Boulton Paul P.111

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The Boulton Paul P.111 was a British experimental aircraft of the 1950s.

In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s the British aircraft industry was engaged in many projects to confirm and develop the design ideas captured from the Germans at the end of the second world war. As part of this activity the P111 was built for the Air Ministry to specification E.27/46 by Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd to investigate the possibilities of the delta planform wing.

The P111 was designed to be the smallest airframe which could couple an engine, a Rolls-Royce Nene, an ejector seat (Martin Baker), and a delta wing. The latter could be fitted with a variety of extensions to investigate different tip profiles. The construction was all metal with the exception of the wing extensions which were of glass-fibre.

Contents 1 History 2 Specifications 3 Related content 4 References

[edit] History

The P.111 made its first flight on the 10 October 1950, at Boscombe Down with Squadron Leader Bob Smyth at the controls. Later test flying was carried out by the legendary test pilot, Alexander "Ben" Gunn, who described the aeroplane as "touchy" and "like flying a razors edge"; because of this, and its bright colour scheme, the P.111 became known as the "Yellow Peril" - a pun on the nickname used for the Japanese threat during the war.

After a wheels-up landing the P.111 was modified to improve the flight characteristics, and re-appeared in its new guise as the P111a. After a last flight in 1958 it went to Cranfield. From there it was transferred to the Midlands Aircraft Preservation Society at Baginton, Coventry, where the P111a is currently exhibited. The P.111 was followed by the P.120 another delta-winged experimental craft

[edit] Specifications

• Dimensions:
  • Span: 25ft 8in to 33ft 6in
  • length: 26ft 1in without nose probe
  • height: 12ft 6in.
• Weight:
  • empty: 7,517 lb
  • loaded: 10,127 lb
• Maximum speed: 648 mph
• Service ceiling 35,000 ft

[edit] Related content

 

Comparable aircraft

• Convair XF-92

Designation sequence

• |Sidestrand (P.29) - Overstrand (P.75) - Boulton Paul Defiant

 

 

[edit] References

• British Experimental Turbojet Aircraft, Barry Jones, ISBN 1-86126-621-9
• Boulton Paul Aircraft, Alex Brew, ISBN 0-724-2116-6