Assuming the premise of the Anglo-French VG project goes ahead with the division of French airframe and British internals (instead of as per history) and assming this comes at the exchange of British leadership on the supersonic trainer.....which aircraft would be chosen?
One might assume that AST.362 would still be issued in held and then progressed '63-64.
We know that this became a choice between:-
P.45 with VG wing
P.45 with delta wing
HS.1170B
HS.1173
Type 593
A possible resurrection of the Folland Fo.147 or 148
Whatever the choice, assuming the AFVG still collapses and the Supersonic Trainer developes into the MRI platform as per the Jaguar.
----
On a practical level the VG efforts are likely to founder on costs just as per history, leaving us the choice of :-
P.45 with delta wing
HS.1173 with swept wing
and a possible fixed wing version of the other VG offerings.
It would seem then to come down to powerplant.
P.45 studies cover both twin and single engine options.
The Spey being the largest and probably most expensive of them, but having commonality with Buccaneer and Phantom II.
The RB.153 offerings may be supplanted with some variant of the M.45 family, or RR's RB.172 at full scale (rather than scaled down as per the Adour).
Hawkers 1173 seems potentially the cheaper of the two, and perhaps the most modify-able of designs.
While the P.45 might actually make an easier to maintain and arm system with it's high wing.
Which would you choose?
One might assume that AST.362 would still be issued in held and then progressed '63-64.
We know that this became a choice between:-
P.45 with VG wing
P.45 with delta wing
HS.1170B
HS.1173
Type 593
A possible resurrection of the Folland Fo.147 or 148
Whatever the choice, assuming the AFVG still collapses and the Supersonic Trainer developes into the MRI platform as per the Jaguar.
----
On a practical level the VG efforts are likely to founder on costs just as per history, leaving us the choice of :-
P.45 with delta wing
HS.1173 with swept wing
and a possible fixed wing version of the other VG offerings.
It would seem then to come down to powerplant.
P.45 studies cover both twin and single engine options.
The Spey being the largest and probably most expensive of them, but having commonality with Buccaneer and Phantom II.
The RB.153 offerings may be supplanted with some variant of the M.45 family, or RR's RB.172 at full scale (rather than scaled down as per the Adour).
Hawkers 1173 seems potentially the cheaper of the two, and perhaps the most modify-able of designs.
While the P.45 might actually make an easier to maintain and arm system with it's high wing.
Which would you choose?
