Operational Requirement F.155 & the Type 559

[Buster Hyman]

What a fascinating looking aircraft.



From wikipedia:

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot, weapons systems/navigation)
• Length: 68 ft 3 in (20.8 m)
• Wingspan: 42 ft (12.8 m)
• Height: 15 ft 3 in (4.65 m)
• Wing area: 615 ft² (57.1 m²)
• Empty weight: 41,485 lb (18,817 kg)
• Loaded weight: 62,190 lb (28,209 kg)
• Powerplant:
  • 2× de Havilland Gyron PS.26/1 turbojet, 20,000 lbf (89 kN) each
  • 2× De Havilland Spectre Junior kerosene/hydrogen peroxide rocket motor, 5,000 lbf (22 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 2.5 Mach
• Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)
• Endurance: 32 minutes

Armament

• Missiles: 2 × Red Hebe (radar guided) or Blue Jay (heat-seeking) missiles

Is this another TSR2 that just didn't get off the drawing board?

[green granite]

Another victim of Duncan Sandys prognosis

[Metman]

Endurance 32 minutes?!

[ORAC]

Looks like a competitor to the Saunders-Roe SR 53 and 177. Except the SR53 actually flew.....

See also wikipedia here and here

[aviate1138]

gg

The same Duncan Sandys that stood up in the Houses of Parliament and said there would be no more revenge weapons falling on the UK [He was Chairman of a War Cabinet Committee for defence against German flying bombs and rockets]? I think a V2 landed shortly afterwards!

Politicians!

Winston Churchill was his Father in Law!

[green granite]

The same Duncan Sandys that stood up in the Houses of Parliament and said there would be no more revenge weapons falling on the UK [He was Chairman of a War Cabinet Committee for defence against German flying bombs and rockets]

Strange you should say that, I'm just re-reading RV Jones' "Most Secret War" and have just finished the chapter dealing with Sandys' arrogance about the rocket intelligence.

[Buster Hyman]

32 mins...that's Wikipedia for you!

Type 559 Doesn't give endurance but:

Requirement F.155 defined an aircraft that could intercept an enemy aircraft at 65,000 feet, 70 miles from base within 6 minutes.

Would leave 26mins to do the business....

[Brian Abraham]

If you squint you could almost mistake it for a Typhoon.

[BEagle]

The expression on the pilots face as those 2 missiles went zotting past the cockpit would have been priceless!

Except that no doubt he would have been trussed up in a Taylor helmet and would therefore have been able to see very little.

[aw ditor]

See "Project Cancelled" by Derek Wood, ISBN 1 85488 020 8.

[XV277]

Or Tony Buttler's more recent book

British Secret Projects: Jet Fighters Since 1950: Amazon.co.uk: Tony Buttler: Books

You know, there is a reason nothing like these 'unconventional' designs enetered service with other nations, and it had nothing to do with Mr Sandys.

[aviate1138]

gg
"Strange you should say that, I'm just re-reading RV Jones' "Most Secret War" and have just finished the chapter dealing with Sandys' arrogance about the rocket intelligence."

RV Jones - there was a real man! The book is a must read. I have two dog eared copies.

He must be turning in his grave at the pronouncements of the present UK Chief Scientific Officer.
I would accept Politico biased, not quite Scientific Officer!

We should have cloned RV years ago! A lateral thinker of enormous talent. A great sense of humour. Does London have a statue anywhere in his honour? 4th Plinth Trafalgar Square - permanent fixing.

[green granite]

We should have cloned RV years ago! A lateral thinker of enormous talent. A great sense of humour.

Indeed we should have done, a very clever bloke.

Does London have a statue anywhere in his honour? 4th Plinth Trafalgar Square - permanent fixing.

Don't be silly, no-one who was as talented and did so much for the country is likely to be honoured in that way, the civil service wouldn't allow it.