Is there anything it can't do?
Actually, for those of us who remember the wondrous TSR-2, and have read in the history books of any number of whizzy 1950's ideas, the track record suggests it can't actually get off the ground ...
Cynic? Moi?
Looks quite neat, though.
ND
My thoughts too.
ReplyDeleteEasy to throw some small change at concept development, doesn't mean there'll ever be a production contract under PM Corbyn. But presumably this is an opening bid to get the UK onto a joint development programme, with France/Germany, Sweden/Korea, maybe the US as a (very) junior partner, or whoever will take us.
If Our Brave Lads take the F-35 into action we'll have no pilots left for the Tempest.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to have thought of that one.
ReplyDeleteThink if you read up details TSRU was not as good as we were lead to believe - attempted to meet too many requirements at same time.
ReplyDeleteHowever is a bloody fine looking bit of kit.
One of many false dawns - like the Miles M52?
Makes me weep!
The future is lazers, not supersonic manned flight.
ReplyDeleteBy the way. Where are the flying cars and silver suits that were predicted for all of us ?
We have been satisfied with VR instead, *Electro-Kev*.
ReplyDeleteO-f C: it's a bit comical, isn't it, when you consider the very modest training aircraft Miles were known for.
ReplyDeleteWiki puts it nicely: "The Miles Aircraft company ... made a name for itself during the 1930s by producing affordable ranges of innovative light aircraft, perhaps the best known amongst these being the Miles Magister and Miles Master trainers, large numbers of both types seeing heavy use by the RAF for fighter pilot training. Although the company's products were relatively low-technology trainers and light aircraft, and did not include any jet-propelled aircraft, Miles had a good relationship with the Air Ministry"
Yup, reckon he must have done!
100 years ago today the Bolsheviks murdered Tsar Nicholas and all of his family they could get hold of.
ReplyDeleteThe Tsar had some pretty advanced aircraft - Sikorsky's Ilya Mourometz was IIRC the world's first four engined bomber.
Nice little snippet Anon - but Wikipedia shows the age old problem with any technological advance.
ReplyDeleteBy 1917, attrition from constant flying had reduced the bombing fleet substantially and only four bombers remained at the front line
AFAIR the Harriers had the same issue. More maintenance than flight time.
Got one of those in the yard just now.
ReplyDeleteUsing an F35 to take out some jihadi scrote on a 50cc scooter carrying an IED really is asymmetric warfare - even using the RAF's Unique Tiny Missiles at £250k a pop.
ReplyDeleteSurely we need aircraft such as the Tucano, fitted with cannon, iron bombs or 2G missiles, that can be flown by students from the University Air Squadrons, giving them a taste of overseas combat and some extra wedge for the union bar?
Raedwald - instead we are getting pilot redundancy... by stealth !
ReplyDelete(250k is worth it to avoid footage of said students bound up with zip ties in orange jump suits.)
Sorry, every fantasy my schoolboy grandson has seems to involve Kelly Brook.
ReplyDeleteTSR-2 was a bloody amazing aircraft and it did get off the ground rather well: I saw it flying more than once when passing Boscombe Down in the '60s. It died for political reasons - the Wilson government. A previous Tory government was responsible for similar destruction of our advanced aviation industry, thanks to the 1957 White Paper/Duncan Sandys. As for those sniffing at the Harrier, clearly the US Marines think differently, since they snapped up our remaining Harrier bits at a knockdown price when our miserably incompetent government dumped it.
ReplyDeleteEK, I like your dobtless tongue in cheek mention of lasers: politicians and RAF types in the late '50s thought similarly that manned aircraft were done for, something of a misreading as things turned out...
Actually, I was being serious when I mentioned lasers (even though I mispelled.)
ReplyDelete