Bristol Buckingham

### Range

2,300 mi (2,000 nmi, 3,700 km) at sea level and 165 mph. 3,000 miles with two 185 gallon tanks in bomb bay

### Armament

(Real World) None.
(Convict Commandos) Four 0.303 machine guns in nose.

## Usage

### Appears in

The Devil's Shadow, Brilliant Death, Nature of the Beast, Hard Trouble, Banquet of Blood, Cossack Vengeance, Web of Fire, Nemesis of the North

The **Bristol Type 163 Buckingham** was a British Second World War medium bomber for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Overtaken by events, it was built in small numbers, and was used primarily for transport and liaison duties.

## Design/Development

In 1941, a replacement for the Bristol Blenheim was needed and the Air Ministry issued specification B.2/41 calling for an aircraft that could carry 4,000 lb (1,150 kg) of bombs on daylight raids over Germany. The specifications required excellent performance as well as effective defensive armament. Bristol Aeroplane Company responded with the Buckingham B. Mk 1, powered by the new Bristol Centaurus radial engine. Relatively conventional in appearance, the aircraft mounted guns in the nose, dorsal and ventral turrets. Unusually the bombadier/navigator position was in the ventral gondola instead of the traditional spot in the nose.

During initial testing the Buckingham proved to be unstable and various modifications were performed, including the enlargement of the verticle tail surfaces.

## Operational history

By the time the design entered production, requirements had changed, with attacks against German industry being covered by the US by day and by RAF Bomber Command de Havilland Mosquitos by night. The Buckingham was not considered suitable for unescorted daytime use over Europe and in January 1944, it was decided that all Buckinghams would be sent overseas to replace Vickers Wellingtons.

Once the Buckingham's handling problems were revealed, it was realised that the type was of little use. As a result, it was cancelled in August 1944. To keep the Bristol workforce together, for later production of the Brigand and the Hawker Tempest, a batch of 119 were built. Uses for the aircraft were sought and a conversion to a communications aircraft was devised.

After the first 54 had been built as bombers, the remainder were converted for high-speed courier duties with RAF Transport Command. The gun installations were removed and four seats and windows fitted in the fuselage. The aircraft was named Buckingham C.1. Despite its 300 mph (480 km/h) speed and superior range to the Mosquito transports, with room for only four passengers, the Buckingham was rarely put to use. A total of 65 Buckingham bombers were unfinished on the production line and ended up being rebuilt as the Buckmaster, a trainer for the similar Brigand. Considered the "highest performance trainer in the RAF," the Buckmaster continued to serve as a trainer until its eventual retirement in the mid-1950s.

# Notes

1. ↑ All armament was removed from the design as part of the role change.
2. ↑ The same armament was retaind to the examples featured in the Commando Comics story Palace's Buckingham.

# Sources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/BARC/buckingham.html
2. ↑ Buttler, Tony. "Left Behind By Progress: The Bristol Buckingham". *Air International*, Vol, 52, No 3, March 1997, p. 185. ISSN 0306-5634.
3. ↑ Buttler *Air International* March 1997, pp. 185–186.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Winchester, Jim. *The World's Worst Aircraft: From Pioneering Failures to Multimillion Dollar Disasters*. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2005. ISBN 1-904687-34-2. p. 95.
5. ↑ Winchester 2005, p. 94.
6. ↑ Mondey, David. *The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II*. London: Aerospace Publishing Ltd., 1982 (reprint 1994). ISBN 1-85152-668-4. p. 70.