Originally Posted by
meleagertoo
What's the "less than stellar record" snark all about? A minor accident early in testing? Followed by a successful test programme.
I'm not sure a test program with only 6 flights, one of which ended in a crash; a program which was cut artificially short when someone didn't quite get a mooring pin inserted correctly, after which the aircraft destroyed itself in "light winds", could be accurately described as "successful".
Originally Posted by
meleagertoo
. There's still a long way to go but it's a British success - or are we all so saturated in gloom and self-flagellation that nothing positive can be said about our wonderful country's positive achievements?
Well, not really, the thing was designed and built by Northrup Grumman, with the US Defense Department pouring in vast quantities of development money, as only the US DoD can do. ... almost a third of a billion (with a B) USD. Granted, HAV was one of Northrup Grumman's subcontractors, and an important one, and I'm certainly not trying to start a "my country is better than yours" pissing match. I'm just saying that the cast-off from a (very expensive) failed foreign military development program (programme, if you will) is probably not a good candidate as a source of nationalistic pride.