Blackburn: B-20
Note: This is a sub-section of Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co
Type
- Prototype Flying Boat.
Designer
Manufacturers
Number produced
- 1
Engines
- 2 x Rolls-Royce Engines: Vulture 24-cylinder X-type engines, 1,720 hp (1,280 kW) each.
The Blackburn B-20 was an experimental aircraft, first flying in 1940, that attempted to drastically increase the performance of flying boat designs. Blackburn Aircraft undertook an independent design study based on a patent filed by their chief designer, John Douglas Rennie for a retractable pontoon float that formed the planing hull.
The B-20 was an attempt to combine the best features of both the flying boat and the floatplane. While on the water, the B-20 was essentially a floatplane, using a large float under the fuselage for buoyancy, and two smaller floats near the wing tips for stability. In flight, the main float retracted towards the fuselage, fitting into a "notch" to become streamlined as a part of the fuselage. The wing floats folded outward to become the wing tips. This configuration gave the correct wing incidence for take-off and for flight and in the latter a much reduced drag compared to the deep hulls of flying boats.
See Also
Sources of Information