Wartime Shark

[ClaudioN]

Looking into the Flight pdf archive I came across this picture of a Blackburn Shark:

https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1940/1940%20-%202216.html

Some details are intriguing:

- aircraft captioned as "Pegasus-engined Blackburn Shark", but the crankcase looks more like a Tiger engine to me

- three-bladed propeller and enclosed cockpit

- same shape long-chord engine cowling as the Mk. I and Mk. II

could it be a Mark III ? As far as I can find out, diameter of the Pegasus was wider than the Tiger engine, would it fit the same cowling?

Markings are also interesting:

- single-letter 'F' on cowling and, seemingly, full code 'W4F' on top wing undersides

- aircraft standing next in the line also shows a single letter 'F'

'W4' would point to No. 753 Sqn., Lee-on-Solent, with K8518 as a possible identity. However, as the second Shark is also coded 'F' I am wondering whether what happened is just a chance meeting of same-coded aircraft from different units, or the common code meant something else.

Any help?

Claudio

[modelldoc]

FROG had this otion in the box:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16782797134/in/dateposted/

modelldoc

[Graham Boak]

A quick look in the Putnam suggests that only a few Mk.IIIs were fitted with the Pegasus, which did indeed require and have a shorter and wider cowling. The book doesn't specifically say that the Mk.III had the Pegasus, other than specific experimental examples, but does list the differences from the Mk.II without specifying any engine change. However, it does list the Mk.II as having either the Tiger or the Pegasus. I can't help but feel this is wrong: a change of engine would normally result in a change of Mark Number. Perhaps it was offered with both but only the Tiger was used in production. A photo in Sturtivant's FAA Aircraft does show a Mk.III with this same long "Tiger" cowling.

Sturtivant's books are not a lot of help, other than quoting F for L2359 of 755 Sq. A photo of a 755 Sq. Seamew does show the code carried in front of the cockpit, if that's any guide. This would be countered by the code W4F, but carriage on the upper wing would be unusual - and why do you say "seemingly"?

Edited September 20, 2015 by Graham Boak

[ClaudioN]

A quick look in the Putnam suggests that only a few Mk.IIIs were fitted with the Pegasus, which did indeed require and have a shorter and wider cowling. The book doesn't specifically say that the Mk.III had the Pegasus, other than specific experimental examples, but does list the differences from the Mk.II without specifying any engine change. However, it does list the Mk.II as having either the Tiger or the Pegasus. I can't help but feel this is wrong: a change of engine would normally result in a change of Mark Number. Perhaps it was offered with both but only the Tiger was used in production. A photo in Sturtivant's FAA Aircraft does show a Mk.III with this same long "Tiger" cowling.

Sturtivant's books are not a lot of help, other than quoting F for L2359 of 755 Sq. A photo of a 755 Sq. Seamew does show the code carried in front of the cockpit, if that's any guide. This would be countered by the code W4F, but carriage on the upper wing would be unusual - and why do you say "seemingly"?

Graham,

thank you for your reply. I think you're right suggesting that both engines were offered. All I could find in this regard is the page of a Czech site:

http://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/109970

Looking into Sturtivant, K4882 was in fact a pre-production Shark Mk.II with a test installation of the Pegasus engine. The second picture in the web page is of Canadian Shark serial 508. As Canada first purchased seven Shark Mk.IIs direct from Britain, this appears to be the first production Canadian Shark Mk.III.

In both cases, it looks as if the engine and narrow-chord cowling ring had just been taken off a Swordfish and bolted onto the Shark. Canadian machines after 508 also had the same engine/cowling layout:

http://www.airmuseum.ca/mag/exag0110.html

What still leaves me some doubt is that Sturtivant clearly indicates the 760-hp Pegasus IIIM3 as the engine for the 95 Shark Mk.IIIs ordered (which is, indeed, a change of Mark number from the Mk.II). Yet, pictures of long-chord cowlings on aircraft whose serial qualifies them as Mk.IIIs abound.

Maybe, by the time the FAA Mk.IIIs were produced, priority for the Pegasus was given to Swordfish and the Tiger was retained?

As for the code, 'W4' is clearly visible on the upper wing underside. This is not unusual, rather it is the FAA specified position. I say 'seemingly W4F' because what I can see of the individual code is just a vertical bar, so I can only assume it to be 'F', to tie in with the fuselage code. The fact that the second machine also wears 'F', however, does little to support the assumption. Pre-war, 753 Sqn. had carried large 'W4x' codes on the fuselage in front of the roundel, but there seems to be no fuselage code in the picture, other than the single letter on the cowling.

I am aware 755 Sqn. carried nose codes, but I've found no Sharks with this unit.

Best regards

Claudio

Edited September 20, 2015 by ClaudioN

[Graham Boak]

OK, I misread that as the wing uppersurfaces, hence my comment.

I doubt that the Pegasus engine and cowl were actually taken from Swordfish, but likely were the same assembly delivered from Bristol as a unit. This is described as an 800hp unit: the Tiger was 760hp which is an indication that RS blinked...

Looking at the other references quoted in the Czech link, neither specifically state that the Pegasus engine was fitted to the Mk.III (Naval Aircraft simply states the Tiger). There are references to the Mk.IIs being modified to the Mk.III standard, which would be more significant if it involved an engine change. The drawing in the Czech link is also seen in both Putnam references, and shows a Tiger-cowlinged Mk.III.

Sturtivant (FAA Squadrons) states that 755 Sq was formed with Sharks and gives the example above. There are others in his FAA Aircraft.

[dogsbody]

Most of the Canadian-built Shark III's were fitted with the Peggy. In Canada's Wings Vol.1 The Blachburn Shark, it states that Blackburn were not happy with the Tiger engine as it was quite troublesome and suggested to the Air Ministry that production should switch to the Pegasus. The AM said no, as they had already paid for the Tigers and that's what they would use. Canada, with it's small budget, decided to follow Blackburns chief designer, Major F.A. Bumpus' suggestion and switched over to the Pegasus, as this engine was also being used on the Stranraer.

Chris

[ClaudioN]

Most of the Canadian-built Shark III's were fitted with the Peggy. In Canada's Wings Vol.1 The Blachburn Shark, it states that Blackburn were not happy with the Tiger engine as it was quite troublesome and suggested to the Air Ministry that production should switch to the Pegasus. The AM said no, as they had already paid for the Tigers and that's what they would use. Canada, with it's small budget, decided to follow Blackburns chief designer, Major F.A. Bumpus' suggestion and switched over to the Pegasus, as this engine was also being used on the Stranraer.

Chris

Chris,

thank you! Hopefully, this finally solves the puzzle.

Claudio

[ClaudioN]

Bump...

Did a bit of research myself. The Flight magazine picture was almost certainly taken when the King visited Lee-on-Solent in July 1940. If so, then the unit is definitely No. 753 Sqn. (a similar photo shows the King in front of a No. 765 Sqn. dual-control Swordfish floatplane).

By the way, both squadrons were dispersed shortly after, following a Luftwaffe bombing attack. 765 moved to Sandbanks and 753 to Arbroath.

The white 'F' still escapes identification, but I am thinking it may not be an individual code.

Claudio