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Unusual Bolingbroke Scheme


Tweener

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I've just come across this photo of a Bolingbroke -

 

Bolingwhat

 

And immediately, 2 questions came to mind.

First, is the color of the blank patches white or yellow? I'm inclined to say white given the similarity to the white of the roundels and flash, but as this is a training aircraft I would think yellow makes more sense.
Second, am I the only one that sees an unusual lump atop the right engine nacelle? What could this be for?

Any input / answers would be greatly appreciated as I may soon build this one.

Thanks,
Tweener

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Hi 

    most likely yellow as per the ansons in the link 

 

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2017/2/20/the-furniture-a-canadian-air-show-in-captains-of-the-clouds.html

 

   

got this bit wrong see the post by carlV  in the thread below

 

engine nacelle bulge is a dinghy compartment 

 

  cheers 

     jerry 

Edited by brewerjerry
wrong info
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Hiya, if you look at the light patch on the fuselage below the turret, extending from the wing root, it is the light colour in the shadow of the fuselage as is the roundel. The light colour to looks to me to be much closer to the yellow ring than the white ring. The patch on top of the fuselage is in bright sunlight so will look closer to the white anyway. Also some training aircraft did have large area yellow markings. So, my vote is yellow. Regards, Pete in RI.

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In the attached photo, the bulge on the starboard engine nacelle is not for a dinghy but for the large new oil tank. All Bolingbrokes (except for the IVW's) had the rear engine nacelle extended backwards giving an asymmetrical appearance to the aircraft – this is one of the fairly large number of external differences between the Blenheim and the Bolingbroke. When the IV went into production, it was found that the port oil tank could be accommodated in the dinghy compartment as well as the dinghy. However, as the starboard nacelle was not extended and did not have a dinghy compartment, the upper bulge to accommodate the oil tank was added.

The light panels are yellow. This was the standard RCAF pattern for camouflaged aircraft in the training role. A few examples are Ansons, Oxfords, Harvards, Battles and Seamews.

I have been interested in the Bolingbroke for more than four decades and have over 300 photos plus four completed laid out chapters of a book which will undoubtedly never be published. If you or anybody else out there would like any of that stuff, just let me know.

Carl

 

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3 hours ago, Phoenix44 said:

What are the raised black items on the leading edges of the wings and horizontal stabs? De-icer boots? Are they unique to the Bolingbroke?

Possibly  applicable to Canadian  ones.

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7 hours ago, Carl V said:

In the attached photo, the bulge on the starboard engine nacelle is not for a dinghy but for the large new oil tank. All Bolingbrokes (except for the IVW's) had the rear engine nacelle extended backwards giving an asymmetrical appearance to the aircraft – this is one of the fairly large number of external differences between the Blenheim and the Bolingbroke. When the IV went into production, it was found that the port oil tank could be accommodated in the dinghy compartment as well as the dinghy. However, as the starboard nacelle was not extended and did not have a dinghy compartment, the upper bulge to accommodate the oil tank was added.

The light panels are yellow. This was the standard RCAF pattern for camouflaged aircraft in the training role. A few examples are Ansons, Oxfords, Harvards, Battles and Seamews.

I have been interested in the Bolingbroke for more than four decades and have over 300 photos plus four completed laid out chapters of a book which will undoubtedly never be published. If you or anybody else out there would like any of that stuff, just let me know.

Carl

 

I would absolutely be interested, and most grateful. I've been meaning to start a book of my own and it wouldn't be complete without a proper section on the Bolingbroke, but I haven't been able to find more than cursory notes or diagrams on the type. Should I PM you?

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Info from @Carl V:

 

Photo 1. This rear aspect of a Bolingbroke I gives a good view of the extended rear port engine nacelle with the dinghy hatch clearly outlined. It also gives a good impression of the asymmetrical appearance of the nacelles.

 

52535033260_aaa65603e0_b.jpg

 

Photo 2. This is a zoom showing the rear port nacelle on a Bolingbroke IV. Not only is the outline of the dinghy hatch clearly defined but also visible is the lanyard extending from the rear of the nacelle down to the trailing edge and then led inboard along it to the fuselage. When it was needed to deploy the dinghy, when the lanyard was pulled the dinghy would inflate and, hopefully, push open the dinghy hatch. Also the lanyard would tether the dinghy and allow it to be pulled into the aircraft. While this might seem unduly contrived, it had to be far better than that of the Blenheim where the dinghy valise had to be manhandled from inside the fuselage of the ditched aircraft out through a hatch before the dinghy could be deployed.

 

52535100308_e1377f17b7_b.jpg

 

Photo 3. This Bolingbroke IV undergoing salvage gives a good view of the tank of the revised oil system which necessitated the bulge in the starboard upper nacelle. The photo also gives a good view of the small circular wireless operators window on the starboard fuselage which is often omitted by modellers who are unfamiliar with the Bolingbroke. It is easy to forget that the Bolingbroke was a four-place maritime reconnaissance aircraft and not three-place as the Blenheim bomber.

 

52534840129_5af5b6f9f9_b.jpg

 

 

 

 

Chris, for Carl

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1 hour ago, brewerjerry said:

Hi

    Please thank Carl, excellent info & photos

 

    any info on the a/c i/d in photo 3 ?

 

      Sqn & serial no ? 

 

         cheers

            jerry

 

He'll see it. He visits here quite regularly. 

 

 

 

Chris

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1.                    A response to the interest in the Bolingbroke de-icer boots. All operational Bolingbrokes i.e. Bolingbroke I's, IV's and IVW's had de-icer boots installed and retained them when assigned to other tasks. The great majority, if not all of the IVT's did not have them

2.                   Yes, Tweener, please PM me your email address so I can send stuff to you.

 

Carl

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