TSR-1?

According to British Homebuilt Aircraft since 1920 by Ken Ellis and published by Merseyside Aviation Society in 1979 (2nd edition), the Storey Wonderplane was designated TSR-3 with TSR standing for Tom Storey Racer and the ‘3’ as it was ‘one up’ on TSR-2. By implication, he had not built any predecessors, at least not of his own design

Thanks David – That is what I suspected. I also understood it was built to comply with the Goodyear / Formula One air race rules, although it never actually raced, but with a cruise speed of 95 mph it wouldn’t exactly have challenged the Cosmic Winds, Cassuts and Rollason Betas that were competing in the UK in those days unless it has a much smaller engine up front now.

To be pedantic, and hopefully to avoid confusion, the two Fairey designs were designated with Roman numerals, so they should be written TSR.I and TSR.II.

Which I purposely made clear in post #3!:)

I must admit that I thougt the TSR-2 monicker actually arose within BAC and not the RAF, it became common practice with other projects, MRCA, ADV, EAP, EFA etc.

At least there doesn’t seem to be any doubt about the source of the designation for the TSR-3 but what were the Tom Storey Racer 1 and 2 or did he just continue on where others had left off?

According to British Homebuilt Aircraft since 1920 by Ken Ellis and published by Merseyside Aviation Society in 1979 (2nd edition), the Storey Wonderplane was designated TSR-3 with TSR standing for Tom Storey Racer and the ‘3’ as it was ‘one up’ on TSR-2. By implication, he had not built any predecessors, at least not of his own design

At least there doesn’t seem to be any doubt about the source of the designation for the TSR-3 but what were the Tom Storey Racer 1 and 2 or did he just continue on where others had left off?

To be pedantic, and hopefully to avoid confusion, the two Fairey designs were designated with Roman numerals, so they should be written TSR.I and TSR.II.

As I explained in my book, the precise source of the term “TSR2” remains unknown.

Buy a copy of Damien Burke’s TSR2 book then, it’s in there. Page 68.

It’s also odd to note that even the TSR2 wasn’t actually called “TSR2” at all. It was in fact the Vickers-Supermarine Type 571. The term “TSR2” applied to the project rather than the actual machine.

Revisionist nonsense. BAC called it the TSR2 as did the RAF and the government. See page 96 of Burke for Vickers type number listing covering TSR2 – including 571 for development batch, 579 for pre-production batch, 594 for production aircraft.

The T.S.R.1 was a private-venture biplane, built by Fairey, and destroyed in an accident in September 1933; the Swordfish was an improved design, and was given the designation T.S.R.2.
There might well be a file, with the definitive reason for the second TSR2 designation, lurking in the National Archives. The standard “closure time” for a file is 25 years, but, if it’s decided that there’s anything sensitive, that can expand up to 150 years.
I was recently asked to check on a court martial, in 1946, but the file has a 75 year closure, so I couldn’t. If someone, in authority, decides that anyone involved has to be comfortably 6 feet under, before it comes to light, we may never see it.
Edgar

Thanks for your replies folks. I’ll convey the gist of them to my friend when I see him during the week.

Roger Smith.

As I explained in my book, the precise source of the term “TSR2” remains unknown. It emerged from the darker recesses of Government offices and (as we all know) stood for “Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance” but there is no documentation to conclusively prove where the “2” came from. Clearly, it was either intended to reflect the aircraft’s projected Mach two performance, or intended as a term to follow-on from “TSR1” which (based on this logic) would have been the Canberra. It looks like it will remain forever a mystery but I think most people’s money is on the Mach two explanation.

As has been said, if any aircraft had the “TSR1” designation is was indeed the Swordfish, as the term was certainly never officially applied to the Canberra. It’s also odd to note that even the TSR2 wasn’t actually called “TSR2” at all. It was in fact the Vickers-Supermarine Type 571. The term “TSR2” applied to the project rather than the actual machine.

But didn’t the 2 stand for Mach 2, so Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance (Mach) 2 rather than version 2?

TSR-2 wasn’t an official designation, which adds to the TSR-1 & 2 confusion.
Think about it, ‘T’ stood for Torpedo for a long time, as in Wyvern TF.1 etc, it later became standard for for Trainer, but it was never used for Tactical. It isn’t even written as a British military designation which would use a full stop, not a hyphen.
TSR-2 was a vogueish way of naming and getting the aircraft known for its intended Tactical Strike Reconnaissance role, much like EAP, EFA, for the Typhoon, ADV for Tornado fighter etc.
I really don’t know why it was ‘2’, I don’t know of a TSR-1 though I have seen it bandied about that the Canberra B(I).8 was sometimes known as that by the company, I don’t believe that until I see evidence of it though.

TSR.I was indeed the Fairey Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance forerunner of the Swordfish, and the TSR.II was the Swordfish prototype.
Again these weren’t an official designation as it just predates the use of role designation letters, aircraft were only designated by their mark number and in roman numerals.

I think he TSR1 was the original designation for the Fairey Swordfish.
The TSR2 is well know and the TSR3 was built by Tom Storey who along with Martin Barraclough first rebuilt Mew Gull G-AEXF and I believe he was involved in Airmark who built a small batch of Cassut racers in the UK in the late 60’s.
I think I have got the TSR prefixes right
TSR1 = Torpedo, Spotter, Reconnaissance ?
TSR2 =Tactical Strike Reconnaissance
TSR3 = Tom Storey Racer