Blackburn Firebrand available information?

[Tomas Enerdal]

Dear All,

Got a jolt the other day when hearing about the forthcoming 1/48 Firebrand TF.V from Clear Prop Models.

But the news got me thinking. AFAIK there is no survivor and I have also heard that published plans can perhaps be questioned. What major prime source information is actually available? Production drawings, manuals, pilots notes, illustrated spare-part lists, etc?

Making an accurate kit of, for example, a P-51D shouldn't be a problem since a lot of information is available, including survivors. But how about the Firebrand? There has been some kits released in the past, what are they based on?

[Work In Progress]

The pilots notes A.P.2208E are readily available in commercial facsimile. It's very likely that the maintenance manuals are available via https://www.fleetairarm.com/naval-aviation-research.aspx to anyone who is prepared to go through the process.

 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Work In Progress

[ChocolateCrisps]

The RAF Museum also holds a number of manuals, of which some appear to be the maintenance manuals. (From what I can find this one should be the manual for the TF.V) I'd assume you could get enough information from those to produce a decent model.

[Troy Smith]

On 15/12/2019 at 13:35, Tomas Enerdal said:

AFAIK there is no survivor

IIRC there was a fuselage

https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/30282-blackburn-firebrand

There was a photo online,  which I can't find, and the Key Forum is unsure if it did survive, though it mentions FAA museum.  

So, not sure, @Mark12  was posting on that thread, and may know more.

[Martian]

Any good?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The AP for the Firebrand is not the greatest from the point of illustrations but I did choose these as being the most useful from a modelling point of view.

 

Martian 👽

 

 

[71chally]

You have some strange craft on your planet!

[Work In Progress]

23 hours ago, ChocolateCrisps said:

The RAF Museum also holds a number of manuals, of which some appear to be the maintenance manuals. (From what I can find this one should be the manual for the TF.V) I'd assume you could get enough information from those to produce a decent model.

Sadly not if they have listed it correctly: they have it listed as 2208E, and section E of AP 2208 is just the pilot's notes, which you can buy for a few quid from here or other places. 

http://www.crecy.co.uk/pilot-s-notes-firebrand-tfv 

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Given the fact that the RAF never operated the Firebrand or showed the slightest interest in it, it seems odd that the RAF Museum has the docs rather than the FAA equivalent.  

[Procopius]

1 hour ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Given the fact that the RAF never operated the Firebrand or showed the slightest interest in it, it seems odd that the RAF Museum has the docs rather than the FAA equivalent.  

Always good to know the specs, so you can adjust the island positions on the map accordingly when talking to the Treasury.

[Work In Progress]

1 hour ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Given the fact that the RAF never operated the Firebrand or showed the slightest interest in it, it seems odd that the RAF Museum has the docs rather than the FAA equivalent.  

Well, as I said above, they don't, according to the catalogue. Just a set of the pilot notes, which are widely available. Which is why further above I recommended getting in touch with https://www.fleetairarm.com/naval-aviation-research.aspx

Edited December 18, 2019 by Work In Progress

[Tomas Enerdal]

Dear All,

Thanks for input, especially Martian, thanks for the scans! What limited that can bee seen from CAD, it sure looks like well done homework from Clear Prop Models. As Roy Sutherland has helped it should be as accurate as possible with respect to circumstances/available info.

My original question is probably rather futile, until other information or (less likely) a survivor turns up. On the other hand, Blackburn us now part of BAe, their library is said to be excellent.

We'll eventually see what it looks like.

Clear Prop's choice of subject is welcome indeed, hope they continue in that direction. I can't stop dreaming of an accurate 1/48 Barra...

Edited December 18, 2019 by Tomas Enerdal

[ChocolateCrisps]

@Work In Progress Are you sure? It's my understanding that for earlier aircraft all documents were contained within a given AP code - the exact nature of the contents was then defined seperately. AP2208E merely seems to refer to the Firebrand TF.V - this is then further subdivided into individual volumes, for example the Pilot's Notes are known as AP2208E-PN (as is visible on the front of the set you posted.) I have a document I got off the Museum recently containing a list of "all" their APs which lists six items under AP2208E - 2x AP2208E-PN (Pilot's Notes), 3x AP2208E Volume 1 (which should be the ASM) and 1x AP2208E Volume 2, which is the Orders & Mods one. AFAIK the listing I initially linked to is one of the ASMs, not the Pilot's Notes.

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by ChocolateCrisps

[Work In Progress]

Oh, well perhaps they do then for some reason

[Martian]

5 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

Oh, well perhaps they do then for some reason

For whatever reason they do hold some FAA stuff. I have picked up information in the past, notably on the Barracuda.

 

Martian 👽

[fubar57]

Warpaint published what may be their thinnest book, all 10 pages on the Firebrand. Page nine has scale drawings by Chris Bowley. I don't know the accuracy of the drawings, just laying this out for you

Edited December 19, 2019 by fubar57

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

There isa “From The Cockpit” [Ad Hoc Publications] on the Firebrand, too - some very good photos (but no plans that I recall).

[sloegin57]

"Aircraft of the Fighting Powers" by Owen Thetford, Volume 7 [1946] has a three view of the Firebrand IV :- 

Cannot vouch for accuracy though

 

HTH

 

Dennis

[Denford]

Intersting archive material, but nothing is actually dimensioned.....