meet the requirements of OR.22 and later G.10/36 (OR.38). It was of all metal construction and flush riveted throughout.The aircraft would carry four crew (pilot, wireless operator, navigator and gunner) and it was armed with a fixed forward firing .303 in Vickers machine gun together with two .303 in Lewis Mk.III guns mounted in a power-operated Frazer-Nash dorsal turret. Offensive stores also included one 18-inch torpedo, or up to 2,000lb of bombs. Two 880 h.p. Bristol Perseus X (later 930 h.p. Bristol Perseus XA) powerplants driving 3-bladed de Havilland Hydromatic Type 5/11 constant-speed propellers.
    Proposed production by Boulton Paul Aircraft to Specification 39/36 and 45/36 was not proceded with.

B-26 Botha I Specification
Span Length Height Wing Area Empty Wt Max AUW Cruise Speed Maximum Speed Range Service Ceiling
59 ft 51 ft 1 in 14 ft 7.5 in 518 sq ft 12036 lb 18450 lb 212 mph/ 184 kn 220 mph/ 191 kn 1270 mi 18400 ft
17.98 m 15.57 m 4.46 m 48.12 m2 5459 kg 8369 kg 341 km/h 354 km/h 2044 km 5608 m

  • B-26 Botha T.T.Mk.I
  • Target tug variant: Botha I converted with winch gear in place of the rear turret.

Projected Variants

  • B-27 Botha II
  • Similar to Botha I but fitted with two 1400 h.p. Bristol Hercules III powerplants.

Production Details

Serial Range C/n Batch
Qty		 Conv. Canc'd Notes
 242 aircraft ordered from The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd, Brough, Yorkshire, to Contract 563935/36, Requisition 127/36. Delivered between March 1939 and March 1941.
 L6104 - L6128  7860/1-7860/25  25      
 L6129 - L6153  7862/1-7862/25  25      
 L6154 - L6203  7864/1-7864/50  50      
 L6204 - L6253  7866/1-7866/50  50      
 L6254 - L6303  7868/1-7868/50  50      
 L6304 - L6345  7870/1-7870/42  42      
 244 aircraft ordered from The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd, Brough, Yorkshire, to Contract 583994/36, Requisition 152/E1/36, and built at Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire. 200 Delivered
 between October 1939 and June 1941, remainder cancelled.
 L6347 - L6371  Dumbarton Works Order 13  25      
 L6372 - L6396  Dumbarton Works Order 15  25      
 L6397 - L6421  Dumbarton Works Order 17  25      
 L6422 - L6446  Dumbarton Works Order 19  25      
 L6447 - L6471  Dumbarton Works Order 21  25      
 L6472 - L6496  Dumbarton Works Order 23  25      
 L6497 - L6521  Dumbarton Works Order 25  25      
 L6522 - L6546  Dumbarton Works Order 27  25      
 L6547 - L6590        44  
 270 aircraft ordered from The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd, Brough, Yorkshire, to Contract B69254/40, Requisition 1/E1/39. 138 delivered between March 1941 and June 1942,
 remainder cancelled.
 W5017 - W5056  3240/1-3240/40  40      
 W5065 - W5114  3241/1-3240/90  50      W5094, W5098 - W5101, W5104 - W5105 converted to T.T.Mk.1.
 W5118 - W5157  3291/1-3240/130  40      W5143 converted to T.T.Mk.1.
 W5162 - W5169  3240/131-3240/138  8      
 W5170 - W5211        42  
 W5216 - W5235        20  
 W5239 - W5288        50  
 W5296 - W5315        20  
 150 aircraft ordered from The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd, Brough, Yorkshire, to Contract B.78771/40, to be built at Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire. Cancelled.
 W7247 - W7296        50  
 W7300 - W7339        40  
 W7343 - W7362        20  
 W7368 - W7379        12  
 W7382 - W7409        28  
 200 aircraft ordered from The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd, Brough, Yorkshire, to Contract B.69254/40. Cancelled.
 W9396 - W9415        20  
 W9434 - W9463        30  
 W9496- W9545        50  
 W9558 - W9597        40  
 W9646 - W9665        20  
 W9702 - W9741        40  
 150 aircraft ordered from The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd, Brough, Yorkshire, to Contract B.78771/40, to be built at Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire. Cancelled.
 W9748 - W9772        25  
 W9821 - W9855        35  
 W9880 - W9899        20  
 W9936 - W9975        40  
 X1000 - X1029        30  
Total Production 580 676

Production Summary

All Aircraft By Type
Type Built New Conv Canc'd Total
 B.26 Botha I 580 676 1256
 B.26 Botha T.T.Mk.1 (8) 8
580 (8) 676
Air Ministry Contracts Associated With Botha Production
Contract Requisition Total
563935/36 127/36 242
583994/36 152/E1/36 200
B.69254/40 1/E1/39 138
B.78771/40 0
B.69254/40. 0
B.78771/40 0

Notes

  1. Blackburn used a series of Works Order Numbers rather than Constructors Numbers to identify individual airframes, but referred to here as C/n's for consistency.

Production References

  1. Blackburn Aircraft Since 1909, A.J. Jackson (Putnam, 1968 and 1989)
  2. Air Britain RAF Aircraft Register Series, Various Volumes (Air-Britain Publications)
  3. RAF Air Historical Branch: Contract Delivery Cards (Dept of Archive and Aviation Records, RAF Museum, Hendon, Records MFC78-8-1)
  4. RAF Air Historical Branch: RAF Aircraft Movement Card (A.M. Form 78) (Dept of Archive and Aviation Records, RAF Museum, Hendon, Records MFC-77-15-23)

Page Revision History

Revised at Version 2.1.0
  • Added Air Ministry Contracts Table.
  • Contract 583994/36: Contract and built quantities corrected - values transposed.
Revised at Version 2.0.0
  • Improved Type Description and added Specification details
  • Added Requisition Numbers.