Blackburn White Falcon

The White Falcon[1] was built by Blackburn during 1915 for the personal use of their chief test pilot, W. Rowland Ding. It was a mid-wing, wire-braced monoplane with open cockpits for pilot and passenger, powered by an uncowled 100 hp (75 kW) Anzani radial engine driving a four-blade 9 ft (2.74 m) diameter propeller. The wings were of parallel chord and generally like those of the Improved Type I, though 1 ft (31 cm) greater in span, similarly wire braced to an inverted V kingpost and to the undercarriage. The wing warping wires also ran via the kingpost. The White Falcon initially used a standard B.E.2c undercarriage (Blackburn was one company manufacturing these aircraft during the war) but this was replaced later with a simpler structure without skids.[1]

The fuselage was a standard Blackburn Warren girder structure, though of square rather than the company's previously favoured triangular cross-section. The decking was rounded. While the tailplane was like that of the Improved Type I, the fin and rudder formed a neat triangular shape with a vertical trailing edge.[1]

The first flight date is not known nor is there much information on its use. It has been suggested[2] that it was used by Ding to communicate with RNAS stations that had received Blackburn built B.E.2c machines, and to collect their delivery pilots. In the winter of 1916-17 it wore RAF roundels but no serial number. Rowland Ding died in a B.E.2c crash in Leeds on 12 May 1917.[1]

Data from Jackson 1968, pp. 104

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 26 ft 11.25 in (8.21 m)
• Wingspan: 39 ft 6 in (12.04 m)
• Wing area: 209 sq ft (19.4 m²)
• Powerplant: 1 × Anzani 10-cylinder radial piston engine , 100 hp (75 kW)