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Afternoon all,
Another birthday coming next month, so my wife bought me the one TSR2 book I haven't got in my extensive library yet.
having studied this fascinating cancelled project for the last 30 years in some detail, I was thrilled to see images I have not seen before - very briefly, before it was taken off me again!
Gives this old fart something to look forward to anyway, now where are my reading spectacles ... :lol::lol:
Hi,
Sounds like an interesting book, I'm sure you are going to enjoy it. I remember when the government announced it was cancelling the TSR2 project, I think there were three built. I suspect you've seen the one at Duxford. It was wired up with lots of strain gauges but never flew.
Ian
Evening Ian,
Very much looking forward to it.
It's a fascinating aircraft, built in the wrong country at the wrong time.
The first British aircraft to take the weapon system approach, with some very complex avionic systems and a complex and difficult airframe and engine combination, it would have been a swine to keep servicable!
I've seen both surviving aircraft, with XR220 at Cosford bring the most complete.
But wouldn't have been something to see a TSR2 hammering down a Welsh valley!
It would have been a sight to see even if it wasn't hammering down a Welsh valley.
Interesting that you should mention XR220 was the most complete. I would have been involved in fabricating a cover panel for the Duxford machine had I still been a volunteer there, the original I suspect was pinched for a replacement, perhaps for XR220 and replaced by a piece of aluminium sheet, the original was made from GRP on an aluminium frame. The area it covered was located close to the underside of the fuselage, directly below the cockpit and as far as I can recall, enclosed some of the avionics.
Ian
Morning Ian,
XR220 was ready for its first flight on the day of cancellation.
Though she was stripped of all internal equipment and stored following ground based Concorde related ground running trials, she's since been re-fitted with much of her internal fittings by the Cosford team.
The Duxford example, XR222, is something of a composite empty airframe, it's believed she is equipped with the wing of another example.
John,
Let me know when you want to visit ;)
Bloody Labour party boshed that one at the start, real shame could of took us down a very different route aeronautically!!
Cheers Gil,
I haven't been to Duxford for 16 years or more, l'll get there this year, perhaps make a weekend of it. I mentioned a BB weekend break to Duxford to my better half and got 'The look' for my trouble, so I might just treat myself instead.
I say to anybody coming, it is literally a 3 day visit at the very least if you visit every exhibit. You'll be our museum for hours looking at the weapon cabinet, including Saddam Husseins Gold AK47..................yes lots of stolen weapons on display there by the Parachute Regiment over many campaigns:lol:
Travel Lodge is just up the road at Whittlesford great stay with a fantastic pub next door!
Pub next door you say Gil .... Ever though about being an estate agent.....:thup::lol:
John, I was at Duxford a good few years back, just getting out the van was greeted by the sound of a Merlin engine......... and later on a P51 mustang was getting ready for a take off, don't know if it was a RR or Packard Merlin but what a sound.
Never realised your great interest with Aircraft, have a look for The Book by Sir Stanley Hooker "Not much of an Engineer"
At least some of the TSR2 technology wasn’t wasted and ended up in the Tornado which is just about to retire.
Is there a Tornado (ZA355) at Duxford in USAF markings? I arranged its disposal on behalf of the RAF and I last heard it was at Duxford being prepped for a movie.
This is the only one we have here to my knowledge, GR4 ZA469 unless a US marked one is hidden in a hangar somewhere, but don't believe its on site
Panavia Tornado GR1 | Imperial War Museums
I went looking for her and found this,
Duxford October Bimbles ~ 09Oct18
Wonder if its moved on!!
It's probably about 20 years since I last visited Duxford; and that was a quick visit, so missed much. I'm sure it's time to go back.
I need to sort out a day or two next time I'm in the UK.