Blackburn Roc
Blackburn Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1938 · fighter
The Blackburn Roc was a British two-seat carrier-based turret fighter intended to defend Fleet Air Arm formations with a Boulton Paul power-operated turret, but its fixed undercarriage and inadequate speed made it operationally useless as a fighter.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.85 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Boulton Paul four-gun turret behind the pilot replacing forward armament
- Fixed undercarriage with large wheel fairings — derived from Skua
- Single Bristol Perseus radial with long slender nose
Virtually identical to the Blackburn Skua in planform but distinguished by the prominent dorsal turret immediately behind the pilot's cockpit and the absence of any forward-firing armament; fixed undercarriage with large wheel spats.
Specifications
- The Blackburn Roc has a length of 10.85 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.02 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 359 km/h (223 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Based on the Blackburn Skua dive bomber, the Roc replaced all forward-firing armament with a four-gun Boulton Paul turret, reflecting the then-fashionable theory that deflection shooting from turrets would replace traditional fighter tactics. Its top speed was lower than most of the bombers it was meant to defend against, and it saw no meaningful aerial combat.
Variants
Only one production variant was built; a floatplane conversion was tested but did not enter service.
Where you'll see it
Served briefly with several Fleet Air Arm squadrons in 1940 before being relegated to training; it participated in some ground-attack sorties during the Norwegian campaign but never engaged enemy aircraft successfully.
Related aircraft
- Blackburn Botha
- Blackburn Skua
- Blackburn Shark
- Blackburn B-2
- Arado Ar 198
- Avia B.35
- Bloch MB.152 C1
- Breguet 690
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