Into the Archives – Blackburn Cubaroo

Commissioned by the Air Ministry in 1921, and manufactured at Blackburn Aircraft on the banks of the river HUmber (now known as the Humber Enterprise Park) in building 74 (now known as D-Shed), the Cubaroo was commissioned as a long range torpedo bomber, capable of carrying a 533mm torpedo, having a range of over 800 miles.

The Cubaroo, with mainly a metal structure and a deep fuselage that accommodated the Cub engine and fitted with folding, two-bay wings.

In order to allow the torpedo to be carried, the Cubaroo was fitted with a main undercarriage comprising two sets of two wheels, with the torpedo being carried on a crutch between the two sets of wheels.  Unfortunatley the Cubaroo only ever remained as a prototype as the Air Minitstry lost interest in operating single-engine heavy bombers and cancelled the contract before it ever really got off the ground .

Posted by HEP Communications | 14 December 2016
Photo credits:   BAE System (Operations) Ltd.
Content credits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Cubaroo