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What other aircraft do you think the BBMF should be able to operate?

Discussion in 'Everything Else Heritage' started by martin1656, Jul 8, 2018.

  1. Robin

    Robin Well-Known Member Friend

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    Yes, XR220 which came tantalisingly close to flying. From the RAF Museum's accession records:

    "The TSR-2 project was cancelled by Harold Wilson’s Labour Government. XR220 had been intended to fly that morning, with Jimmy Dell as the pilot; this was delayed by the need to replace a faulty fuel pump discovered during pre-flight engine checks that morning. That afternoon the TSR-2 project was infamously cancelled in the budget speech and all work suspended before the aircraft could fly, despite Dell’s attempts to return to the airfield after lunch to fly the aircraft having heard the cancellation announcement on TV. The aircraft was already impounded when he got there."

    https://web.archive.org/web/2009041.../aircraft_histories/84-A-1171 TSR-2 XR220.pdf
     
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  2. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    No - it's a complete airframe, but as stated earlier, the only one that flew was destroyed.
     
  3. I thought the Fleet Air Arm museum had an airworthy Swordfish? It certainly always used to.

    For me the ultimate dream would be to see a Tempest V landing at Newchurch. Sadly I suspect that, even if one were airworthy, the high voltage pylons across the site might just stymie that one...

    Around the turn of the century seeing a Hurricane beating up Woodchurch ALG and a P47 Thunderbolt land on the adjacent private strip (the first time since the war) was emotional enough, seeing a Tempest landing and taking off from Newchurch would just about finish me off.
     
  4. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    It does, with at least one other potentially airworthy.
    The is a Mk V and at least one Mk II under restoration in the UK.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Tempest#Surviving_aircraft
     
  5. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    But isn't there one at Duxford too? I thought one of them flew? Or am I just confused?
     
  6. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Neither of the two surviving airframes ever flew.
    The one TSR-2 that did fly was destroyed as a Range Target at Shoeburyness.
     
  7. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    Wasn't the TSR-2 said to be superior to the F111 that the top brass in the RAF wanted to buy, but the programme when it was cancelled was done so on the belief that an order for the F111 was going to forthcoming, then the government decided to buy f4'S Redesigned to take the Spey engine, which turned out to be heavier and slower than the stock Phantom .
     
  8. mrKnowwun

    mrKnowwun Part of the furniture

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    The lack of a mozzie in the BBF contingent of RAF100 was noted upon. Its should be there, as the first real MRCA
     
  9. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    It was indeed said to be superior, but much depends on who was doing the saying.
    Looking at the specs it seems to have been slower, shorter-ranged and with a lower weapons load that the F-111.
    The stock Phantom would probably have been the best buy, but national pride would have suffered, even more.
     
  10. Robin

    Robin Well-Known Member Friend

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    Looking at Wikipedia (which I think may be correct for once), the final tally was as follows:
    XR219 - completed 24 test flights, used for target practice at Shoeburyness
    XR220 - maiden flight cancelled on the day, now at Cosford
    XR221 - completed, used for target practice
    XR222 - part comleted, now at Duxford
    XR223 - part completed, used for target practice
    XR224/5/6 - completed airframes scrapped at Hounslow
    XR227 etc, part completed airframes scrapped
     
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  11. Robin

    Robin Well-Known Member Friend

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    A nice epitaph from Sydney Camm (designer of the Hawker Hurricane): "All modern aircraft have four dimensions: span, length, height and politics. TSR-2 simply got the first three right."
     
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  12. Bill Drewett

    Bill Drewett Member

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    Here's my suggestion:

    [​IMG]

    It already belongs to the RAF, (in the museum at Cosford). Surely wouldn't take much to get it going again? A drum of C-Stoff and one of T-Stoff and away she goes!
     
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  13. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

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    What did Roy Brown say about his flight in an Me 163 Komet :eek:
     
  14. maddog

    maddog New Member

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    Blackburn Skua or Sea Gladiator.
     
  15. Copper-capped

    Copper-capped Part of the furniture

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    Eeek! Who in their right mind is going to strap themselves into that! :eek:
     
  16. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    The Avro Lincoln would definitely get my vote :)
     
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  17. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Although oddly both did feature in the Battle of Britain, surely the Royal Navy Historic Flight would be more appropriate?
     
  18. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The Spey Phantoms could accelerate faster than the J-74(?) powered ones and was faster at low and medium altitudes. At high altitudes the redesigned rear end gave cause to drag rise problems and slowed it down relative to the US versions.
     
  19. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    HMG did order the F-111 but that got cancelled after development problems led to long delays. The replacement arrived in the shape of the Buccaneer. The Phantom was ordered as a result of the supersonic Harrier (P1154) being cancelled.
     
  20. maddog

    maddog New Member

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    Just being silly and making a point about how naval aviation was neglected under RAF control.

    The RN Historic flight do have a Swordfish i believe, despite its obsolescence, it acheived some quite remarkable things.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2018
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