Blackburn B-37, B-45 and B-46 Firebrand

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

Contents

Type Description

• B-37 Firebrand F.Mk.I
• Single seat naval fighter to meet the requirements of Specification N.11/40. A low-winged, all-metal monoplane, aft of the cockpit the fuselage was an oval-shaped stressed-skin semi-monocoque, but forward it had a circular-section, tubular-steel frame that housed the 169-imperial-gallon main fuel tank and the 71-imperial-gallon auxiliary fuel tank behind the engine. The radiators for the neatly cowled Sabre engine were housed in wing-root extensions. The large wing consisted of a two-spar centre section with manually folded outer panels (with five degrees of dihedral) to allow more compact storage in the hangar decks of aircraft carriers. To increase lift and reduce landing speed the wing was fitted with large, hydraulically powered Fairey-Youngman flaps that extended to the edges of the Frise ailerons. The fixed armament of four 20 mm Hispano cannon was fitted in the outer wing panels with 200 rounds per gun. The fin and rudder were positioned forward of the elevator to ensure spin recovery and that the rudder would retain its effectiveness. The mainwheels of the conventional landing gear were mounted at the ends of the centre wing section and retracted inwards. The Firebrand was unusual in the fact that there was an airspeed gauge mounted outside of the cockpit so that during landing the pilot would not have to look down into the cockpit to take instrument readings. One 2,305 h.p. Napier Sabre III powerplant driving a 4-bladed Rotol propeller.

• B-37 Firebrand T.F.Mk.II
• Single seat naval torpedo strike fighter based on the F.Mk.I with the wing centre section widened by 1 foot 3.5 inches to make room for the torpedo on the centreline between the mainwheels.

• B-45 Firebrand T.F.Mk.III
• Single seat naval torpedo strike fighter to meet the requirements of Specification S.8/43. Based on the T.F.II, it featured a cut-down rear fuselage with a teardrop canopy. Most changes were related to the installation of the larger-diameter Centaurus engine, including air intakes for the carburetor and oil cooler in the wing-root extensions that formerly housed the engine's radiators. Spring-loaded trim tabs were also fitted to all control surfaces. One 2,400 h.p. Bristol Centaurus VII powerplant.

• B-46 Firebrand T.F.Mk.IV
• Based on the T.F.Mk.III, it featured larger tail surfaces for better low-speed control. The enlarged rudder was horn balanced and the vertical stabilizer was offset three degrees to port to counteract the four-bladed Rotol propeller's torque. The wings now featured hydraulically operated dive brakes on both upper and lower surfaces. The aircraft's wings were now stressed to carry one 2,000-pound bomb , a 45-imperial-gallon drop tank or eight RP-3 rockets under each wing. The frame that held the torpedo was connected to the undercarriage so that it pivoted nose-downward to increase ground clearance with the landing gear extended and pivoted upward to reduce drag while in flight. A 100-imperial-gallon fuel tank could be fitted on the centreline in lieu of the torpedo. One 2,520 h.p. Bristol Centaurus IX powerplant.

• B-46 Firebrand T.F.Mk.5
• T.F.Mk.IV with improved controls featuring larger aileron tabs and an aerodynamically balanced elevator.

• B-46 Firebrand T.F.Mk.5A
• T.F.Mk.IV and TF.Mk.5 modified with hydraulically boosted aileron controls.

Projected Variants

B-41
• Single seat fighter for the RAF based on the B-37 Firebrand F.Mk.I.

B-42
• Type B-37 with a high lift wing.

B-43
• Single seat twin float seaplane fighter based on the B-37 Firebrand F.Mk.I.

Production Details

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.
2. Built as TF.Mk.IV but converted to TF.5 before delivery.

Production References

1. Blackburn Aircraft Since 1909, A.J. Jackson (Putnam, 1968 and 1989)
2. Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945, Ray Sturtivant with Mick Burrows (Air Britain Publications, 1995)
3. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946, Ray Sturtivant with Mick Burrows and Lee Howard (Air Britain Publications, 2004)
4. RAF Air Historical Branch: Contract Delivery Cards (Dept of Archive and Aviation Records, RAF Museum, Hendon, Records MFC78-8-1)