BAC TSR-2

Only on the tenth test flight was the landing gear successfully retracted - problems preventing this on previous occasions, but vibration problems on landing persisted.

The problem was dealt with by adding damping into the already complex landing gear.

The second prototype (XR220) incorporated additional dampers in the main gear legs (fixed dampers having been flight tested on XR219).

The first supersonic test flight (Flight 14) was achieved on the transfer from the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (A&AEE) at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] to [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

During the flight, the aircraft achieved Mach 1 on dry power only ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]).

Following this, test pilot [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] lit one of the afterburners only (because of problems with the other engine's afterburner fuel pump), with the result that the aircraft accelerated away from the chase [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], despite the latter engaging full afterburner on both engines.

A speed of Mach 1.2 was reached on that occasion.

Over a period of six months many test flights were conducted.

Most of the complex electronics were not fitted to the first prototype, so these flights were all concerned with the basic flying qualities of the aircraft which, according to the test pilots involved, were outstanding.

Project cancellation


The United States was at that point developing the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] project as a follow-on to the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], a fast low-level bomber designed in the 1950s with an internal bay for a nuclear weapon.

There had been some interest in the TSR-2 from Australia for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (RAAF), but in 1963, after being dissuaded from placing an order by [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], they chose to buy the F-111 instead.

The RAAF subsequently had to wait ten years before the F-111 was ready to enter service, by which time the
anticipated programme cost had tripled.^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}

The RAF was also asked to consider the F-111 as an alternative cost-saving measure. In response to suggestions of cancellation BAC employees held a protest march, and the new Labour government, which had come to power in 1964, issued strong denials.

However, at two [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] meetings held on 1 April 1965, it was decided to cancel the TSR-2 on the grounds of projected cost, and instead to obtain an option agreement to acquire up to 110 F-111 aircraft with no immediate commitment to
buy.
This was announced in the budget speech of 6 April 1965.

The maiden flight of the second prototype aircraft, XR220, was due on the day of the announcement, but in the event it never happened, and only the first prototype, XR219, ever took to the air.

A week later the Chancellor defended the decision in a debate in the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], saying that the F-111 would prove cheaper.

To replace the TSR-2 the Ministry subsequently decided on two aircraft; the F-111K for the strike reconnaissance role, with a longer-term replacement being a joint Anglo-French project for a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] strike aircraft, dubbed AFVG (Anglo French Variable Geometry).

A censure debate followed on 1 May 1967 in which Dennis Healey claimed the cost of the TSR-2 would have been £1,700 million over 15 years including running costs, compared with £1,000 million for the F-111K/AFVG combination.
^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}
However, the F-111 suffered enormous cost escalation, far exceeding that of the TSR-2 projection, and many technical problems before its successful deployment in combat.

Coupled with a poorer than projected performance and the devaluation of the pound, the order for 50 F-111Ks for the RAF was eventually cancelled in January 1968 (the AFVG project had already been terminated in 1967) and instead the service took on the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], some of which were transferred from the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

These were the very same aircraft that the RAF had apparently derided in order to get the TSR-2 go-ahead, but the Buccaneer proved capable and was still in service into the early 1990s.

The TSR-2 tooling and partially completed aircraft were scrapped.

Two finished but unflown airframes eventually survived, though with substantial internal damage inflicted: XR220 at the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] near [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], and XR222 at the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

A number of unfinished airframes were hastily scrapped, with very few parts retained intact. Along with two unfinished frames (XR221 and XR223), the only airframe ever to fly, XR219, was taken to [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and used as a target to test the vulnerability of a modern airframe and systems to gunfire.^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}

The haste with which the project was scrapped has been the source of much argument and bitterness since.

The TSR-2 nonetheless remains a lingering "what if?" of British aviation, like the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] interceptor in Canada.

The RAF's Phantom and Buccaneer were eventually replaced by the variable-geometry [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], a much smaller design than either the F-111 or the TSR-2.

Experience in the design and development of the avionics, particularly the terrain-following capabilities, were used on the later Tornado programme.

The [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] also developed [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] fighters and strike bombers (such as the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] Fencer) in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Surprisingly, a study into the feasibility of resurrecting the TSR-2 project was carried out in the late 1970s.
^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]} This also considered updating the design with more modern technology. However, the idea was not taken further.

Specifications

Data from Burke^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
  
• Length: 89 ft ½ in (27.12 m)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 37 ft 1¾ in (11.27 m)
  
• Height: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m)
  
• Wing area: 702.9 ft² (65.3 m²)
  
• Empty weight: 54,750 lb (24,834 kg)
  
• Loaded weight: 79,573 lb (36,169 kg)
  
• [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 102,200 lb (46,357 kg)
  
• Powerplant: 2× [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] BOl.22R (Mk. 320) turbojet
  
  
  
  • Dry thrust: 19,610 lb (87.23 kN) each
    
  • Thrust with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]: 30,610 lbf (136.7 kN) each