Service
The Ripon entered service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1929, six joining No 462 (Fleet Torpedo Bomber) Flight aboard HMS Furious in January of that year. The Ripon was normally used as a carrier based landplane by the Fleet Air Arm, and although capable of being converted to a seaplane, was rarely fitted with floats. The Ripon continued in service with Torpedo Bomber flights until 1933, when the Fleet Air Arm was re-organised into three larger squadrons, No. 810, No. 811 and No. 812. The last Ripons were retired from service in January 1935 when 811 Naval Air Squadron re-equipped with Blackburn Baffins.
The Blackburn Ripon was also ordered for use by the Finnish Air Force, with one example for Finland being built by Blackburn, before 25 were produced under licence at the Finnish Aircraft Factory. These were powered with a number of different radial engines; the pattern aircraft had a 530 hp (400 kW) Bristol Jupiter VII, the next seven had 480 hp (360 kW) Gnome Rhone Jupiter VI, followed by eight with 535 hp (399 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Panther engines and the final ten with 580 hp (430 kW) Bristol Pegasus engines. The Finnish Air Force used Ripons as reconnaissance aircraft against the Soviet Union in the Winter War and the Continuation War. After losing an aircraft to Soviet fighters in 1939, the Ripon was limited to night missions. The last missions were flown in 1944.
One Ripon coded RI-140 was stored and has been reassembled and put on display in the Päijänne Tavastia Aviation Museum recently. It is the only preserved example.
Read more about this topic: Blackburn Ripon
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