Saunders-Roe SR.53
| Saunders-Roe SR.53 | |
|---|---|
 The second prototype on September 8, 1957 in Farnborough |
|
| Type: | Experimental airplane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
May 16, 1957 |
| Number of pieces: |
2 |
The Saunders-Roe SR.53 was an experimental aircraft made by the British manufacturer Saunders-Roe in the 1950s.
history
With the beginning of the supersonic age in the mid-1950s, numerous well-known aircraft companies tried to submit projects for supersonic fighter aircraft. One of these was the P.177 from Saunders-Roe, which was also considered to involve the newly emerging German aviation industry.
Initially, however, Saro built the SR.53 test aircraft in order to test both the engines required for an interceptor and the most appropriate cell design . A mixed propulsion system in the stern with an overhead jet engine and a rocket engine underneath was chosen because, on the one hand, there were insufficiently powerful jet engines available, and on the other hand, the rocket propulsion made possible a high rate of climb for interception missions.
On May 16, 1957, the delta wing aircraft with the RAF serial number XD145 completed its maiden flight, which, like the trials, was initially promising. For demonstration purposes , the aircraft received two firestreak guided missiles on the wing tips during subsequent flights , so that it was already possible to speak of an operational model. The second prototype (XD151) crashed on June 15, 1958 during a test flight. All work on the project was stopped because of the unresolved further financing. The first prototype has been preserved and is on display in the Aerospace Museum RAF Cosford.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Saunders-Roe SR.53 |
|---|---|
| crew | 1 |
| length | 13.61 m |
| span | 7.65 m |
| height | 3.30 m |
| Wing area | 24.45 m² |
| Wing swept | 40 ° |
| Empty mass | 3168 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 8618 kg |
| Engines | 1 teaspoon Armstrong-Siddeley Viper ASV-8 , 710 kp; 1 rocket engine De Havilland Specter, 3,560 kp |
| Top speed | 1530 km / h |
| Climbing time to 15,250 m | 2 min |
| Summit height | 15,250 m |
| Flight duration | 30 min |
| Armament | 2 firestreak air-to-air guided missiles |
