The aircraft used fabric-covered wood and metal construction, folding wings, and a 450-horsepower Napier Lion IIB twelve-cylinder water-cooled engine installed as a detachable power unit. Its Dart-type louvred engine bay had controllable shutters. Lengths of steel tube fitted into joint clusters machined from solid material formed the centre structure, with subassemblies bolted to that nucleus. The mainplanes, tail unit, and control surfaces apart from the rudder were interchangeable with the Blackburn Dart. This commonality simplified the Fleet Air Arm's spares holdings.
Chapter · 0:59-1:42
Dart components simplified Fleet Air Arm spares
The R.1 used a two-bay biplane layout and components shared with the Blackburn Dart to simplify Fleet Air Arm spares holdings.