There are so many questions that "the" real TSR2 story is hardly likely to be found, surely. Questions like:
(not in any particular order of importance) ...
- The interference of Lord Mountbatten when First Sea Lord
- The horror among left-wingers at anything capable of carrying nukes
- Government blackmail of aircraft firms reluctant to merge
- The long-standing influence of Wedgie Benn lobbying on behalf of firms in the Bristol area, leading to government insistence on the Olympus being chosen to power the aircraft, rather than a RR proposal said to have been the designers' preference
- Incompatibilities between Weybridge and Warton design and drawing methods
- Unwillingness of the two companies' managements to work together in this forced marriage
- US pressure to select the F/B 111 for the job - specially on the Australians)
- See the Concorde story for the Civil Service's idea of attendants at meetings
Etc, etc, etc
PS. TSR2 without the internal bomb bay gives a shorter fuselage, made shorter by fitting RR engines;
Swing the wings rather than blowing the flaps for the STO function;
add international cooperation and ...
you get ...
Tornado.
And yet another shining example of British (gov't and company) managements' propensity for (see title) at the time.
Tongue somewhat in cheek, of course ...
And yes, I was one of many in the Service who very much hoped to fly TSR2.