COMBAT AIRCRAFT No 5 BLENHEIM SQUADRONS OF WORLD WAR II

Built in large numbers in the years leading up to Second World War, Bristol's Blenheim saw use as both a fighter and bomber thanks to its high speed in relation to the biplane types it was then replacing. Aside from its work as the staple medium RAF bomber from 1939 through to 1942, Blenheims also served as pioneer radar-equipped night fighters in 1940-1941 and long-range patrol aircraft with Coastal Command. Obsolete in Europe by the end of 1940, the Blenheim continued to serve as a frontline bomber in North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Far East well into 1943.

Contents

Genesis of the Blenheim * 'Phoney War' and Blitzkrieg * On the Offensive * Fighter Command * Coastal Command * Middle East and Mediterranean * Blenheims East of Suez * Appendices