| mike1204, e-mail, 06.06.2009 18:01 The White Falcon was built by Blackburn during 1915 for the personal use of their test pilot, W. Rowland Dring. It was a mid-wing, wire braced monoplane with open cockpits for pilot and passenger, powered by an uncowled 100 hp (75 kW) Anzani radial engine driving a four-blade 9 ft (2.74 m) diameter propeller. The wings were of parallel chord and generally like those of the Improved Type I, though 1 ft (31 cm) greater in span, similarly wire braced to an inverted 'V' kingpost and to the undercarriage. The wing warping wires also ran via the kingpost. The White Falcon initially used a standard B.E.2c undercarriage (Blackburn's were one company manufacturing these aircraft during the war) but this was replaced later with a simpler structure without skids.
The fuselage was a standard Blackburn Warren girder structure, though of square rather than the company's previously favoured triangular cross-section. The decking was rounded. While the tailplane was like that of the Improved Type I, the fin and rudder formed a neat triangular shape with a vertical trailing edge.
The first flight date is not known nor is there much information on its use. It has been suggested that it was used by Dring to communicate with RNAS stations that had received Blackburn built B.E.2c machines, and to collect their delivery pilots. In the winter of 1916-17 it wore RAF roundels but no serial number. Rowland Dring died in a B.E.2c crash in Leeds on 12 May 1917.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Capacity: pilot and one passenger
Length: 26 ft 11¼ in (8.21 m)
Wingspan: 39 ft 6 in (12.04 m)
Wing area: 209 sq ft (19.4 m²)
Powerplant: one 10-cylinder Anzani radial, 100 hp (75 kW)
Hope that helps, Martin reply |
