Vintage and classic jets

XN923, the SR.53 was mixed power-plant, with a Viper turbojet and a Spectre rocket. When we got the airframe from storage at Henlow, both were missing and we tried very hard to find replacements. Despite the fact that the RAF was throwing out early Jet Provosts at the time, they steadfastly refused to let us have a Viper.

Amazingly though, a Spectre rocket motor was traced to the Shuttleworth Collection, who very nicely handed it over to us. Even more amazing, not only was it the correct version, but it had originally been fitted to the same airframe! After I had restored it, it was decided to leave it on its stand rather than re-install it to avoid any issues with the aircraft’s CofG as the Viper, which is much further forward, was still missing.

We had tremendous help with that restoration. Martin-Baker refurbsihed the bang-seat for us free of charge, Binbrook found a pair of Firestreaks for us (it came from Henlow fitted with instrumentation pods), Halton donated a Gnat pitot probe, which was an almost exact fit and if I remember correctly, the replacement mainwheel tyres were Dominie (nosewheel?) units from Finningley.

As Albert so rightly says, good old Mick Allen finished it all off with a superb paint job.

My top 3 jets would be

The Bucc
Vulcan
Sea Vixen

does the fiddler fall under early jets though. nice pics guys..!

‘In 1955 the PVO issued a specification for a long-range interceptor aircraft to defend the vast territory of the Soviet Union, to provide the necessary range and ability to carry a powerful radar and air-to-air missiles, Tupolev developed an aircraft similar to the Tu-105 (Tu-22) bomber. The Tu-102 development aircraft first flew in 1959, with the initial operational version, the Tu-28P (‘Fiddler-A’), entering production in 1963. This was replaced in production by the definitive Tu-128 (‘Fiddler-B’)’
(credits, Wikipedia)

Maybe not ‘early’ but definately classic!

Aww’ go on…. Let her in 🙂 🙂

It was actually an early Pulse Jet if I’m not mistaken :confused:

Correct, as Daz said in Post#14.

The Panther was one of the first plastic kits I ever built. Aged about 7, 1959-ish, it was probably still in service and we’re talking about OLD aeroplanes. 🙁

Or was it a Cougar…?

Thought the V1 was rocket powered?.

It was actually an early Pulse Jet if I’m not mistaken :confused:

My favourite vintage jets have to be:-

1st. Sea Vixen FAW2
2nd. F105D Thunderchief
and finally the Grumman F9f Panther.

Oh to see one of those fly again! :rolleyes:

Papa Lima,

“My all-time favourite, the SR.53.”

Obviously a man of great taste. I was part of the team that restored the SR.53 for the RAF Museum in the late ’70s/early ’80s.

…and sprayed by Mick Allen of Seafire fame! 😀

The S.R.53 was hybrid. Armstrong Siddeley Viper at the top and a de H. Spectre underneath.

It was what would now be called a technology demonstrator for the S.R.177.

Edit:
IIRC, the original suggestion was for a rocket-powered interceptor with a “get you home” jet.
They realised fairly soon it would be far more use as basically a jet aircraft with the rocket for serious grunt.

FD.2

The design team at Fairey broke the habits of a lifetime with that beauty. What a corker. 😀

Best wishes
Steve P

Good call. The Air Ministry stuck with the habit of a lifetime by not ordering it.

Fabulous aircraft though, and a proper plane – not like those Bell X-planes that broke up if you tried to deviate from a straight line.

Now I’m fairly sure the SR.53 was rocket powered though the (less attractive) SR.177 was hybrid jet/rocket was it not?

Sea Vixen
Buccaneer
…and always had a soft spot for the Supermarine Swift, someone’s got to stick up for it

FD.2

The design team at Fairey broke the habits of a lifetime with that beauty. What a corker. 😀

Best wishes
Steve P

P. 1052 ?

Ah, perfection !

Roy.

Hunter definitely Sydney Camm didnt put a line wrong. ‘First Flight’ is resplendant in my lounge….

glorious piece of design IMHO.

TSR2? complete opposite – purposeful agressive looking beastie.

Always had a soft spot for the T-33 / P-80 too….

Oh and Firefox :p

🙂

TT

The Fouga CM.170 Magister.

With swept wings it would have been even more beautiful.

P. 1052 ?

Here’s some french stuff, mostly not well known, but that’s, what make
it much more interesting.
– elegant, as the Arsenal VG-70
– a look of brute force, as the SE.2415 Grognard
– or even “ugly” in the eyes of many onlookers, as the SNCAC NC.1071
And there’s hope to find pictures and infos about post-war french aviation
more easily in the future : http://frenchaviation.populus.org

And still, everyone overlooks the wonderful sea hawk. Hawker’s first jet, a sidney camm design – what heritage!

With swept wings it would have been even more beautiful.

Roy.

Steve Bond, here is the result of your labours at Cosford. Beautiful!

Ok My Choices,

Hunter – as I spent a week working on the flight line of 3sqn 4FTS at ATC camp RAF Valley in the late 80’s.

And the Jet Provost, as like me it was built in Luton! and its the only fast jet I’ve ever been up in.

Steve.

Papa Lima,

“My all-time favourite, the SR.53.”

Obviously a man of great taste. I was part of the team that restored the SR.53 for the RAF Museum in the late ’70s/early ’80s.

does the fiddler fall under early jets though. nice pics guys..!