Blackburn Baffin Mk.I

Blackburn Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1932 · bomber

The Blackburn Baffin was a British carrier-borne torpedo bomber biplane that served with the Fleet Air Arm in the early 1930s as a replacement for the Blackburn Ripon. It introduced a reliable air-cooled radial engine in place of the Ripon's water-cooled unit.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Large single-engine biplane with torpedo or bomb load under fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

FAA torpedo bomber biplane succeeding the Ripon
Bristol Pegasus radial engine replacing water-cooled Napier Lion
Large single-engine biplane with torpedo or bomb load under fuselage

A large equal-span biplane with an uncowled radial engine, fixed divided undercarriage with large mainwheels, and provision for a torpedo under the fuselage — typical of FAA torpedo bomber biplanes of the era.

Specifications

The Blackburn Baffin Mk.I has a length of 11.66 m (38 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.67 m (45 ft).
Its maximum speed is 219 km/h (136 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Entering service in 1934, the Baffin equipped several Fleet Air Arm torpedo squadrons and also saw export service with New Zealand. It was an interim type, soon replaced by the more modern Shark, but gave useful service during the transition period.

Variants

The Baffin Mk.I was the main production variant; the New Zealand Air Force operated export examples.

Where you'll see it

Served with Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm torpedo squadrons and the Royal New Zealand Air Force; phased out by the late 1930s.

Related aircraft

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