Brighton Blenheim
| Brighton Blenheim | |
|---|---|
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| A restored Blenheim Mk.I landing on Valius V International Airport, Heimdallr, Erebonian Empire during the 2013 Heimdallr Air Show | |
| Role | Light bomber Fighter-bomber Maritime strike aircraft photo-reconnaissance aircraft |
| National origin |  United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Brighton Aeroplane Company |
| First flight | 7 August 1935 |
| Retired | 1947 |
| Primary users | Royal Air Force (RAF) Royal Nihhonese Air Force (RNAF) Royal New Akiba Air Force (RNAAF) Royal Rubrumian Air Force (RRAF) Erebonian Air Force Service |
| Produced | 1935-1944 |
| Number built | 7,731 |
| Variants | See variants |
The Brighton Blenheim is a Lucian light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Brighton Aeroplane Company (Brighton) which was used extensively throughout the Second Europan War. The aircraft was developed as Type 142, a civil airliner, in response to a challenge from Lord Rothermere to produce the fastest commercial aircraft in Europe. The Type 142 first flew in April 1935, and the Air Ministry, impressed by its performance, ordered a modified design as the Type 142M for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a bomber. Deliveries of the newly named Blenheim to RAF squadrons commenced on 10 March 1937.
The Blenheim was one of the first Lucian aircraft with an all-metal stressed-skin construction, retractable landing gear, flaps, a powered gun turret and variable-pitch propellers. The Mk I was faster than most fighters in the late 1930s but the advance in development of monoplane fighters made all bombers more vulnerable particularly if flown in daylight, though it proved successful as a night fighter. The Blenheim was effective as a bomber. It was soon replaced by the Brighton Beaufighter.