My dad worked on this very aircraft, and was involved in the design of the assembly jigs. It was a test bed to prove a delta wing design would work with very wide speed envelope. The data gathered went into both the Vulcan and Concorde. Dad went on to lead the jig and tool office that designed the Vulcan main assembly jig. Brilliant Engineer, sadly missed.
Did your dad have anything to do with this aircraft's proposed fighter variant? Not the FD3, the fixed nose version of the FD2 with slightly altered wings?
Just think, the amount of income the country could have had from Mirage customers! Blinkered UK officialdom wouldn't even let Fairey conduct the record attempt from UK soil, hence having to go to France and leaving an obvious impression there.
I guess. Or they could have just got the data from the Americans who had the XF-92 flying 6 years earlier and the F-102 that was already in production.
A minor correction to my earlier comment, after reading the Wikipedia page en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Delta_2 which goes into detail about the test flying: It was the 'routine' supersonic testing which was done in France, as Fairey couldn't get insurance in the UK for damage claims against sonic booms. A detachment of Dassault engineers observed, as Fairey were on good terms with Dassault. UK officials were obstructive over Fairey's subsequent proposal to go for the record, even charging Fairey for the use of the aircraft!
In 1956 it was first aircraft to fly at over 1,000mph which raised the IAS Record by 400mph. The US rocket planes did not take off , run a measured course twice and then return to base under their own power.
The Americans didn’t. They cancelled most of the orders for it because it was obsolete. Same with the XF-108 and the Canadians with the Arrow that shared the same configuration. The French were successful because it was a lightweight single engine fighter that could still hold its own in a dogfight rather than being built for sheer velocity.
My dad worked on this very aircraft, and was involved in the design of the assembly jigs. It was a test bed to prove a delta wing design would work with very wide speed envelope. The data gathered went into both the Vulcan and Concorde. Dad went on to lead the jig and tool office that designed the Vulcan main assembly jig. Brilliant Engineer, sadly missed.
Fabulous plane. Should have been an interceptor for the RAF
Did your dad have anything to do with this aircraft's proposed fighter variant? Not the FD3, the fixed nose version of the FD2 with slightly altered wings?
Amazing videos
I like how you can hear the Fairy Rotodyne in the background.😎
I believe it was three counties away at the time.
Fairey is such a badass name.
Well worth a visit to HMS Heron, just to have a look at the FD2.
It is said that the manufacturer couldn't get Government backing so the development data went to France and the Mirage design from the FD is history.
Just think, the amount of income the country could have had from Mirage customers! Blinkered UK officialdom wouldn't even let Fairey conduct the record attempt from UK soil, hence having to go to France and leaving an obvious impression there.
I guess. Or they could have just got the data from the Americans who had the XF-92 flying 6 years earlier and the F-102 that was already in production.
A minor correction to my earlier comment, after reading the Wikipedia page en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Delta_2 which goes into detail about the test flying: It was the 'routine' supersonic testing which was done in France, as Fairey couldn't get insurance in the UK for damage claims against sonic booms. A detachment of Dassault engineers observed, as Fairey were on good terms with Dassault. UK officials were obstructive over Fairey's subsequent proposal to go for the record, even charging Fairey for the use of the aircraft!
I've never even heard of this jet. Too cool!
In 1956 it was first aircraft to fly at over 1,000mph which raised the IAS Record by 400mph. The US rocket planes did not take off , run a measured course twice and then return to base under their own power.
Check out the BAC 221 which was a development of the FD2 having a longer fuselage and a wing shape later used on the Concorde.
Back when UK wasnt lame😂
Stop being lame yourself and keep out of tunnel walkways. Never heard of BAE Systems or Rolls Royce?
I’ll take the f-106 ….and a cup of tea thankyou!
The Americans didn’t. They cancelled most of the orders for it because it was obsolete. Same with the XF-108 and the Canadians with the Arrow that shared the same configuration.
The French were successful because it was a lightweight single engine fighter that could still hold its own in a dogfight rather than being built for sheer velocity.