The Blackburn Firebrand was a British single-engine strike fighter for the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy designed during World War II by Blackburn Aircraft. Originally intended to serve as a pure fighter, its unimpressive performance and the allocation of its Napier Sabre piston engine by the Ministry of Aircraft Production for the Hawker Typhoon caused it to be redesigned as a strike fighter to take advantage of its load-carrying capability. Development was slow and the first production aircraft was not delivered until after the end of the war. Only a few hundred were built before it was withdrawn from front-line service in 1953. The Firebrand did not see action in World War II, as TF 4s were not issued to 813 Naval Air Squadron until 1 September 1945. The squadron was disbanded 30 September 1946 without deploying to sea. It was reformed with TF 5s on 1 May 1947 and flew them from the carrier HMS Implacable, later HMS Indomitable, until it was re-equipped with turboprop Westland Wyvern attack aircraft in February 1953. 827 Naval Air Squadron received their TF 5 and 5As on 13 December 1950 and flew them primarily off the carrier HMS Eagle until it disbanded on 19 November 1952. A variety of second-line squadrons were issued Firebrands of various marks for training or trials at one time or another. In test pilot and naval aviator Captain Eric Brown's opinion the aircraft was "short of performance, sadly lacking in manoeuvrability, especially in rate of roll". The position of the cockpit even with the trailing edge of the wing gave the pilot a very poor view over the nose, inhibited his ability to view his target and to land his aircraft aboard a carrier, sufficient for Brown to call it "a disaster as a deck-landing aircraft". Variants Blackburn B-37 Three prototypes ordered to meet Specification N.11/40, named Firebrand on 11 July 1941. Second prototype re-built as T.F. II prototype.[15] Firebrand F. I Production variant of the Blackburn B.37 with an order for 50 aircraft to be built at Brough, most completed as T.F. II and T.F. III variants, first nine completed as F. Is. Firebrand T.F. II Improved variant, 12 built from original production branch. Firebrand T.F. III Blackburn B-45, a Centarus VII powered-variant, two prototypes to S.8/43[16] and 27 production aircraft for original production batch. Firebrand T.F. IV (Specifications below) Blackburn B-46, improved variant with 2,520 bhp (1,880 kW) Centaurus IX or Centaurus 57,[16] 250 ordered, but only 170 were completed, of which 124 were converted to T.F. 5 standard, some before delivery.[11] Six were modified and designated as T.F. IV(mod). Firebrand T.F. 5 Improved variant, 124 modified from T.F. IV, two conversions to T.F. 5A. Firebrand T.F. 5A One prototype modified from a T.F. 5 and six conversions from either T.F. IV or Vs
