TOM SPENCER OUTLINES THE SERVICE OF THE BOLINGBROKE WITH THE RCAF
WORLD WAR TWO BOLINGBROKE
When someone points at a distinctive-looking wartime twin in a museum and utters the word ‘Blenheim’, they’re very likely wrong, but it’s a forgivable mistake. Apart from a Mk.IV under longterm restoration in Finland, all of the intact ‘Blenheims’ preserved are Canadian-built Bolingbroke IVs: that includes Duxford’s superb airworthy example.
To meet the coastal reconnaissancebomber requirements of the expanding Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) a variant of the Blenheim was selected in 1937. A licence agreement was concluded with Fairchild Aircraft at Longueuil, Quebec, and the new type was designated Bolingbroke. (See panel for the origins of the name.)
All Canadian-built examples were long-nose variants, similar to the RAF Blenheim IV. The first 18 were designated Mk.Is and featured British-supplied instrumentation and equipment. The first Canadian Bolingbroke I, 702, had its inaugural flight on September 14, 1939. The Mk.II and III were oneoff versions – see page 97.
Of the 676 Bolingbrokes completed, the greatest proportion comprised the Mk.IV; the majority powered by Mercury XVs. Hedging against the threat of …
