Blenheim Mk I: WOP/AG seat
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Blenheim Mk I: WOP/AG seat
My third cousin was Pilot Officer Arthur Charles Geary, DFC, a wireless operator/air gunner with 211 Squadron on the Blenheim Mk I. I am in the process of writing a short article about his career, that was sadly brief as, before even being able to receive his DFC, he died in the infamous Easter Sunday raid on13 April 1941. He was in the leading Blenheim attacking German troop movements in the Monastir Gap in northern Greece. All six of the formation were destroyed by Bf 109s and only two of the eighteen crew survived.
My question is where the WOP/AG actually sat. On the cutaway by Mike Badrocke:
https://sobchak.wordpress.com/tag/cutaways/
the gunner's seat is indicated, but did he occupy it (maybe it swivelled?) to access the radio? Or did he have another seat for his WOP duties? Where indeed was the radio and what would the equipment be?
Also, on this same cutaway the turret is equipped with a single 303 Browning. But Wikipedia says that in the Mark I it was a 303 Vickers.
Thanks if you can help.
Laurence
My question is where the WOP/AG actually sat. On the cutaway by Mike Badrocke:
https://sobchak.wordpress.com/tag/cutaways/
the gunner's seat is indicated, but did he occupy it (maybe it swivelled?) to access the radio? Or did he have another seat for his WOP duties? Where indeed was the radio and what would the equipment be?
Also, on this same cutaway the turret is equipped with a single 303 Browning. But Wikipedia says that in the Mark I it was a 303 Vickers.
Thanks if you can help.
Laurence
I think your relative's WOP/AG title may have applied to other aircraft as the radio gear was beside the navigator? The turret was power operated with single .303 Browning replacing the early Vickers. It appears to have had a tubular framework mounted to rotate with the turret and carrying the seat with a footrest; from ancient memories I think the Lancaster mid-upper had a similar arrangement. From the drawing you might think the gunner stood up to operate but the Blenheim was incredibly cramped to reduce frontal area and gain speed and the gunner's head and shoulders would have been up in the canopy.
Many years ago my ex-Army relative Jim was compiling a club history booklet and asked me to check over the memories of an ex-RAF navigator. He had never recounted this before and told Jim it had awakened old memories which he found unsettling but cathartic. He died a few weeks later.
As I remember his story, two aircraft, all that were left of his Blenheim squadron, were on the way to attack the invading Germans but nobody knew where these forces were. He tried to obtain latest info but the radio wouldn't work 'as usual, it never did'. Beneath the navigator was a second machine-gun firing aft and sighted through a mirror. He was wondering how anyone let alone himself could possibly hit anything with 'this wretched device' when there was a terrific crash and the port engine caught fire, closely followed by the starboard. They were being attacked by Me109s.
The pilot gave the order to bale out, he and the gunner escaping via roof hatches. The navigator pulled a lever and his seat, his table and 'that wretched machinegun' all fell out through an opening in the floor. All three crew landed with minor injuries and were sheltered by Greek communists but after a few days were betrayed by Government sympathisers and spent the rest of the war in captivity. He was one of seven survivors from 58 of his comrades who had gone to war. Hope this helps, sorry I can't remember any more.
Many years ago my ex-Army relative Jim was compiling a club history booklet and asked me to check over the memories of an ex-RAF navigator. He had never recounted this before and told Jim it had awakened old memories which he found unsettling but cathartic. He died a few weeks later.
As I remember his story, two aircraft, all that were left of his Blenheim squadron, were on the way to attack the invading Germans but nobody knew where these forces were. He tried to obtain latest info but the radio wouldn't work 'as usual, it never did'. Beneath the navigator was a second machine-gun firing aft and sighted through a mirror. He was wondering how anyone let alone himself could possibly hit anything with 'this wretched device' when there was a terrific crash and the port engine caught fire, closely followed by the starboard. They were being attacked by Me109s.
The pilot gave the order to bale out, he and the gunner escaping via roof hatches. The navigator pulled a lever and his seat, his table and 'that wretched machinegun' all fell out through an opening in the floor. All three crew landed with minor injuries and were sheltered by Greek communists but after a few days were betrayed by Government sympathisers and spent the rest of the war in captivity. He was one of seven survivors from 58 of his comrades who had gone to war. Hope this helps, sorry I can't remember any more.
Last edited by Geriaviator; 10th Nov 2020 at 17:06.
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Thanks for the reply Geriaviator, and the story.
I also got some information from Don Clark www.211squadron.org with a photograph of the installation in the Mark I.
www.211squadron.org/blenheim_armament.html#VGO
I am amazed at how crowded that radio/turret area was! It turns out that there was only the one seat for the gunner, facing aft, and he had to reach round the gun to get at the unreliable radio at the back.
When I was an ATC cadet in the 1950s I was lucky enough to get lots of trips in Lincolns at nearby Upwood. One of my favourite places, if I couldn't get up front, was in the rear turret, which seemed quite spacious, but the Blenheim obviously was another kettle of fish. My admiration for my cousin goes up one more notch.
Laurence
I also got some information from Don Clark www.211squadron.org with a photograph of the installation in the Mark I.
www.211squadron.org/blenheim_armament.html#VGO
I am amazed at how crowded that radio/turret area was! It turns out that there was only the one seat for the gunner, facing aft, and he had to reach round the gun to get at the unreliable radio at the back.
When I was an ATC cadet in the 1950s I was lucky enough to get lots of trips in Lincolns at nearby Upwood. One of my favourite places, if I couldn't get up front, was in the rear turret, which seemed quite spacious, but the Blenheim obviously was another kettle of fish. My admiration for my cousin goes up one more notch.
Laurence
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I imagine the standard W/T apparatus (as it was called it at the time) in Blenheims in 1941 was the 1082/1083 combination, usually fitted in all multi-seat aircraft. Cannot recall which was the TX and which the RX, but any search for this combination on the internet should soon turn it up.
David D
David D
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Sorry about that 2 sheds. I did reply but maybe I deleted it instead of sending it ?? It was just to say thanks for the suggestion. In fact I got another PM with the information I needed, but I am very grateful for your input.
Laurence
Laurence
