Bristol Buckingham

[PMN1]

This had 4 fixed guns in the nose with the bomb aimer in a ventral ‘bathtub’.

Did this produce impose more drag and weight than retaining a glazed nose and having the 4 guns in pairs either side of the nose as in the Boston, Mitchell and Marauder?

Did this have any effect on the layout of the bomb bay?

[GregP]

It is tough to answer this question without a wind tunnel. If the side palcement of the 4 guns happened to be in high-speed air around acurved surface, then the ventral tub was probably a wash.

If the 4-guns were placed along the straight fuselage sides, then maybe it would have resulted in less drag when the ventral tub was eliminated.

However, the Buckingham had poor handling and unimpressive performance, so cleaning up that small amount of total drag would likely not have resulted in a winner ... so why bother. They were mostly used as transports anyway.

[PMN1]

True, they did end up mainly as transports, it just seems strange that with all the Bostons, Mitchels and Marauders floating around the RAF that Bristol should not go for a clean glazed nose and side or even wing guns.

The intended users - RAF 2 Group were I think universal in condemming it and the Group leader concluded that no-one who was going to have to use it was consulted in its design.