NIMROD

I once read somewhere that Hawker Siddeley kept pushing a Trident derivative against the wishes of the MOD who wanted the HS801; all came to a head at some meeting when the MOD told them flatly that if they didn’t start listening, they would buy the Atlantic instead, and a HS man had to scurry back to Woodford (or wherever) to collect the HS801 drawings. How true or not, I’m not sure.

I understand the decision for Comet was heavily influenced by the early 1960’s purchase of three or four Comet airframes for the RAE to use as flying test beds in support of all the expected avionics development work associated with TSR2, AW681 and 1154. When all those got the chop there were 2 Comets paid for and delivered which were completely surplus to requirements and therefore available free of charge. This made the Comet based RMPA much cheaper than the Trident ( or VC10) approach……..but less profitable for Squidly Didly.

I once read somewhere that Hawker Siddeley kept pushing a Trident derivative against the wishes of the MOD who wanted the HS801; all came to a head at some meeting when the MOD told them flatly that if they didn’t start listening, they would buy the Atlantic instead, and a HS man had to scurry back to Woodford (or wherever) to collect the HS801 drawings. How true or not, I’m not sure.

The RAF did evaluate both the VC-10 and the HS Trident as possible Shackleton replacements, and determined that they would be “too large, too expensive, and take too long to enter service”.

The actual first choice was the Breguet Atlantic, but British insistence on a “quid-pro-quo” (in the form of either French purchase of the P.1154 or using a Rolls-Royce engine in the Mirage IIIV) coupled with the French refusal of such an arrangement killed the deal, and caused the return to a British aircraft, by default the smaller & cheaper Comet (Nimrod) variant.

This document mentions all of that, and much more, in the Shackleton-replacement chapter (pages 33-57):
WHAT DROVE MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT IN THE POST-WAR ERA?

What I find intriguing was the proposed “double-decker” version of the Super VC-10: http://www.vc10.net/History/doubledeck_super_vc10.html

Thanks for the info,i did not know that.

Also as to Concorde and the RAF ,i have a RAF Golden Jubilee Souvenir Book on page 80 is a drawing of a Concorde
carring 3 Blue Steel stand off nuclear missiles

Peter

Goodness knows why the RAF didn’t have a Concorde for the Royal Squadron.

Because it made far more sense to buy a seat on a BA flight than it did to operate a whole aircraft for a few flights a year!

We all know that the Nimrod was a extensive modification of the De Havilland Comet,
But could the Vickers VC 10 also have been used in the role as a maritime aircraft.

Peter

I would guess with modifications it would be feasible. Goodness knows why the RAF didn’t have a Concorde for the Royal Squadron.

The RAF did evaluate both the VC-10 and the HS Trident as possible Shackleton replacements, and determined that they would be “too large, too expensive, and take too long to enter service”.

The actual first choice was the Breguet Atlantic, but British insistence on a “quid-pro-quo” (in the form of either French purchase of the P.1154 or using a Rolls-Royce engine in the Mirage IIIV) coupled with the French refusal of such an arrangement killed the deal, and caused the return to a British aircraft, by default the smaller & cheaper Comet (Nimrod) variant.

This document mentions all of that, and much more, in the Shackleton-replacement chapter (pages 33-57):
WHAT DROVE MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT IN THE POST-WAR ERA?

What I find intriguing was the proposed “double-decker” version of the Super VC-10: http://www.vc10.net/History/doubledeck_super_vc10.html

re;

We all know that the Nimrod was a extensive modification of the De Havilland Comet,
But could the Vickers VC 10 also have been used in the role as a maritime aircraft.

Peter

I would guess with modifications it would be feasible. Goodness knows why the RAF didn’t have a Concorde for the Royal Squadron.

what appear to be elevators for coffee tables !!!!!.Nearly as bad as the idiot a few year sback who was sectioning brand new merlin cylinder heads to make coffee tables and would not let them go into flying aircraft in exchange for used ones.

What next Harrier wing dining tables ?.

ex aircraft carriers into cross channel ferries ?.

Stranger things have happened.:D

Lincoln .7

what appear to be elevators for coffee tables !!!!!.Nearly as bad as the idiot a few year sback who was sectioning brand new merlin cylinder heads to make coffee tables and would not let them go into flying aircraft in exchange for used ones.

What next Harrier wing dining tables ?.

ex aircraft carriers into cross channel ferries ?.