| Baffin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Torpedo bomber |
| Manufacturer | Blackburn Aircraft |
| Designer | F. A. Bumpus |
| Primary users | Fleet Air Arm |
| Number built | 97 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | January 1934 |
| First flight | 30 September 1932 |
| Retired | 1941 |
The Blackburn B-5 Baffin biplane torpedo bomber designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Blackburn Aircraft. It was a development of the Ripon, the chief change being that a 545 hp (406 kW) Bristol Pegasus I.MS radial engine had replaced the Ripon's Napier Lion water-cooled inline engine.
The Baffin was designed by Major F A Bumpus and was initially pursued as a private venture. It was a conventional two-seat single-bay biplane of mixed metal and wooden construction with fabric covering. It had swept, staggered, equal-span wings, the lower having an inverse gull to provide clearance for the torpedo while retaining a short undercarriage. The engine was shifted forwards in comparison to that of the Ripon to retain its centre of gravity. Armament comprised a single fixed-position forward-firing 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and one free-mounted .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun in the rear cockpit, plus one 2,000 lb (910 kg) bomb, or 1,576 lb (716 kg) Mk VIII or Mk IX torpedo, or three 530 lb (240 kg) or six 250 lb (110 kg) bombs.
First flown on 30 September 1932, the project caught the interest of the Air Ministry, who produced Specification 4/33 around the aircraft and placed an initial order with Blackburn for it in early 1933. The Baffin was initially procured for the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), who transferred many of their existing Ripons back to Blackburn for remanufacturing into the Baffin configuration; new-build aircraft were also produced. During January 1934, it was introduced to service. It had a relatively short service life with the FAA, who elected to withdraw the type in favour of newer aircraft prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. The only export customer for the Baffin was the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who had acquired 29 existing aircraft from the UK during 1937. These were largely used in reserve roles and for training, and were only operated for a short period into the conflict until their withdrawal sometime in 1941.