Fairey Delta 1
| Fairey Delta 1 | |
|---|---|
 Fairey Delta 1
|
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| Type: | Experimental airplane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
March 12, 1951 |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Fairey Delta 1 or FD1 was a British research aircraft produced by the Fairey Aviation Company for the study of delta wings and flight characteristics at supersonic speeds. In tests, the FD1 showed poor handling and stability, which led to the cancellation of the production of two additional airframes. It was the first delta wing aircraft that was an all-British design.
construction and development
Originally, the Fairey Delta 1 was designed as a vertical takeoff ( VTOL ), which should be started on an inclined ramp. Already in the early planning phase at Fairey, the Ministry of Supply decided to adapt the aircraft to specification E.10 / 47 of the Air Ministry Specification - a conventional jet-powered research aircraft . The Fairey Type R design was a middle-decker with a delta wing without a horizontal stabilizer, with a circular fuselage cross-section and an air inlet at the bow. It was powered by a Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 turbojet engine . Although developed as a transonic aircraft, the Delta 1 had a "sedate" look, completely at odds with Fairey's next design, the sleek and elegant Fairey Delta 2 . Three aircraft were ordered under the name "Fairey Delta"; which was later modified to "Fairey Delta".
history
The only FD1 built was built at Fairey's Heaton Chapel Stockport facility and brought to Manchester Ringway Airport for final assembly . On May 12, 1950, the FD1 made several high-speed taxi tests on the 4,200-foot runway before being partially dismantled on the road to the Airplane and Armament Experimental Establishment on the RAF Boscombe Down. After further taxi tests, the aircraft (serial number VX350) made its maiden flight on March 12, 1951. Flown by Fairey Test Pilot Group Captain Gordon Slade. The FD1 was provided with a small horizontal delta-shaped control surface on the top of the rudder to eliminate pitching movements in the entire speed range. The continuation of the test flights revealed indications of serious stability problems which were described as "dangerous". The additional rear area limits the top speed to a relatively slow 555 km / h. After a landing accident in September 1951, the FD1 was converted. The slats were removed and the streamlined cladding of the anti-vortex screens at the wing tips modified. The large control surfaces made it difficult to fly the FD 1 in a controlled and precise manner, even though a fast roll rate was achieved. Only one FD1 was built, the second (VX357) and third (VX364) airframes were not completed as the order was canceled. Following the cancellation of the program by the Department of Aviation, the aircraft continued to be flown for trials by Fairey. On February 6, 1956, the FD1 had a landing accident at Boscombe Down and could no longer be repaired. The aircraft was brought to the Shoeburyness Weapons Range as a target display in October 1956 and was later scrapped. Fairey had invested £ 382,000 of his own money in the FD1.
Specifications (Fairey Delta 1)
- Crew: 1
- Length: 26 ft 3 in (8 m)
- Wingspan: 19 ft 6.5 in (5.9 m)
- Height: 19 ft 6.5 in (5.9 m)
- Weight: 6,800 lb (3,084 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 Turbojet, lb 3,600 (1,633 kg)
- Top speed: 545 knots (1,011 km / h 628 mph)
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Winchester 2005, p. 254.
- ↑ Flight P348
- ↑ a b c Chorlton 2012, p. 104
- ↑ http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1955/1955%20-%201707.PDF A Fairey 'Forty Years' AGM December 1955 page = 826
- ↑ Taylor 1976, p. 91.
literature
- Chorlton, Martyn (ed). Fairey - Company Profile 1915-1960 . Cudham, Kent, England, Kelysey Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-1-907426-60-5
- Sturtivant, Ray. British Research and Development Aircraft . Somerset, UK, Haynes Publishing Group, 1990. ISBN 0-85429-697-2
- Taylor, HA Fairey Aircraft since 1915 . London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-00065-X .
- Taylor, John WR Jane's Pocket Book of Research and Experimental Aircraft . London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd, 1976. ISBN 0-356-08409-4 .
- Twiss, Peter. Faster than the Sun . London: Grub Street Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-902304-43-8 .
- Winchester, Jim. X-Planes and Prototypes . London: Amber Books Ltd., 2005. ISBN 1-904687-40-7 .
