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The Blackburn Blackcock or Turcock was a single seat interceptor of the late 1920s of which one example was built for the Turkish government.
The aircraft was designed in response to Air Ministry Specifications F.9/ 26 (for a day and night Zone fighter) and N.21/26 (for a Naval fleet fighter). These two specifications attracted quite a lot of attention, with several aircraft being submitted for both. In the end neither specification led to a production contract, but instead were replaced by F.20/27, which was filled by the Hawker Fury.
Blackburn’s design was a single-seat unequal-span biplane with a well streamlined fuselage. Although it was submitted to the two Air Ministry specifications it was a private venture, mainly aimed at the export market. It was given the Blackburn designation F.1, as the first fighter to be developed after they introduced a new designation system,
Six different versions of the F.1 were designed, using four different engines – the 585hp Bristol Mercury, 446hp Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VI, and naturally aspirated and supercharged versions of the 510hp Rolls-Royce Falcon X (Kestrel). The basic aircraft was called the Blackcock, and the plan was to give any of the six types that entered production its own name.
The aircraft used the standard Blackburn construction method of the time, built around a tubular steel centre fuselage section, with separate engine and tail units attached at either end. The front fuselage and wing root fairings were made of duralumin, the rest of the aircraft was fabric covered.
The wings were staggered and swept back. The upper wing was significantly larger and carried the ailerons. The wing spars were made of high grade steel strips riveted together. The tail had a variable incidence tailplane, and the fin extended slightly below the fuselage. The main undercarriage had oleo-pneumatic legs with a through axle. The cockpit was positioned just behind the centre section struts, allowing the pilot to see vertically down behind the trailing edge of the lower wing. There was space for a parachute. It was to be armed with two .303 Vickers guns.
There was no British interest in the aircraft, but the Turkish government ordered one unarmed version, powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VI supercharged engine. This aircraft, the Turcock, was built at Leeds, made its maiden flight on 14 November 1927 but was then destroyed in an accident on 23 January 1928.
Engine: Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar VI
Power: 446hp
Crew: 1
Span: 31ft 0in (upper)
Length: 24ft 4in
Height: 8ft 11in
Empty weight: 2,282lb
All-up weight: 2,726lb
Max speed: 176mph at 15,00ft
Climb Rate: 1,300ft/ min
Service ceiling: 27,500ft
Endurance: 1.75 hours
Armament: Unarmed prototype. Two .303in machine guns in armed
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