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But was it any good by the end of 1941? I was led to believe by Shore that the RAF decided it could afford to transfer them from the Mideast to the Far East because the Bleinheim IV was too slow and fragile to be very useful in the face of the German fighters that were showing up in Africa by then.

ORIGINAL: Wirraway_Ace

But was it any good by the end of 1941? I was led to believe by Shore that the RAF decided it could afford to transfer them from the Mideast to the Far East because the Bleinheim IV was too slow and fragile to be very useful in the face of the German fighters that were showing up in Africa by then.

It was terrible really. The MkV carried more armour than the MkIV, but the engines weren't much better so it was only slightly faster. By 1943 fighters could carry a similar bombload for a similar range at a higher speed with better survival rates and less crew. Most squadrons only operated the MkV for a short time, less than a year in most cases iirc. The type was only really being used as SEAC was low on the priority list for modern types, which is why Wellingtons and Hurricanes were still in first line action in 1945.

ORIGINAL: JWE

From the man who gave us Insanity Wood, I'm afraid .. I'm very afraid .. of 'cute'.

be afraid.....

It looks like a "Dr. Evil plane."
 
Is that a Japanese "Sun" emblem on the fuselage behind the guy?

The Blenheim was not the best bomber of the war.  It was something of a ground breaker when it was introduced.

The Blenheim project was originally privately funded because the government couldn't see a need for anything modern.  When it was introduced, it was faster than every fighter in Britain's inventory.  Like the TBD, in it's day, it was a revolutionary bomber which was past its pull date by the beginning of the conflict.

Lessons learned on the Blenheim went into other projects.  The Beaufighter and Beaufort were direct descendants.  Britain's other bombers from the war were also influenced from the Blenheim.

I don't think the Blenheim is all that ugly.  It doesn't have the grace of some other aircraft from the war, but most of those were at least a generation newer.

Bill

Not ugly...

Blenheim Mk V, it is[:)]
 
No.34 Squadron, it is[:)]
 
 
..............
 
 Circa 1942/43.

Most likely '43, since 34 Sqn didn't start with their MkVs until December 42 and this one looks a bit worn.  The fact that it's also being used on a second line task would probably (but not definately) put it sometime after April 43 when the unit started converting to Hurricanes when they would have been away from the front line for re-equipping and training.

Could still be a squadron hack...

ORIGINAL: Vladd

Not ugly...

Oh sure - pose her taking her good side at the right angle, with lots of makeup on... you neglected to use the "soft focus", though... [:'(]

Dixie does it again...

AutoID: 677157
DeptName: Photographs
IDNO: CI 295
ProductionDate: June-July 1943
ProductionPeriod: Second World War
ItemName: ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945.
ObjectType: Official photograph
SubTitle: AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION
IndexPlaces: India
IndexUnits: Royal Air Force, 34 Squadron, Indian Army
IndexConcepts: Aerial Warfare, Operations, Medical
IndexHistPeriod: Second World War
ShortSummary:
A mobile X-ray unit of the Indian Army Medical Corps is unloaded from Bristol Blenheim Mark V, BA576 'N', of No. 34 Squadron RAF at an airstrip in north-eastern India
Colour: Black and white
CopyrightStatus: Crown copyright

I think the characteristic Bristol tail is rather elegant and the Blenheim IV nose isn't too bad (if you ignore that rather strange concave section), a bit like the Beaufort. However, what were they thinking with the Mk V nose.... Butt Ugly!!!