ndicki " What Blenheim MkIV is this one with the lower front ball turret"

[rcafmad]

I found this picture in the reference aircraft on a local " Nanton Air Museum" Website. Also they show in their reference aircraft that the "Bolingbroke" was the Canadian built version of the Blenheim MkIV. It was used Canada for training purposes and shore patrol but never saw action. The picture is of a Blenheim. The Bolingbroke just an add-on.



I hope the picture is clear enough.

[ndicki]

That's a mid/late production aircraft, or an early production one that's been upgraded. The chin turret here carries twin belt-fed rearward-firing Brownings. The original chin turret was of plexiglass with a single rearward-firing Browning. The early aircraft also had one single Vickers VGO Type-K gun in the upper turret, replaced by twin belt-fed Brownings in the later type, as in your photo. The upper turret was upgraded from mid-1940 or so, and the chin turret from around mid-1941 as far as I can tell. I can't say with absolute precision, but judging from photos, that's about correct. One source gives a profile with a late-pattern chin turret as early as July 1940, but I'm not convinced. In any case, the other aircraft of which I've seen photos from that period either have the plexiglass turret, or none at all; the chin turret was not systematically fitted, far from it.

This aircraft is V6083 FV-B of No.13 OTU, which was built by Rootes at Speke - it's quite well known because it was photographed nicely!

[rcafmad]

The Blenheim played a part in the Great Escape. On July 6,1940, a Blemheim MkIV -L WV was hit by flak over France and crashed landed. The crew was taken prisoner. The P/O of the aircraft was Barry Davidson from Calgary.

James Garner played his character in the movie version of the Great Escape. P/O Barry Davidson was "The Scrounger"

The restored Blenheim MkIV was dedicated in his memory and carries his aircraft letters L WV

There is information and pictures of P/O Barry Davidson. "The Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum"

[ndicki]

Interesting! I remember the film well for having seen it tens of times...