Subscribe to download
Binley Bexley B.Mk.I

The Binley Bexley B.Mk.I is a British twin-engine medium bomber introduced in 1938. Designed to balance speed, payload capacity, and defensive capabilities, it served as an essential component of the Royal Air Force's bomber fleet during the early stages of World War II. Although praised for its maneuverability, the aircraft was criticized for its lack of sufficient armor, earning it the nickname "Blazing Bex" among its crews.

The Bexley was developed in response to an Air Ministry specification calling for a modern medium bomber with a respectable payload and defensive armament. The resulting aircraft featured a mid-mounted cantilever wing and a twin-tail configuration. Powered by two radial engines, the Bexley offered competitive speed and surprising agility for its time. The Bexley B.Mk.I had a pilot/radio operator, navigator/bomb aimer doubling as a nose gunner, top gunner and tail gunner. The aircraft has a curved Perspex nose section with a manually controlled 7.7mm Browning machine gun along with a 7.7mm Browning machine gun installation on the top of the fuselage and in a rear Perspex tail section. These guns would prove inadequate against modern fighter aircraft. The lack of a bottom gunner position also is notable as a weak link in the aircraft's defenses, and the aircraft would suffer high loss rates during daytime bombing raids into German occupied Holland and France.

The Bexley's flying qualities were typically described as being favorable, with low stall speeds and overall high responsiveness. The aircraft was fitted with an internal bomb bay capable of carrying nine 500 lb (227 kg) bombs.

With the outbreak of war in 1939, Bexleys were initially used to perform armed aerial reconnaissance missions, observing German naval activity during daylight. However, despite its speed and maneuverability, the Bexley proved to be no match for Luftwaffe fighters; in December 1939, Bomber Command is claimed to have discarded the belief that aircraft such as the Bexley could realistically operate by day and instead chose to predominantly employ them under the cover of darkness during nighttime operations.

On 13 April 1940, days after Germany's invasion of Norway, a large number of bexleys were dispatched on night-time mine-laying flights in the North Sea in areas deemed unapproachable by British shipping. This activity proved highly effective, experiencing low airframe loss rates. The Bexley also saw a return to its use as a daytime bomber during the Norwegian Campaign, but quickly proved to be under-gunned in the face of German fighters.

On 19 March 1940, Bexleys took part in the first deliberate bombing of German soil in a nighttime raid upon the seaplane hangars and slipways in Hörnum, Sylt. The aircraft type would continue its role as a night-time bomber through 1941 and 1942. In April 1942, units operating the Bexley were transferred from Bomber Command to Coastal Command to perform the torpedo bomber role. Last frontline operations by Bexleys were performed in 1943 as Coastal Command patrol and torpedo bomber aircraft.

The Bexley saw high airframe loss rates through 1939-1943. Around a third of Bexleys would be lost in total (706 units).

Disable steering: Landing gear
Invert steering: Flaps
Warning light: Bomb bay
Beacon: Gauge backlight
Num1: Drop bombs

[Alt] W/S: Throttle
[Alt] Mouse up/down: Pitch
[Alt] Mouse left/right: Yaw
[Alt] A/D: Rudder & tailwheel

W/S: Pitch
A/D: Yaw
Arrow Up/Down: Throttle
Arrow Left/Right: Rudder & tailwheel

1,219

Stabilization system sourced from RiskyDuckling13: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3328888232
Bombs sourced from RiskyDuckling13: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3378773060

Thank you Grzybek for an excellent bomb aiming system!