Bristol Blenheim, Royal Air Force Medium
Bomber and was Bomber Command's fastest and most effective aircraft
and formed the mainstay of its offensive operations. Pressed into
numerous different roles the Blenheim had many successes, including
pioneering the first airborne interception radar for night fighting.
Even so, compared with the powerful machines of the Luftwaffe, it was
highly vulnerable and only achieved what it did as a result of the
extraordinary bravery and determination of its aircrews.
Dangerous Duty by Stan Stokes.Some
of those most dangerous missions of WW II were the low level shipping
attacks by Bristol Blenheims carried out against Axis shipping. These
missions were important in the early stages of the War in the
Mediterranean in terms of disrupting supply lines to Rommels troops
fighting in North Africa. It was not uncommon for the RAF to lose 10-30%
of the aircraft it sent on such missions.One of the most successful of the RAFs Blenheim pilots was Sir
Ivor Broom, who rose from the rank of Sergeant Pilot, completing three
combat tours, including thirty-one low level attacks while based on the
island of Malta. With all the officer pilots in his squadron either
killed or missing in action, Broom received his commission. Allied
interdiction efforts had become so successful that in October and
November of 1941 only 25% of the supplies destined to supply Rommels
armies in North Africa were getting through. The Germans decided to
reroute their supply ships, opting for taking a longer route, but one
which made Allied attacks much less likely. The Blenheimss of Brooms 107
Squadron had sufficient range to reach shipping targets off the Greek
coast, but this necessitated a long over water flight and precise
navigation. Brooms 43rd combat mission involved the attack on German
ships at anchor in the harbor at Argostoli which was on the island of
Cephalonia off the west coast of Greece. The ships there were forming a
convoy which would make the dash to Benghazi. Six Blenheims from 107 and
18 Squadrons took part in the raid. With Broom in the lead the six
attackers avoided the heavily armed coastal defenses by approaching the
harbor from an inland direction. This required some highly skilled low
level flying as they followed a road through a saddle in the hills. With
the advantage of surprise on their side the six attackers swept down on
the ships at anchor in the harbor at mast height. After releasing their
bomb load the group executed a sharp turn to starboard and a fast climb
up and over the hills to the west of the harbor. A-A fire greeted the
Blenheims as they made their escape, and two of the six aircraft fell
victim. This attack on December 13, 1941 is depicted in Stan Stokes
painting appropriately entitled Dangerous
Duty. The Bristol Blenheim, the most plentiful aircraft in the RAFs
inventory when WW II began, was designed by Frank Barnwell, and when
first flown in 1936 was unique with its all metal monoplane design
incorporating a retractable undercarriage, wing flaps, metal props, and
supercharged engines. A typical bomb load for a Blenheim was 1,000
pounds. In the early stages of the war Blenheims were used on many
daylight bombing missions. While great heroism was displayed by the air
crews, tremendous losses were sustained during these missions. The
Blenhiem was easy pickings at altitude for German Bf-109 fighters who
quickly learned to attack from below. To protect the vulnerable bellies
of the Blenheims many missions were shifted to low altitude, but this
increased the aircrafts exposure to anti-aircraft fire.
Blenheims Over Norfolk by Stephen Brown Bristol Blenheim IVs of 105 squadron returning at low level over
Norfolk, after one of many anti-shipping sorties carried out over the
North Sea in 1941. At the outbreak of the Second World War the
Bristol Blenheim was Bomber Command's fastest and most effective aircraft
and formed the mainstay of its offensive operations. Pressed into
numerous different roles the Blenheim had many successes, including
pioneering the first airborne interception radar for night fighting.
Even so, compared with the powerful machines of the Luftwaffe, it was
highly vulnerable and only achieved what it did as a result of the
extraordinary bravery and determination of its aircrews.
Blenheims Over Norfolk by Stephen Brown.
Bristol Blenheim IVs of 105 squadron returning at low level over Norfolk, after one of many anti-shipping sorties carried out over the North Sea in 1941. At the outbreak of the Second World War the Bristol Blenheim was Bomber Commands fastest and most effective aircraft and formed the mainstay of its offensive operations. Pressed into numerous different roles the Blenheim had many successes, including pioneering the first airborne interception radar for night fighting. Even so, compared with the powerful machines of the Luftwaffe, it was highly vulnerable and only achieved what it did as a result of the extraordinary bravery and determination of its aircrews.
Item Code : DHM2480
Blenheims Over Norfolk by Stephen Brown. - Editions Available
Image size 13.5 inches x 9 inches (34cm x 23cm) Paper size 17 inches x 14 inches (43cm x 36cm)
none
£60.00
Ltn. Hans-Ekkehard Bob of JG21 Becomes an Ace by Ivan Berryman.
Major Hans-Ekkehard Bob is shown claiming his 5th victory – a Blenheim – 60km west of Rotterdam on 26th June 1940. Bob went on to serve with JG.54, JG.51, JG.3, EJG2.2 and JV.44, scoring a total of 60 confirmed victories in the course of his Luftwaffe service. The Blenheim claimed as his 5th victory is likely to have been R3776 of No.110 Squadron, which was the only Blenheim recorded to have been lost participating in Operation Soest on that day - while another returned to base damaged and crash landed. The three crew of the Blenheim were all missing in action - P/O Cyril Ray Worboys, Sgt Gerald Patterson Gainsford and Sgt Kenneth Cooper.
Item Code : DHM1903
Ltn. Hans-Ekkehard Bob of JG21 Becomes an Ace by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVF of No.68 Squadron. The night-fighter squadron flew Blenheims from mid1941 to early 1942 before converting to Beaufighters. Aircraft WM-Z is shown in combat with a marauding Dornier Do17.
Item Code : B0295
Blenheim Mk.IVF of No.68 Sqn by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available
Published to mark the 50th anniversary of the first RAF bombing raid of the second world war, on the 4th of September 1939 by the Blenheims of 107, 110 and 139 squadrons.
Item Code : DHM5002
The First Blow by Gerald Coulson. - Editions Available
The Battle of Britian - 28th August 1940. The Battle of Britain is at its height but the threat of invasion is still a deadly reality. As the country waited, grim and expectant, for Hitlers Operation Sealion to be put into action, Blenheims of 105 Squadron make another strike against German troop barges assembling in the northern French port of Boulogne. Overhead, escorting Hurricanes of 501 Squadron engage in a savage tussle with Me109s of JG3 as the Luftwaffe pilots attempt to disperse the attacking British bombers. During the encounter three Me109s of JG3 were shot down for no British loss.
Item Code : DHM1906
Fear Nothing by Anthony Saunders. - Editions Available
Some of those most dangerous missions of WW II were the low level shipping attacks by Bristol Blenheims carried out against Axis shipping. These missions were important in the early stages of the War in the Mediterranean in terms of disrupting supply lines to Rommels troops fighting in North Africa. It was not uncommon for the RAF to lose 10-30% of the aircraft it sent on such missions. One of the most successful of the RAFs Blenheim pilots was Sir Ivor Broom, who rose from the rank of Sergeant Pilot, completing three combat tours, including thirty-one low level attacks while based on the island of Malta. With all the officer pilots in his squadron either killed or missing in action, Broom received his commission. Allied interdiction efforts had become so successful that in October and November of 1941 only 25% of the supplies destined to supply Rommels armies in North Africa were getting through. The Germans decided to reroute their supply ships, opting for taking a longer route, bu.........
Blenheim IVs of No 21 Squadron, here being attacked by Adolf Gallands Bf 109 on 21st June 1940. Galland claimed two Blenheims and a Spitfire that day before he, too, was shot down by the defending Spitfires of 303 Sqn.
Item Code : B0287
Tribute to the Blenheim Crews by Ivan Berryman. - Editions Available
Adolf Galland and his wingman Bruno Hegenauer break through the fighter escort of No. 303 Squadrons Spitfires to attack Blenheim bombers of No. 21 Squadron over northern France, 21 June 1941. In two missions that day Galland claimed two Blenheims and one Spitfire, survived a forced crash-landing, and later a parachute escape from his blazing Me109. That evening he learned he was to become the first recipient of the Knights Cross with oak leaves and swords - Germanys highest award for heroism.
Item Code : DHM2051
Most Memorable Day by Robert Taylor. - Editions Available
(matted)
