Blenheim Bomber Wreck

Location: South of Malta 
Facing: South East
Type: Boat Dive 
Max. depth: average depth 39 meters, maximum depth 42 meters 
Navigation: 1 Km off Delimara Point

NB VERY Experienced divers only (Advanced Open Water Divers and Deep Divers with 30+ logged dives)

Just one minute after Britain's formal declaration of war against Germany took effect on September 3, 1939, a Blenheim  of 139 Squadron took off to fly the RAF's first sortie of the war, a photo-reconnaissance operation. The next day, Blenheims made the first Bomber Command attack by bombing enemy warships. 

From these earliest operations until early 1942, the Blenheim  served in a variety of roles. Squadrons were based in France in the early months of the war, other squadrons based in Britain were assigned to intercept enemy shipping, and Blenheim enabled Bomber Command to carry on offensive operations over Europe and most of the missions were despatched from Malta, for almost six years and it was never replaced by superior aircraft.

A fighter version of the Blenheim  carried four machine guns in the bomb bay. These aircraft were involved in the defence of London and served with Coastal Command in anti-shipping in the Mediterranean sea stationed in Malta mostly in Ta` Qali, reconnaissance, and a variety of other roles. 

A pilot, navigator/bomb-aimer, and wireless operator/gunner comprised the crew of the Blenheim . The navigator sat in the nose of the aircraft at a plotting table situated just below the distinctively scalloped port side of the canopy.

Bristol Blenheim Specifications
Engines: Mercury XV; 9 cylinder aircooled radial (995 hp)
Wingspan: 56 feet 4 inches
Length: 42 feet 7 inches