How any military service in the late 1930s could call an airplane capable of a maximum speed of 223 m.p.h. (and that for only a minutes while the engine was in overboost) a "fighter" strains credibility.  That an organization run by actual veterans of air combat could further conclude that the armament for this alleged "fighter" should be a rotating gun turret incapable of firing ahead of the aircraft - thus requiring it to find a way to pull alongside and exchange broadsides with its foe in the manner of sailing ships in the time of Nelson - is truly mind-boggling. The Blackburn Roc may not be the all-time worst airplane used operationally by the Fleet Air Arm, but it certainly is in the running.  Strangely, the only confirmed "kill" of this slowest of all British fighters was a Ju-888A-1, perhaps the fastest of all German bombers at the time, and certainly capable of out-performing the Roc.

      The Blackburn Roc was developed from the Skua Fighter/Dive Bomber, the first monoplane taken into service by the Fleet Air Arm in 1938. The Roc was fitted with a turret mounting four .303 Browning machine-guns, and its production was the responsibility of the Boulton-Paul, the company which designed and manufactured the turret.  Since it was based on an existing airframe, there was no prototype as such; the first of 136 Rocs first flew on December 23, 1938.

      The primary visual difference between Roc and Skua - other than the turret - was the fact the Roc's wings had dihedral, thus doing away with the Skua's upturned wing tips. While the Roc carried no forward-firing armament, it could carry a 250-lb bomb under each wing, and an additional load of light bombs on a  "light series carrier."  The extra weight of the turret made it even slower than the Skua.  One Roc, sent to intercept a Heinkel He-60 seaplane used in the Channel for air rescue was incapable of catching even this slow biplane.

      While the Roc was designed to use floats earlier used by the Blackburn Shark, only four Rocs were modified this way and it was found the flying qualities of the float-equipped Roc with floats fitted was poor, even with the later fitting of a large dorsal fin for added stability. This development was the result of a suggestion by the Director of Air Material that a Roc floatplane could be used by the Royal Navy's battleships, with three Rocs each for "Malaya," "Warspite," "Repulse," "Renown,"  "Queen Elizabeth" and "Valiant," with one Roc for "Rodney."

      When the Winter War broke out between Finland and the Soviet Union, the Royal Navy decided to send 33 Rocs to the Finns. Preparations went so far as painting the aircraft in Finnish camouflage and collecting them in Scotland for flight delivery to Finland, though the Winter War ended before this could occur. Given the Finnish reputation for getting the most out of the aircraft they operated, it is interesting to speculate what thy might have done with the Rocs. By all accounts, the performance of the Roc as a dive bomber was far better than as a fighter; if it flew its getaway just above the ground or sea, it would have been a difficult target for enemy fighters, and there would have  been a good chance the turret could chase off an attacking fighter.

      Rocs never equipped a full squadron, but were rather operated with Skuas.  Its first use operationally was for defense  of Scapa Flow, and then in defense of the British Fleet off Norway. On April 23, 1940, 800 and 803 squadrons had 2 and 3 Rocs with them respectively when they sailed HMS "Ark Royal," to take part in operations in Norway.  The three 803 Rocs were launched twice on April 28 to drive off German aircraft shadowing the task force. A combined flight of Rocs and Skuas from 806 and 801 Squadrons made a very effective dive-bombing attack in German forces in Belgium in late May, which allowed several units of the B.E.F. to make their escape back onto Dunkirk.

The only confirmed kill by a Roc occurred on May 29, 1940,  when 806 squadron claimed one Ju-88A shot down and another damaged north of Dunkirk near Ostend. On June 21 and 23, 1940, 801 Squadron's Rocs were involved in dive bombing attacks on Bologne harbor, and in attacks on gun positions on Cap Griz Nez on June 21st, during which one Roc was shot down. After 1940, Rocs were relegated to training and target towing duties, with the turret removed. The last Rocs to go to sea served in 806 Squadron aboard HMS "Illustrious" during her shake-down cruise to the Bahamas, where they were off-loaded and left behind. The last operational Rocs were withdrawn due to lack of spare parts during 1943.

     The only other worthwhile kit of the Blackburn Roc is a 1/72 offering from Pavla.  This resin kit from Warrior Models in Poland is the only kit available in 1/48, and was quite obviously developed from their earlier Skua. The kit has very delicate surface detail, much of which can be preserved if the modeler takes the special care outlined below in assembling the kit.  The cockpit detail is sufficient to provide a good look to the model.  Guns, landing gear and propeller are provided in white metal. Two vacuformed pilot's canopies and turrets are provided.  The decals are the same incorrect sheet provided in the Skua kit, and can be effectively discarded.

Review kit courtesy of Warrior Models.