Boulton Paul P. 120
| Boulton Paul P. 120 | |
|---|---|
 Boulton Paul P.120 VT951
|
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| Type: | Experimental airplane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
August 6, 1952 |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Boulton Paul P.120 was a British test aircraft that was built in the 1950s to study the aerodynamics of delta wings. The P.120 was structurally similar to the Boulton Paul P.111, but had a tailplane.
construction and development
The P.120 followed the earlier Boulton Paul P.111 experimental aircraft with a delta wing. It was built to the Ministry of Aviation's specifications E.27 / 49. The main difference between the P120 and the P.111 was the arrow-shaped tail unit with a T-tail unit high up on the fin to improve longitudinal and directional stability. The P.120 had essentially the same wings as the P.111 in a larger span, in the configuration of an uncut delta wing. The wing tips of the P.120 were not removable or interchangeable, but they could be rotated differentially or together for lateral or longitudinal trimming. Only on the inside of the fuselage did these wing tips have a boundary layer fence . The fuselages of the two aircraft were identical with the exception of the rear fuselage.
history
The test flights took place in Boscombe Down. Despite a problem during the first test flight on August 6, 1952, when test pilot "Ben" Gunn had incorrectly estimated the required angle of attack for the horizontal stabilizer for take-off, the P.120 showed pleasant flight characteristics during its total flight time of just over 11 hours. Shortly before the Farnborough Air Show in September 1952, the previously unpainted P.120 was given a glossy black finish with yellow stripes and the nickname "Black-Widowmaker". On August 28, Gunn experienced severe flutter that resulted in the loss of the entire aileron. He was unable to hold the plane. Despite the aircraft's dramatic nickname, he was able to get to safety with the ejector seat. This was the first ejection seat exit from a delta wing aircraft. The P.120 was destroyed in the process. Although plans had still been made to convert the P.111 to the configuration of the P120, the decision was made to discontinue further exploration. Thus, the P.120 was the last Boulton Paul designed aircraft to be built.
Technical data (Boulton Paul P.120)
The performance values are those of the P.111, based on the similarity of the two aircraft. The P.120 never exceeded the speed of 450 knots in its 11 hours of flight time.
- Crew: 1
- Length: 29 ft 7 ½ in (9.03 m)
- Wingspan: 33 ft 5 ½ in (10.20 m)
- Height: 9 ft 6.5 in (2.91 m)
- Wing area: 290.13 ft² (26.96 m²)
- Empty weight: 10,656 lb (4844 kg)
- Takeoff mass: 12,580 lb (5718 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nene RN.2, 5100 lb static thrust (22.7 kN)
- Top speed: ~ 450 kn
See also
literature
- Brew, Alec. Boulton Paul Aircraft since 1915 . London: Putnam, 1993. ISBN 0-85177-860-7 .
- Jones, Barry. British Experimental Turbojet Aircraft . London: Crowood, 2007. ISBN 978-1-86126-860-0 .
