Did TSR-2 ever fly?
Test pilot Roland Beamont finally made the first flight from the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, on 27 September 1964. Over a period of six months, a total of 24 test flights were conducted.
Was the TSR-2 swing wing?
It was also announced that the project would be called TSR-2 (Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance, Mach 2). TSR-2 was a long (89ft) slim aircraft with a shoulder-mounted delta wing with turned down wing tips. Power was provided by two Bristol Siddeley Olympus engines equipped with afterburning.
Who Cancelled TSR-2?
By ordering the cancellation of the TSR 2, Harold Wilson’s Labour government committed a ruthless act which not only weakening the defensive and deterrent capabilities of the Royal Air Force, but seriously undermined the British aviation industry and questioned the commitment of the Wilson Government to an industry …
Why was TSR-2 destroyed?
Dogged by technical problems, cost overruns, political infighting, and bureaucratic ineptitude, the TSR-2 was cancelled after two dozen test flights. The program’s cost: half a billion dollars.
Is the BAC TSR-2 a Cold War aircraft?
The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 was a cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
When did BAC TSR-2 XR219 air to air with trails?
BAC TSR-2 XR219 Air to Air with trails. The prototype aircraft (XR219) made its first flight at Boscombe Down on 27 th September 1964 in the hands of test pilot Roland Beamont (a former RAF Wing Commander) and was in fact the only airframe to take to the air.
Who was awarded contract for BAC TSR-2?
In January 1959, the Minister announced that the contract was to be awarded to Vickers with English Electric as a sub-contractor. It was also announced that the project would be called TSR-2 (Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance, Mach 2).
What was the TSR-2 in the Cold War?
The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 (for “tactical strike and reconnaissance 2”) was a cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The TSR-2 was designed to penetrate a well-defended forward battle…