Blackburn Monoplane

Robert Blackburn was one of Britain’s earliest aviation pioneers who, in 1909, established his own workshops in Leeds to build aircraft of his own design. Blackburn favoured the monoplane configuration, which formed the basis of his earlier designs, and successfully flew his first aeroplane a year later.

In October 1912 Blackburn received an order from Cyril Foggin, a newly qualified pilot, to build a single seat monoplane developed around the Mercury but of a more compact and streamlined design with aluminium sheeting around the cockpit. A radial cowl was fitted above the rotary engine to reduce the tendency for hot oil and exhaust gas to blow back into the pilot’s face. The aeroplane was successfully test flown the following year and passed to its new owner.

About this aircraft

This exhibit is the original aeroplane built for Cyril Foggin in 1912, which by late 1913 had passed into the ownership of Francis Glew. In 1914 it was put into storage and then not rediscovered until 1937 when it was found, by chance, at the back of a barn and largely concealed by a haystack. Richard Shuttleworth acquired it and started a long term restoration programme which was only completed in 1949. Later, in 1988, the fabric covering was replaced following minor repairs to the airframe.

The Blackburn Monoplane is the oldest airworthy aircraft of British origin anywhere in the world and, weather permitting, continues to fly on public display days.

Specification