Blackburn Mercury

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Mercury
Type Trainer
Manufacturer Blackburn Aeroplane Company
Designed by Robert Blackburn
Maiden flight 17 May 1911
Number built 9
Developed from Blackburn Second Monoplane

The Blackburn Mercury was an early British aircraft designed as a pilot trainer for the Blackburn Flying School in 1911. It was an enlarged, two-seat version of the Blackburn Second Monoplane that flew earlier that year. It was a mid-wing monoplane of conventional configuration that accommodated pilot and student in tandem, open cockpits.

This prototype was displayed at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1911 and led to orders being placed for two racers to participate in the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain race. The first of these crashed on take-off, and the second was eventually rebuilt into a two-seat trainer under the designation Type B. Another six Mercuries were built for various private buyers.

A full-scale non-flying replica of Mercury II configuration was constructed for the Yorkshire Television series Flambards and is now displayed at the Yorkshire Air Museum.


Contents

[edit] Variants

  • Mercury I - two-seat prototype powered by Isaacson engine (1 built)
  • Mercury II - single-seat racer version with Gnome rotary engine (2 built)
    • Type B - one Mercury II converted to two-seat trainer
  • Mercury III or Mercury Passenger Type - (6 built) two seaters powered by a variety of Isaacson, Gnome, and Anzani engines


[edit] Specifications (Mercury I)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2, pilot and student
  • Length: 33 ft (10.06)
  • Wingspan: 38 ft 4 in (11.69)
  • Height: 6 ft 9 in (2.06)
  • Wing area: 288 (26.8)
  • Loaded weight: 1,000 lb (450 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1× Isaacson seven cylinder air cooled radial engine, 50 hp (37 kW)

Performance


[edit] References


[edit] See also

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