Blackburn R.2 Bat

[63cpe]

I'm intrigued by the sound mirrors or acoustic mirrors as used to early detect incoming flying aircraft between the 1st and 2nd world war. That's why I went to the Dungeness sound mirrors in Kent about 4 years ago. The technique used is quite simple but it needs to be silent to be effective.
One mayor drawback is that the reflectors used are very heavy ( made of concrete) and have only one position. Pretty much Ok if you know the direction from which one expects trouble, but what if the troubles is coming from another direction? You want a system more flexible (different directions) but still be capable to early detect aircraft.

Radar filled those gaps and a extensive network was put up in England in the late 1930-ies. Since the early days of RADAR, systems got smaller, more effective and were even put in a disc on a plane to become the well know AWACS ( Airborne Warning And Control System). Now could there have been someone in the 1920-ies thinking about getting an early warning system in the air to detect incoming aircraft. In the 1920 when these sound mirrors were erected there where aircraft big enough to get a lightweight version of sound mirrors in the air so how could have looked like?

PXL_20230729_164631654 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
PXL_20230729_164524514 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
PXL_20230729_164546587 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

The sound detectors (3 detector set to facilitate better range finding) are set in the fuselage. Sounds are transported to two operators by tubes to the cabin below the pilot. A third crewmember (commander) analyses the information and was responsable for transfer of informations by radio to the central operations room.  This makes it not a real AWACS but it's very close.

Apparent is that there is no exhaust. Exhaust gasses are muffled in the lower fuselage and exits the fuselage just in front of the lower tailplane.

PXL_20230729_164554860 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

To keep noise down the radiators were integrated in the lower side of the wings.

PXL_20230729_164604865 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr
PXL_20230729_164617862 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

It's still needs an name of maker and type. I'm open to your suggestions.

David aka 63CPE

[Rheged]

An interesting concept!  An Avro Acoustic  perhaps, or even a Supermarine Sonophore.      It might even be a De Havilland DARM (Distant Aural Ranging Machine)    Known at Farnborough  as  Geoffrey's Ear Trumpet.   I assume that it was fitted with   wireless equipment, so that the observer/listener could report his findings to higher authority.



A slightly later form of AWACS aircraft was this:-https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wellington_Ic_(R1629).jpg
Known as ACI (Air Controlled Interception) a Vickers Wellington bomber (R1629) was fitted with a rotating antenna array. It was tested for use against aerial targets and then for possible use against German E boats. Another radar equipped Wellington with a different installation was used to direct Bristol Beaufighters toward Heinkel He 111s, which were air-launching V-1 flying bombs

[PR19_Kit]

That's VERY OOTB thinking! (Out Of The Box)

I like it a lot.

The aircraft has a very Blackburn look about it, it's that deep nose, so maybe our revered Mr. Rheged could come up with a suitable name from Brough?

[buzzbomb]

Great work on this concept and idea  

[Rheged]

That's VERY OOTB thinking! (Out Of The Box)

I like it a lot.

The aircraft has a very Blackburn look about it, it's that deep nose, so maybe our revered Mr. Rheged could come up with a suitable name from Brough?

The Blackburn Bi- Aural Range Measuring Instrument  (BARMI)  comes to mind.......................and given the weight/size of the kit on one side of the airframe, that might even be what pilots thought of it.   More sensible suggestions to follow, if available.

[PR19_Kit]

        

[NARSES2]

Fascinating concept   

[Hobbes]

I'd add a spoiler forward of the dishes, to reduce wind noise.

[zenrat]

Definitely has the look of a Blackburn.

[63cpe]

Thank you all for the replies.

Its looks is inspired by the Blackburn Blackburn and Avro Bison and I really like the suggestion from Rheged (had quite a giggle about the De Havilland DARM (Distant Aural Ranging Machine), known at Farnborough as Geoffrey's Ear Trumpet). Also like the Blackburn Bi- Aural Range Measuring Instrument  (BARMI), But the DeHavilland is the funniest.

@ Rheged: Yes, there will be a wireless device on-board including all external wires. For the operators/ analysers/ observers to report to upper command.

@ Hobbes: yes, there will be a spoiler forward of the trumpets on both sides. The area over the trumpets will be covered to lessen wind noise.

David aka 63cpe

[perttime]

1920s Blackburns had a "name". Blackburn Bat might work because bats have pretty good hearing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Aircraft#Aircraft

Many Blackburns also have a letter-dot-number designation. Or letter-dot-letter-dot-number. The letters seem to refer to the purpose of the aircraft.

[zenrat]

Blackburn WHAT!

[63cpe]

Haha, What???

Can't hear a thing...

Anyway. I like Perttimes suggestion for Blackburn Bat very much! Thank you.
I adopt your suggestion and change the name of the project Blackburn R.2 Bat.   

David aka 63CPE

[63cpe]

Quick update as work did continue meanwhile.

PXL_20240218_101347614 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

PXL_20240218_101400693 by Buddy Holly, on Flickr

The conical "sound mirrors"are in place ans are being PSR'ed. Meanwhile the upper wing received it's struts and struts are cut to length to sit perfectly in the fuselage.
Undercarriage is on aswell. Stabilo's are ready, need to figure out an unusual place to put them as period in time demand to have stabilo's in a weird place..

David aka 63CPE

[Old Wombat]

Continuing to look suitably "Blackburn".