Thanx for the info guys.
I had the chance to watch the show again, benefit of cable, and managed to get a bit more info.
Dick Stratton was on the program, as well as another TP Erick Brown. I think that the primary test pilot was John Booth, who was the pilot killed when the 53 ran off the end of the runway.
Dick Stratton said that he ad seen 45000ft/min on the VSI !!!!!
They werent very specific with figures, it was more concered with the development of the 53 and the 177, and the political descisions that affected the program.
Genghis, interesting your comment about protectionism. It does seem that the program was done under by the US wanting to sell F-104s to the West Germans ove the 177.
Milt, with reguard to "your" Super Sea Sprites, where were the HTP and Kerosene mixed, Im assuming that the HTP hits the catalyst first, then the kero is added, ignited by the heat, burning the by product oxygen. Were they regeneratively cooled by the HTP, or was the duration to short to require cooling of the nozzle? And one more were you using RP-1 or JP-5?
Sorry for all the questions, I have a freind who was working on improving a HTP tip jet helicopter, by using JP-5 to improve the thrust. I got a shaky email from him saying that he had managed to blow his shed up, and nearly himself, and that it shouldnt be tried.
But now it appears that most of the British rocket program used just those fuels.
I still cant beleive the number of British programs that have been cancelled, usually just as they start to go. If the US had followed the same process, we never would have gotten anywhere.
The SR53/177, TSR2, Rotordyne (canned in favour of Chinooks), the early supersonic attempts, the Ballistic missile program (Blue Streak?), British Space Program (never really got going). Mind you the Aus govt does alot of the same thing, namely by not helping at all, our current scram jet program is an example of that. We got ours to work even before the US, but had to get overseas funding, meaning another Aus product goes offshore.
Anyway back to the topic, if anyone is aware of any papers published on this, or books of value I would appreciate a direction to look, particularly with reguard to the Viper.
Assuming that the 177 had gone into production, do you think that we would be seeing current generation rocket interceptors?
While advancements in jets negated the need for a rocket interceptor, perhaps similar advancements in rocket design, and operational experience may have kept it viable. Thoughts?