Trolling thrugh the RAF museums exhibits at Cosford , I came across the Avro 707, Short SB5 Sherpa and the Bristol 188. The purpose of the Avro 707 was obvious as an aerodynamic test vehicle for the Vulcan. The Sherpa seems to me to do as similar function for the EE Lightning. but what was the purpose of the T188 which bears little resemblance to any resultant aircraft.
Are there any other one-off research aircraft in museums that contributed to aerodynamic and similar research. I can think of Fairey FD2, (in 2 roles), HP115, Short Flying Bedstead, and Hunting126 (recently featured in Flypast).
There must be other one-offs ; where are they ?
By: Vega ECM - 12th September 2010 at 12:35
The Bristol 188 was originally to test the Stainless Structural kinetic heating for the Avro730 albeit with a more conventional wing/tailplane configuration.
Note – Even if it had achieved full spec it was only good for 15mins at M2, just enough for thermal stabilisation. Top predicted speed was M2.8, but there was some optimism that M3+ was achievable due to flutter calculation conservatism. Best flight testing got to was M1.88 limited by air intake problems, although even if these had not been present high engine SFC limited it to M2 for only 7-8 mins. Engine designers at De Hav’s had all left and Bristols struggled to get any engine tech support. Nacelles were designed to accommodate other engine types (i.e. Oly) and in flight refueling was explored/schemes produced to extend even the gyron Junior thirsty performance, but by that stage the ministry had lost interest. Concorde was aluminum at M2.2.
By: pagen01 - 12th September 2010 at 09:49
The Bristol 188 was built to test the properties of stainless steel construction at high speed, yes look closely at the construction of that aircraft and be amazed, it is stainless steel!
I believe in the end it was overweight and had a higher fuel burn than anticipated and subsequently couldn’t fly long enough, to go fast enough, to perform the tests at the right speed and temperature ranges.
Its pilot Godfrey Auty was voted by his Test-Pilot peers as the person most likely to eject (1961?)!
I don’t know if the 188 was ever designed to test features of a production aircraft, but the HP115 was (low speed slender-delta handling properties for Concorde), and the Fairey Delta was built to an experimental specification that was part of a fighter requirement (same one as P.1A/Lightning?).
The SR.53 was a smaller mixed rocket/jet test aircraft for the SR.177 which didn’t happen.
By the way the Short S.B.5 (low speed Lightning wing and tail position handling research) you saw isn’t the Sherpa.
The S.B.4 was the Sherpa (now in Ulster aero museum) and it was to trial the aeroisoclinic wing for a swept-wing Short Sperrin bomber off shoot that didn’t happen.
By: TwinOtter23 - 12th September 2010 at 09:36
Some at Newark
One or two amongst this list http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/aircraft_list.html 🙂
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September 12, 2010 at 9:31 am