Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF L6739 is the world’s only flying example of over 4,400 of this historic type built

Another image from IWM Duxford ‘The Americans’ Flying Day with John Romain MBE displaying the Aircraft Restoration Company Bristol Blenheim Mk. I L6739 YP-Q…@IWMDuxford @DuxfordAirshows @ACDuxford #duxford #AvGeek #IWM #iwmduxford #thefightercollection

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Newcastle (Northern Ireland) Airshow 2015 by PhreezeFrame Via Flickr: Bristol Blenheim Mk.I L6739

Bristol Blenheim I [G-BPIV] by Alan Wilson Via Flickr: Previously airworthy with a longer nose and painted to represent a Blenheim IV, this airframe is actually a Canadian built Bolingbroke which served in the Royal Canadian Air Force with the serial ‘10201’. She is seen while being rebuilt to ‘short nose’ status using the original nose from Blenheim Mk.I 'L6739'. She is seen in Hangar 3 while nearing the end of her rebuild Duxford Airfield, Cambridgeshire, UK. 29th June 2012 NOTE:- She flew again in November 2014 and is painted to represent ‘L6739’ during her time with 23 Squadron in 1939-1940

L6739 BRISTOL BLENHEIM LANDING NEWCASTLE AIRPORT by toowoomba surfer https://flic.kr/p/29PPjj2

Bristol Blenheim I ‘L6739 / YP-Q’ (G-BPIV) by Hawkeye UK

This is actually a Canadian built Bolingbroke, RCAF serial ‘10201’, which is now fitted with a genuine MkI Blenhiem nose. It represents ‘L6739’, a MkI of 23sqn in September 1939. She is seen in the safe hands of John Romain (a flying legend himself) at the 2016 Flying Legends Airshow. Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK. 10th July 2016.

The following info is from the Flying Legends website:-

“The Bristol Blenheim Mk.I is a truly unique British aircraft. As a type the aircrafts history is long and formative and an important milestone in the history of British aviation. Designed as a small airliner in the early 1930s by Frank Barnwell, Chief Designer of the Bristol Aircraft Company, it was funded by Lord Rothermere who named it ‘Britain First’. It proved much faster than the latest biplane fighters, with a speed of over 300mph, and Rothermere promptly donated it to the nation. Barnwell then redesigned the aircraft as a bomber and it became the first stressed skin aircraft with hydraulic actuated undercarriage, flaps and turret to be accepted by the Royal Air Force. It was the fastest bomber of the day and it became the backbone of the RAFs light bomber force. At the start of WWII the RAF had 1089 Blenheim’s in service more than any other type. The Blenheim bore the brunt of daylight operations during the early war years, whilst other bombers were switched to night operations, and the crews paid a heavy price. Many Blenheim’s were lost not only to fighters but to anti-aircraft fire especially when attacking ships. Even so it was well liked by its crews and Churchill paid homage to their bravery comparing them to the ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’. The Blenheim was pressed into many roles for which it was not primarily designed, such as long range and night fighter duties. It became the first radar equipped night fighter and got the first kill using that equipment. The first Blenheim project a Canadian licensed built MKIV, which they called Bolingbroke, was recovered in a derelict state and restored to fly after a twelve year rebuild by a small dedicated team led by a licensed aircraft engineer. It made its debut in May 1987 only to be destroyed in an accident exactly one month later, suffice to say that the accident was not due to a mechanical fault. Determined not to be without a Blenheim another airframe was found and the same team gave themselves five years to complete the project with the aircraft flying in May 1993, it became the only flying example of a Blenheim representing the light bombers of the early war years. Flying for ten years from Duxford on behalf of the late Graham Warner, the aircraft was well known on the air show circuit and flew with great success building an enviable serviceability record amongst the vintage aircraft fraternity. In August 2003 the aircraft suffered an accident whilst landing at Duxford, again through no mechanical fault with the aircraft, and suffered significant damage. The aircraft was dismantled with the ownership subsequently transferring to Blenheim (Duxford) Ltd in December 2003. It was decided that the aircraft could be repaired and work started with a team jointly made up of full time staff and the original and some new volunteers. Initially work concentrated on the centre section and fuselage and it was at this stage a feasibility study was carried out to see if the aircraft could be converted to Blenheim MkI status. A MkI nose had come into possession of the team and it was realised that the production break at the rear of the fuselage was the same for all marks of Blenheim so the decision was made to go ahead with the conversion. The conversion did cause some headaches in that although the main fling controls are in the same position in the British and Canadian variants it is in the positioning of the ancillary controls such as throttles, pitch, carburetor and hydraulic controls, the positioning of instruments and the rerouting of hydraulic and electrical lines that would take time. The MkI nose had been donated to the team and had an interesting history in its own right; it had been obtained by a Bristol employee Ralph Nelson after WWII and converted to a car. He had mounted it on an Austin Seven chassis and with help of colleagues completed the conversion. The car was battery powered and he drove the vehicle around Bristol until 1957 when it was damaged by fire. The conversion necessitated the nose being modified to create doors and interior fittings so basically destroyed the stress skin construction, so after jigging to maintain its integrity a considerable amount of manufacture of new airframe parts had to be carried out including reskinning. Fortunately Ralph had kept a considerable amount of the interior fittings and most of the control systems including the seat and these were refurbished and refitted. A data plate in the nose revealed its build number and that it had been built by AVRO. Contact with Avro’s heritage Centre showed that the aircraft serial was L6739 being issued to 23 Squadron on 2nd September 1939. It fought throughout the Battle of Britain as a night fighter before being struck off charge in December 1940 after being damaged. Further research revealed that it had carried the codes YP-Q and a photo was found of it ground running at Wittering in February 1940. This has enabled the aircraft to be painted in the authentic colours worn in 1939-1940 and fitted with the MKI(f) gun pack. The Mercury engines were overhauled in house being stripped down to their component parts and checked for wear and damage and reassembled. All ancillary items such as magnetos, carburettors, pumps and the many items that make up the engines examined and checked for airworthiness before being fitted. After 11 years of painstaking work, on the 20th November 2014 Chief Pilot John Romain and James Gilmour as Flight Engineer took Blenheim MkI(f) on its maiden flight at Duxford for a successful 26 minute test flight, following some minor adjustments a further two test flights were carried out. The Blenheim received its full Permit to fly at the end of 2014, enabling the aircraft to be ready for the 2015 season.” #reconditioning #batteries car battery, #battery, rechargeable aa batteries, rechargeable batteries, battery charger, car batteries, nimh battery, battery doctor, battery reconditioning, battery repair, battery desulfator @BatteryReconditioningNew Home http://bit.ly/2uFo3Ky

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L6739 / G-BPIV - Bristol Blenheim #2 by HariesAutoMoto

The last airworthy WW2 Bristol Blenheim Bomber. Bristol Blenheim Mk.I L6739 (G-BPIV)

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Blenheim L6739 G-BPIV - The Aircraft Restoration Company

Beautiful topside pass from John Romain during The Shuttleworth Collection season premier, Old Warden 8th May 2016.

Via Flickr

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Blenheim L6739 G-BPIV and Avro Nineteen Anson G-AHKX

A unqiue formation at The Shuttleworth Collection season premier airshow, Old Warden 8th May 2016.

RAF Bristol Blenheim Bomber L6739 G-BPIV by Chris Murkin Via Flickr: RAF Bristol Blenheim Bomber L6739 G-BPIV This is the only airworthy Blenheim Fighter Bomber in the world, This airframe is from Canadian-built Bolingbroke IV RCAF 10201, but in 2003 was involved in a landing accident, it was decided to rebuild the aircraft to Mk1 as a British-built Blenheim which the RAF would have used, Blenheim’s were both used by Bomber and Fighter Commands during world war II Duxford Flying Legends 2017 Photo taken on the 8th July 2017 at the Imperial War Museum Duxford Cambridgeshire UK DSC_6267

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G-BPIV Bristol Bolingbroke Mk.IVT as L6739

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Blenheim L6739 G-BPIV - The Aircraft Restoration Company Duxford

0339:G-BPIV / L6739 by David Whitworth Via Flickr: Bolingbroke IVT / Blenheim I, Duxford 15-4-19

0242:G-BPIV / L6739 by David Whitworth Via Flickr: Bolingbroke IVT / Blenheim I, Duxford 29-3-19

0412:G-BPIV / L6739 by David Whitworth Via Flickr: Bolingbroke IVT / Blenheim I, Duxford 30-4-19