| White Falcon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | personal transport |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co. Ltd |
| First flight | 1915-6 |
| Number built | 1 |
The Blackburn White Falcon was a two-seat single-engine monoplane built as a personal transport for Blackburn's test pilot during the First World War. Only one was built.
The White Falcon [1] was built by Blackburn during 1915 for the personal use of their chief test pilot, W. Rowland Ding. It was a mid-wing, wire-braced monoplane with open cockpits for pilot and passenger, powered by an uncowled 100 hp (75 kW) Anzani radial engine driving a four-blade 9 ft (2.74 m) diameter propeller. The wings were of parallel chord and generally like those of the Improved Type I, though 1 ft (31 cm) greater in span, similarly wire braced to an inverted V kingpost and to the undercarriage. The wing warping wires also ran via the kingpost. The White Falcon initially used a standard B.E.2c undercarriage (Blackburn was one company manufacturing these aircraft during the war) but this was replaced later with a simpler structure without skids. [1]
The fuselage was a standard Blackburn Warren girder structure, though of square rather than the company's previously favoured triangular cross-section. The decking was rounded. While the tailplane was like that of the Improved Type I, the fin and rudder formed a neat triangular shape with a vertical trailing edge. [1]
The first flight date is not known nor is there much information on its use. It has been suggested [2] that it was used by Ding to communicate with RNAS stations that had received Blackburn built B.E.2c machines, and to collect their delivery pilots. In the winter of 1916-17 it wore RAF roundels but no serial number. Rowland Ding died in a B.E.2c crash in Leeds on 12 May 1917. [1]
Data from Jackson 1968, pp. 104
General characteristics
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