Blackburn L.1 Bluebird
Blackburn · United Kingdom · first flew 1924 · light aircraft
The Blackburn L.1 Bluebird was a British single-engined biplane light trainer and tourer with side-by-side seating, built in small numbers by Blackburn Aircraft in the 1920s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.86 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wooden single-bay biplane with folding wings
- Single side-by-side cockpit for two
- Armstrong Siddeley Genet five-cylinder radial engine
A small wooden biplane with a single wide cockpit seating two side by side and wings that fold.
Specifications
- The Blackburn L.1 Bluebird has a length of 6.86 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.53 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 142 km/h (88 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed for the 1924 Lympne light aircraft trials with a Blackburne Thrush engine and first flew in 1924, but engine problems stopped it competing. It was later fitted with an Armstrong Siddeley Genet engine for the 1926 competition.
Variants
The L.1 Bluebird I was the prototype, the L.1A Bluebird II had an 80 hp Genet II with 13 built, and the L.1B Bluebird III had a modified internal structure. The Bluebird formed the basis of the all-metal Blackburn Bluebird IV.
Where you'll see it
The wooden Bluebirds were used mainly by flying clubs, and several were quickly written off. The Bluebird won the 1926 Grosvenor Cup air race, and the last wooden example was destroyed in a firefighting demonstration in 1937.
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- Blackburn Turcock
- Blackburn Beagle
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- Albatros L.66
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