AST.362: British Strike Trainers

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Hello everybody,

In the 1960s, the RAF was looking for a replacement for its Folland Gnats and Hawker Hunter trainers. It specified that the aircraft had to be supersonic and had to have a strike capability. The projects that I know of, taken from "British Secret Projects 2: Jet Bombers since 1949" written by Tony Buttler, are:

Folland Fo.147
Folland Fo.148
BAC (Vickers) Type 593
BAC (English Electric) P.45
Hawker Siddely HS.1170B
Hawker Siddely HS.1173
Hawker Siddely HS.1179
BAC/CAC AA-107
BAC P.61

Then there's the Breguet BR.121, which eventually, evolved into the SEPECAT Jaguar.

The projects which are most intriguing are the: BAC (Vickers) Type 593, Hawker Siddely HS.1170B, Hawker Siddely HS.1173, Hawker Siddely HS.1179, BAC/CAC AA-107 and the BAC P.61, as these are rarely covered. Does anyone have any technical documents about these types? Does anybody have any additional information or images about these types?

Thanks in advance,

Wyvern

 

[Hood]

I think you will find info on almost all of these types on this site, probably on different pages but its just a case of searching them out.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Thanks.

 

[blackkite]

Hi!
Fo.147.

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/folland-gnat-development-derivatives.769/page-2

 

[blackkite]

Fo.148.

Crtezi, ideje i nedovrseni projekti

www.mycity-military.com

"The final and most spectacular redesign was a Mach 2 variable geometry ("swing wing") machine, the Folland "Fo.148", that was intended as a trainer, air superiority fighter, or light strike aircraft. The wings were to have full-span leading-edge flaps and slotted trailing edge flaps; there would be a single stores pylon on each side of the fuselage. It was to have been fitted with an afterburning RB.153 engine with a thrust reverser. The Fo.148 was said to have been the last aircraft design to bear a Folland designation before the company was absorbed into the Hawker-Siddely group. It was an interesting design and it is a bit of shame it never flew."

Folland Fo.148 Swing-Wing Trainer / Light Strike Aircraft Proposal - United Kingdom

This page details the development and operational history of the Folland Fo.148 Swing-Wing Trainer / Light Strike Aircraft Proposal including technical specifications and pictures.

www.militaryfactory.com

Specifications
Year: 1963
Status: Cancelled
Manufacturer(s): Folland Aircraft - UK
Production: 0
Capabilities: Fighter; Ground Attack

Crew: 2
Length: 47.08 ft (14.35 m)
Width: 34.94 ft (10.65 m)
Height: 8.86 ft (2.7 m)
Weight (Empty): 11,905 lb (5,400 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 16,535 lb (7,500 kg)


Power: 1 x Rolls-Royce RB.153-61 afterburning turbojet engine developing 6,720lb of thrust dry and 11,750lb of thrust with reheat; thrust-reverser capability.


Speed: 1,572 mph (2,530 kph; 1,366 kts)
Ceiling: 49,213 feet (15,000 m; 9.32 miles)
Range: 1,118 miles (1,800 km; 972 nm)
Rate-of-Climb: 20,000 ft/min (6,096 m/min)

 

[blackkite]

BAC P.45, P.61 and AA-107.

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/bac-p-45-p-61-bac-cac-aa-107-vg-fighter-strike-trainer-projects.5574/

 

[blackkite]

BAC/CAC AA-107. Please watch part-Ⅱ.

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation: Cold War Flyers – Part I

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Under the direction of the Australian government the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of Australia was incorporated on October 17th, 1936 and by September 1…

acesflyinghigh.wordpress.com

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation: Cold War Flyers – Part II

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of Australia was incorporated on October 17th, 1936 under the direction of the Australian government and managed by Law…

acesflyinghigh.wordpress.com

As a follow on to the CA-31 in 1969 the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and CAC worked on a proposal for the co-development and production of the BAC/CAC AA-107 variable-geometry (swing-wing) trainer/light strike aircraft for RAF and RAAF consideration (AA = Anglo Australian). Flight International magazine reported on October 9th, 1969 that there was a potential market for up to 1,000 of these small (expected weight 12,000lb to 15,000lb / 5,400kg to 6,800kg) and relatively inexpensive aircraft (around £500,000 per aircraft).
Despite this optimism there was apparently no market for the AA-107 in the RAF and the potential production run for the RAAF was considered too small to proceed with further development. Once again this aircraft did not go into production and only went as far as a full-scale wooden mock-up which can be seen today on display at the Ballarat Aviation Museum in Victoria. Interestingly the mock-up seems to have only been completed on one side (in the museum the other side has no wing and is exposed with no covering panels).

 

[blackkite]

"British Secret Projects 2: Jet Bombers since 1949" written by Tony Buttler-san is really a excellent book.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Thanks for the information guys!