THe prototype for the Blenheim was designed and built for Viscount Rothermere, owner of the Daily Mail. It was ordered so that his journalists and photographers could fly anywhere in Europe, where news was breaking, and be back in time in London to have the story and pictures in his newspaper the next day. When this aircraft, which Rothermere called 'Britain First' was tested, it proved to have a top speed of over 300mph - 50 mph faster than any of the British fighters then in the first line. The outcome was the RAF immediately asked to test 'Britain First' and Lord Rothermere had no hesitation in presenting the aircraft to the nation. In this new series about the twin engine Blenheim, memories are recalled by members of air and ground crews who served in Blenheim squadrons, the majority of which have never been seen before. These, together with contributions from others associated with the aircraft and historians who have written about it, give a vivid picture of those early days of the war and before, when Blenheims were Britain's first line of defence.
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