Blackburn: Segrave
Note: This is a sub-section of Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co
Type
- Touring Monoplane.
Designer
Manufacturers
Number produced
- 4 and 2 by Piaggio.
Engines
- 2 x De Havilland: Gipsy III air-cooled four-cyliner inline engine, 120 hp (89 kW) each.
The Blackburn B-1 Segrave was a 1930s British twin-engine four-seat touring aircraft.
The aircraft was designed by the racing driver (and world land speed record holder) Sir Henry Segrave as a twin-engine four-seat touring monoplane.
A wooden prototype, designated Saro Segrave Meteor I was built by Saunders Roe at Cowes. The prototype (registered G-AAXP) first flew on 28 May 1930. Development was delayed by the death of the designer on 13 June 1930 in a speedboat accident. The aircraft was demonstrated in Rome to the Italian Air Ministry, and a licence agreement was signed to produce the aircraft as the Piaggio P.12, although only two appear to have been made. With lack of space at Cowes and with the decision to build a metal version, two aircraft were built by Blackburn Aircraft at Brough Aerodrome with the designation Blackburn CA.18 Segrave. Blackburn changed the designation system, and the aircraft became the Blackburn B.1 Segrave.
Variants
Segrave Meteor (registration G-AAXP)
- After use as a demonstrator, it was in private use until withdrawn from use at Brough in 1932.
Segrave I (registration G-ABFP)
- The first metal version was used by the British Air Navigation Company for cross-Channel charters, and then sold for private use; scrapped at Brough in 1934.
Segrave I (registration G-ABFR)
- Was used by the North Sea Aerial & General Transport Company until 1935, mainly as a ferry across the River Humber, when it was sold to British Air Transport at Redhill Aerodrome. It was withdrawn from use in 1938.
Segrave II (registration G-ACMI)
- First flown 2 February 1934, it was used by Blackburn for trials, until it was dismantled at Brough in 1935. It was later presented to Loughborough College as an instructional airframe.
Piaggio P.12
- Licensed version, two built.
See Also
Sources of Information