
The Blackburn Pellet at Brough prior to its initial launching in September 1923.
In 1923, Great Britain was the host nation for the Schneider Trophy Race, following the victory of the Supermarine Sea Lion at Naples in 1922. As a consequence, Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company decided to design and build a small, single-seat flying boat to compete in the 1923 event.
Named the Blackburn Pellet, the aircraft made use of the hull from the unfinished N1B Flying Boat project which was intended as a replacement for the Sopwith Baby. The Blackburn N1B had a 'refined hull', built according to the Linton Hope design. It featured a smooth external skin, made up of a double layer of narrow mahogany strips laid diagonally at 90 degrees to each other, over underlying frames and stringers. The pilot was positioned in front of the propeller which was mounted on the upper wing

A scale model of the Blackburn N1B single-seat flying boat.
On the Blackburn N1B, power had been intended to be supplied by a 200 hp Hispano Suiza engine although when the contract was cancelled in November 1918, only the completed fuselage was retained engine-less in storage at Brough.

The hull of the Blackburn N1B was built in 1918 and used by the 1923 Blackburn Pellet.
Although the intention had been to complete the aircraft by the end of August 1923, the Pellet (registered G-EBHF) was not actually launched until early September. Unfortunately, shortly after launching the aircraft, it was caught by the strong river current and slowly capsized.

The Blackburn Pellet after launching on the Hamble River on 26th September 1923.
With the race only three weeks away, the aircraft was recovered, dried out and rapidly repaired, with larger tip floats fitted.
It was sent to Hamble, still unflown and finally launched from the Fairey Aviation slipway on 26th September where it was taxied prior to an initial flight test. Unfortunately, this soon revealed that the aircraft was extremely nose-heavy and that engine cooling was deficient, resulting in a forced landing south of Calshot.

Pellet undergoing taxying trials at Hamble on 26th September 1923.
A new radiator was fitted overnight, mounted between the centre-section struts and a two-blade metal propeller fitted. This replaced the wooden one, which had suffered water-spray damage during the previous day’s trials.
27th September was the deadline for conducting navigability and water-tightness trials and the
Pellet was started and subsequently launched without any problems.
However, when opened up to full throttle for take-off from the River Medina, the aircraft began to 'porpoise' and was thrown into the air in a semi-stalled condition. The starboard wing then dropped and the aircraft cart-wheeled below the surface.
The pilot (RW Kenworthy) was rescued from the river by motor launch and the aircraft wreckage was eventually recovered later in the day. With the aircraft beyond repair the Pellet was consigned to the scrap pile.

The Blackburn Pellet G-EBHF immediately before its accident on 27th September 1923.
Variants & Number Built
N1B: hull of first aircraft (N56) completed and stored. Re-used on Pellet.
Pellet: Single prototype. Destroyed in a take-off accident on 27th September 1923.
Specification
|
N1B
|
Pellet
|
Powerplant
|
One 200 hp Hispano Suiza engine
|
One 450 hp Napier Lion engine
|
Span
|
34 ft 10 in
|
34 ft 0 in
|
Maximum Weight
|
2,390 lb
|
2,800 lb
|
Capacity
|
Single pilot; one nose-mounted machine gun
|
Single pilot only
|
Max Speed
|
114 mph (estimated)
|
160 mph (estimated)
|
Survivors
None