List of Air Ministry Specifications

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This is a partial list of the British Air Ministry specifications for aircraft. A specification started from an Operational Requirement, abbreviated "OR", describing what the aircraft would be used for - this in turn led to a specification eg a two engined fighter with 4 machine guns. So for example, OR.40 for a heavy bomber led to Specification B.12/36. Aircraft manufacturers would design and build aircraft which the Ministry then bought for evaluation by the RAF. On very rare occasions, a manufacturer would design and build an aircraft using their own money as a "Private Venture". This would then be offered to the Ministry for evaluation. If the aircraft generated interest in the Ministry or RAF due to performance or some other combination of features then the Ministry might well bring out a specification based on the Private Venture aircraft.

The system of producing aircraft to a specification ran from 1920 to 1949 during which the Air Ministry was replaced by first the Ministry of Aircraft Production and then the Ministry of Supply. The system was applied to commercial aircraft as well - one of the last being the Bristol Brabazon. During the period, over 800 specifications were issued.

Contents

[edit] Specification designations

Each specification name usually followed a pattern. A leading letter was usually present to identify the aircraft purpose. The codes used included B for "heavy bomber", P for "medium bomber", F for "fighter" and A for "army co-operation". The second part was a number identifying it in sequence and then after the slash, the year it was formulated. Specifications were not always issued in sequence. Admiralty specifications, identified by the letter N (Naval) and experimental specifications identified by the letter E (Experimental), are included for completeness.

[edit] List of specifications (incomplete)

The names of the aircraft shown in the table are not necessarily those they carried when provided for evaluation. The names were usually chosen by the Air Ministry when they placed a production order.

[edit] 1920 to 1929

Spec. OR Type Designs (accepted and tendered)
1/20 None First spec. issued: spares carrier Bristol Type 37 Tramp
1/21 Long-range bomber - Vimy replacement Vickers Virginia III
6/22 Naval carrier fighter with interchangeable wheel & float undercarriages using Jaguar or Jupiter engine - Nightjar replacement Fairey Flycatcher, Parnall Plover
21/22 Twin-engined amphibian flying boat for civil operations - see also R.18/24 Supermarine Swan
31/22 4-seat heavy night-bomber Handley Page Hyderabad
38/22 General Purpose seaplane/landplane Fairey IIID
41/22 'Middle East type transport aeroplane' - civil airliner Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, de Havilland Hercules,
B.30/22 Heavy bomber - written for Bugle II production order but Sidestrand also apparently designed to this spec. Boulton Paul Bugle II, Boulton Paul Sidestrand
16/23 None Spotting ship-plane Avro Bison
26/23 Two-seat long-range day-bomber Westland Yeovil, Hawker Horsley
4/24 Twin-engined fighter armed with two 37 mm cannons Westland Westbury
7/24 'High Powered Single-Seater Fighter Landplane' Avro Avenger, Fairey Firefly, Fairey Fox, Gloster Gorcock, Hawker Hornbill
9/24 Twin engine medium day-bomber - Sidestrand II production order - see also 25/27 Boulton Paul Sidestrand II
13/24 Patrol flying boat Blackburn Iris III, Short Singapore
15/24 4-seat heavy night-bomber - initial production batch of Hyderabads Handley Page Hyderabad I
16/24 Submarine-borne reconnaissance seaplane Parnall Peto
19/24 Three-seat Spotter/Reconnaissance (FAA) /two-seat GP (RAF) aircraft with interchangeable land & float U/C & folding wings Fairey IIIF
28/24 Day and night fighter - Siskin replacement Armstrong Whitworth Starling
R.18/24 Twin-engined amphibian flying boat - military version of boat ordered to 21/22 Supermarine Southampton
17/25 Naval single-seater fighter monoplane Avro 584 Avocet, Vickers Vireo
23/25 Two-seat day-bomber Westland Witch
24/25 Torpedo-bomber - Horsely replacement Vickers Vildebeest
12/26 Fast two-seat day bomber of all-metal construction using Rolls-Royce F.XIB engine Avro Antelope, Hawker Hart, Fairey Fox II
14/26 Passenger flying boat Short Calcutta
F.9/26 None Day and night 'zone' fighter - no design accepted and Spec. superseded by F.20/27 (q.v.) Armstrong Whitworth Starling II, Bristol Bulldog Mk.I, Bristol Bullpup, Gloster Goldfinch, Gloster SS.18, Hawker Hawfinch
N.21/26 Naval Fleet fighter Armstrong Whitworth Starling II, Armstrong Whitworth AW XVI, Hawker Hoopoe
O.22/26 Naval two-seat Fleet fighter/reconnaissance Hawker Osprey
25/27 Twin engine medium day-bomber - Sidestrand II production order - see also 9/24 Boulton Paul Sidestrand II
26/27 General purpose aircraft - D.H.9A replacement Westland Wapiti Vickers 131 Valiant
B.19/27 Twin engine night-bomber - Virginia/Hinaidi replacement - Hendon winner but introduction delayed so runner-up (Heyford) accepted Fairey Hendon, Handley Page Heyford, Vickers Type 150
B.22/27 Three engine night-bomber - abandoned due to delays and replaced by B.19/27 (q.v.) Boulton Paul P.32, de Havilland D.H.72 Canberra
F.20/27 'Interception single-seat fighter' Armstrong Whitworth Starling II, Bristol Bulldog Mk.II, Hawker Fury, Vickers Jockey, Westland Interceptor
F.29/27 Fighter utilizing a 37 mm cannon from Coventry Ordnance Works Westland C.O.W. Gun Fighter
F.17/28 Bulldog II production order Bristol Bulldog Mk.II
R.6/28 Patrol/reconnaissance flying boat Short Sarafand
21/28 High speed mail carrier Boulton & Paul P.64
4/29 ab initio trainer - Moth with Gypsy I order de Havilland Moth
9/29 Fast two-seat day bomber - Hart I production order Hawker Hart
13/29 4-seat heavy night-bomber - production batch of Hinaidi IIs Handley Page Hinaidi II
B.10/29 Twin engine medium day-bomber - Sidestrand III production order Boulton Paul Sidestrand III

[edit] 1930-1939

Spec. OR Type Designs (accepted and tendered)
3/30 Basic trainer - Avro 504N replacement Avro Type 621 Trainer
6/30 ab initio trainer - Lynx-Avro (Avro 504N) production order Avro 504N
8/30 ab initio trainer - Moth with Gypsy II order de Havilland Moth
18/30 Fairey IIIF replacement Fairey Gordon I
F.7/30 Fighter capable of at least 250 mph and armed with four machine guns Supermarine Type 224, Westland F.7/30, Gloster SS.19, Gloster Gladiator
13/31 ab initio trainer with complete freedom for parachute escape by both occupants - D.H.60T accepted with modifications, becoming D.H. 82 - see also T.23/31 Avro Type 631 Cadet, de Havilland D.H. 60T Tiger Moth
18/31 Basic trainer - Avro Type 621 Trainer with Lynx engine Avro Tutor
G.4/31 General-purpose/torpedo bomber - Wellesley one of two designs submitted by Vickers and itself a PV Fairey G.4/31, Handley Page HP47, Hawker P.V.4, Parnall G.4/31, Vickers Wellesley, Westland PV-7
R.20/31 Twin-engined flying boat - all-metal Kestrel-engined Southampton II (Southampton IV/Scapa) Supermarine Scapa
R.24/31 General Purpose Open Sea Patrol Flying Boat Saunders Roe London, Short R.24/31 Knuckleduster, Supermarine Stranraer
C.26/31 OR.4 Bomber-transport Armstrong Whitworth A.W.23, Bristol Bombay, Handley Page Harrow
T.23/31 Tiger Moth I production order de Havilland Tiger Moth I
25/32 Basic trainer - revised-Tutor production order Avro Tutor I
B.9/32 OR.5 Twin-engine medium bomber Vickers Crecy, Handley Page Hampden
B.23/32 Twin-engine medium bomber - written for Heyford I production order Handley Page Heyford Mk. I
P.27/32 Light day bomber - Hart/Hind replacement - see P.23/35 Armstrong Whitworth A.W.29, Fairey Battle
S.11./32 Naval catapault observation/spotting seaplane for carriage on cruisers Fairey Seafox
13/33 4-engined mail seaplane and 4-engine flying boat carrier - Short-Mayo Composite Short S.20 Mercury, Short S.21 Maia
14/33 Fairey Gordon II production order Fairey Gordon II
24/33 Gloster Gauntlet production order Gloster Gauntlet
B.29/33 Twin engine medium day bomber with power-operated nose turret Boulton Paul Sidestrand V (Overstrand)
R.2/33 Long-range patrol/reconnaissance flying boat Short Sunderland
R.3/33 Long-range patrol/reconnaissance flying boat - trials order for Singapore III Short Singapore III
S.15/33 Naval carrier-borne torpedo bomber/spotter/reconnaissance (TSR) Blackburn Shark, Fairey Swordfish
T.26/33 Tiger Moth II production order de Havilland Tiger Moth II
B.23/34 Twin engine medium day bomber - Overstrand production order Boulton Paul Overstrand
24/34 Basic trainer - production order for second batch of definitive Tutor design - see 3/30, 18/31 & 25/32 Avro Tutor I
B.3/34 Twin-engine night bomber & bomber/transport - Virginia, Heyford & Hendon replacement - transport requirement later removed after protests from manufacturers Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley
B.20/34 Twin-engine night bomber - Hendon production order to this spec - see also B.19/27 Fairey Hendon
B.28/34 Twin-engine medium bomber - written for Heyford II production order Handley Page Heyford Mk. II
F.5/34 High-performance fighter with air-cooled engine for overseas (hot climate) use Bristol 146, Gloster G.38, Martin-Baker M.B.2, Vickers Type 279 Venom
G.7/34 Interim Hart day bomber replacement Hawker Hind
O.27/34 Naval dive bomber Blackburn Skua
P.4/34 Light bomber and close air support aircraft Fairey P.4/34, Hawker Henley
F.36/34 (modified by F.5/34) Eight-gun fighter with Rolls-Royce PV-12 engine Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane
F.37/34 Eight-gun fighter with Rolls-Royce PV-12 engine capable of 350 mph - see also F.36/34 & F.10/35 Supermarine Spitfire
A.39/34 Army Co-operation aircraft Westland Lysander
S.38/34 Written for Swordfish production order Fairey Swordfish I
2/35 Naval catapault-launched observation/spotting flying boat for carriage on cruisers Supermarine Walrus
14/35 Army Co-operation aircraft - Audax replacement Hawker Hector
16/35 Autogyro - written for Cierva C.30/Avro 671 Rota evaluation order Avro Rota
18/35 Twin-engined coastal reconnaissance landplane - written for Anson Avro Anson
B.1/35 OR.19 Twin-engine medium bomber Airspeed A.S.29, Armstrong Whitworth A.W.39, Handley Page H.P.55, Vickers Warwick
B.21/35 Twin-engine medium bomber - written for Whitley I production order Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley I
B.27/35 Twin-engine medium bomber - written for Heyford III production order Handley Page Heyford Mk. III
B.28/35 Drawn up for Bristol 142M Bristol Blenheim
F.9/35 Two-seat four-gun turret fighter - Demon replacement Hawker Hotspur, Boulton Paul Defiant
F.10/35 Drawn up for the Spitfire prototype Supermarine Spitfire
F.35/35 Very high speed fighter Airspeed A.S.31 (not built)
F.37/35 OR.31 Fighter with cannon Westland Whirlwind, Hawker Hurricane with Oerlikon cannon
G.24/35 General Reconnaissance - Anson replacement Bristol Type 149, Bristol Beaufort
M.15/35 Torpedo bomber Blackburn Botha, Bristol Beaufort
O.30/35 Naval fighter/dive bomber development of Skua (q.v.) Blackburn Roc
P.23/35 Written for Battle I production order Fairey Battle I
Q.32/35 Radio-controlled Fleet Gunnery target aircraft - Queen Bee replacement Airspeed Queen Wasp
10/36 Written for Beaufort production order Bristol Beaufort I
11/36 Interim General Reconnaissance - aircraft later re-named 'Blenheim IV' and 'Bolingbroke' name transferred to Canadian-built Blenheim Bristol Bolingbroke I
29/36 Written for Wellington (revised Crecy from B.9/32) initial production order Vickers Wellington I
B.30/36 Written for Hampden initial production order Handley Page Hampden I
33/36 Written for Blenheim I production order (Rootes) Bristol Blenheim I
36/36 Written for Lysander initial production order Westland Lysander I
37/36 Written for Walrus additional production order Supermarine Walrus I
B.20/36 Twin-engine medium bomber - written for Whitley III production order Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley III
B.44/36 Written for Dagger-Hampden (Hereford) production order Handley Page Hereford I
47/36 Written for Bombay II production order Bristol Bombay II
B.12/36 OR.40 Heavy bomber Armstrong Whitworth B.12/36, Short Stirling, Supermarine Type 316
R.1/36 OR.32 Small reconnaissance flying boat Saro Lerwick, Blackburn B-20
P.13/36 OR.41 Twin-engine medium bomber for "world-wide use" - introduction delayed due to production difficulties necessitating further order of Whitleys & Wellingtons Avro Manchester, Handley Page H.P.56, Vickers Warwick with Rolls-Royce Vulture engines.
S.41/36 Naval carrier-borne torpedo bomber - Swordfish replacement Fairey Albacore
T.6/36 Advanced monoplane trainer - Don accepted but proved unsuitable de Havilland Don
T.23/36 Multi-role crew trainer Airspeed Oxford
T.40/36 OR.44 Development and production of a trainer version of the Miles Hawk Miles Magister
2/37 Written for Blenheim I production order (Avro) Bristol Blenheim I
37/37 Magister I production order Miles Magister I
F.9/37 OR.49 Twin-engine fighter Gloster G.39
F.18/37 Heavily armed interceptor Hawker Tornado Hawker Typhoon
B.32/37 OR.44 Production contract for a four-engine version of the P.13/36 H.P.56 design Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax
Q.8/37 Radio-controlled Fleet Gunnery target aircraft - Queen Bee replacement - role subsequently carried-on by Queen Wasp - see Q.32/35 Airspeed A.S.37 (not built)
S.24/37 OR.53 Naval torpedo/dive-bomber, reconnaissance Supermarine S.24/37, Fairey Barracuda
T.1/37 Trainer Heston T.1/37 Trainer, Airspeed A.S.36 (not built)
16/38 Trainer - Master I production order Miles Master T.Mk.I
20/38 Communications aircraft - Proctor I production order Percival Proctor I
B.9/38 Twin-engine medium bomber of simple construction using materials other than light alloy wherever possible see B.18/38
B.18/38 Twin-engine medium bomber of mixed wood/metal construction Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle
O.8/38 Naval carrier-borne fighter/observation - winner developed from Fairey's earlier P.4/34 entry Fairey Fulmar
S.7/38 Naval catapault-launched observation/spotting flying boat - Walrus replacement Supermarine Sea Otter
E.28/39 Experimental aircraft using Whittle jet-propulsion Gloster E.28/39
F.17/39 Long-range fighter development of Bristol Beaufort - written for Beaufighter Bristol Beaufighter
F.18/39 Fighter - Hurricane/Spitfire replacement Martin-Baker M.B.3, Martin-Baker M.B.5
F.22/39 OR.76 Fighter fitted with heavy-calibre nose-mounted gun Vickers Type 432 - also tests with Vickers Type 439 testbed - specification later cancelled
N.8/39 Naval two-seat carrier-borne fighter - Roc replacement - replaced by N.11/40 see N.11/40
N.9/39 Naval two-seat carrier-borne fighter - Fulmar replacement - replaced by N.11/40 see N.11/40

[edit] 1940-1949

Spec. OR Type Designs (accepted and tendered)
B.1/40 OR.78 Twin-engine fast bomber carrying no defensive armament de Havilland Mosquito
B.6/40 Twin-engine day/close support bomber - later renamed Blenheim V Bristol Bisley
F.4/40 High-altitude fighter - superseded by F.7/41 (q.v.) Westland Welkin
F.9/40 Fighter using Whittle jet-propulsion - written for Gloster F.9/40 Gloster Meteor
F.16/40 High-altitude fighter Vickers Type 432
F.18/40 Night fighter version of Mosquito de Havilland Mosquito NF.II
F.19/40 Low-cost emergency production fighter Miles M.20
F.21/40 Fighter version of Mosquito de Havilland Mosquito F.II
N.5/40 2-seat Fleet fighter Fairey Firefly
N.11/40 Naval Fighter Blackburn Firebrand F.1
R.14/40 Very long range reconnaissance flying boat - Centaurus-engined Sunderland replacement Short Shetland
S.12/40 Naval catapault-launched observation/spotting flying boat - Walrus & Sea Otter replacement - superseded by S.14/44 Supermarine Type 381
X.10/40 Troop-carrying glider capable of carrying 7 troops General Aircraft Hotspur I; cancelled after eighteen built - redesigned Hotspur II relegated to training - see X.22/40 & X.23/40
X.22/40 Troop-carrying training glider - Hotspur II production order General Aircraft Hotspur II
X.23/40 Troop-carrying training glider - Hotspur II further production order General Aircraft Hotspur II
X.25/40 OR.98 Troop-carrying glider capable of carrying 14 troops Slingsby Hengist
X.26/40 Troop-carrying glider of wooden construction capable of carrying between 24-36 fully armed troops Airspeed Horsa
X.27/40 Tank-carrying heavy glider capable of carrying 7-ton load General Aircraft Hamilcar
12/41 Target tug Miles Martinet
B.2/41 Bristol Blenheim replacement Bristol Buckingham
B.5/41 OR.106 Pressurised high-altitude bomber - evolved into B.3/42 (q.v.) Pressurised version of the Vickers Warwick III
B.11/41 High-speed high-altitude unarmed bomber Miles M.39
E.6/41 Experimental jet fighter - DH Spider Crab de Havilland Vampire
F.4/41 Spitfire with Griffon engine - written for Spitfire IV but amended to include Mk. XXI redesign. Preceded in introduction by Mk.s XII & XIV - some overlap with F.1/43 (q.v.) Supermarine Spitfire XXI
F.7/41 OR.108 High-altitude fighter - revised from F.4/40 (q.v.) Vickers Type 432, Westland Welkin
F.10/41 Written for Hawker Tempest Hawker Tempest
N.1/41 Naval fighter Miles M.20/4
X.3/41 Emergency Tallboy-carrying conversion of Horsa for attack on Tirpitz - later cancelled when Lancaster was modified to carry Tallboy Airspeed A.S.52 Horsa
B.3/42 OR.115 High-performance long-range bomber Vickers Windsor
C.1/42 Cargo version of Lancaster - York I production order Avro York I
E.5/42 Experimental single-engined jet fighter - later cancelled - see E.1/44 Gloster GA.1
E.6/42 Experimental lightweight Tempest - written for Tempest Light Fighter - refined & re-issued as F.2/43 (q.v.) Hawker Fury - see F.2/43
H.7/42 Torpedo bomber - Beaufighter replacement Bristol Brigand
R.8/42 Long-range patrol/reconnaissance flying boat - Sunderland with Hercules engines Short Sunderland IV/Seaford
17/43 Liaison and VIP transport aircraft - Messenger I production order Miles Messenger I
B.14/43 Heavy bomber - improved Lancaster with two-stage Merlins for Far East Avro Lincoln
E.24/43 Experimental research aircraft capable of 1,000 mph and able to reach 36,000 ft in 1 and 1/2 minutes Miles M.52; cancelled 1946
F.1/43 Development of Spitfire with Griffon & laminar flow wing - see also N.5/45 Supermarine Spiteful
F.2/43 Written for Tempest Light Fighter Hawker Fury; cancelled at conclusion of hostilities.
F.12/43 Long-range fighter for Pacific - written for Hornet de Havilland Hornet
N.4/43 Carrier-based fighter - Seafire with Griffon engine Supermarine Seafire XV
N.7/43 Carrier-based fighter Hawker Sea Fury
N.22/43 Revision of N.7/43; carrier-based fighter Hawker Sea Fury
O.5/43 Barracuda replacement Fairey Spearfish
S.11/43 Naval carrier-borne attack/strike aircraft - later cancelled - see also Q.1/46 & M.6/49 Short Sturgeon
S.28/43 Firebrand replacement Blackburn B-48 YA.1/Firecrest
T.13/43 Advanced trainer Bristol Buckmaster
T.23/43 Trainer - all-weather fully aerobatic three-seater Percival Prentice
TX.3/43 Training glider General Aircraft G.A.L.55
2/44 Brabazon Committee Type I Long range transatlantic airliner Bristol Brabazon I
E.1/44 Experimental Nene-powered jet fighter Gloster GA.2
E.6/44 Written for Saro SR.44 flying-boat jet fighter Saro SR.A/1
E.9/44 Flying wing bomber/airliner Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52
E.10/44 Experimental Nene-powered jet fighter - Jet Spiteful see N.5/45
N.5/44 Naval carrier-version of Hornet de Havilland Sea Hornet
N.11/44 Long-range fighter with Rolls-Royce Eagle 22 piston engine Entered production as the Westland Wyvern with an Armstrong Siddeley Python turboprop engine
S.14/44 Naval land-based ASR Supermarine Seagull
X.4/44 Tank-carrying heavy glider capable of carrying 7-ton load and returning under its own power General Aircraft Hamilcar X
A.2/45 Army Aerial Observation Post (AOP) - replacement for Taylorcraft Auster AOPs Auster A.2/45, Heston A.2/45
B.3/45 Twin-engine fast jet bomber carrying no defensive armament - Mosquito replacement English Electric Canberra
E.1/45 OR.207 Experimental aircraft for research into proposed tailless configuration of early DH.106 Comet airliner design de Havilland DH.108
E.11/45 Experimental aircraft for research into low-speed handling and high Mach number flying of tailless designs - two examples of Swallow (one low- and one high-speed) ordered - see also E.1/45 de Havilland DH.108
N.5/45 Naval carrier-borne fighter - Seafang developed to this spec. but supplanted by Nene-powered, Naval version of E.10/44 Supermarine Attacker, Supermarine Seafang
GR.17/45 OR.220 Carrier-borne ASW Blackburn B-54/B-88, Fairey Gannet
Q.19/45 OR.204 Mosquito target tug de Havilland Mosquito TT.39
T.7/45 Advanced trainer - Harvard replacement Avro Athena, Boulton Paul Balliol
2/46 Brabazon Committee Type I Long range transatlantic airliner - Brabazon II (Coupled Proteus) order Bristol Brabazon II
B.14/46 OR.239 Four engine jet heavy bomber - later used as insurance against delay of aircraft submitted to B.35/46 Short Sperrin
B.35/46 Four engine swept-wing jet heavy bomber with a cruising speed of 500 kt and a ceiling of at least 55,000 ft Avro Vulcan, Handley Page Victor
C.16/46 Brabazon Committee Type IIB Short-medium range airliner Armstrong Whitworth A.W.55 Apollo, Vickers Viscount
E.27/46 Experimental aircraft for investigation into delta wing characteristics at transonic speeds Boulton Paul P.111
E.41/46 Experimental swept-wing version of Attacker - evolved into Swift Supermarine 510, Supermarine Swift
F.43/46 Interceptor using Rolls-Royce AJ.65 or Metrovick F.9 axial engines see F.3/48
F.44/46 Two-seat twin-engined night/all weather fighter see F.24/48 & F.4/48
N.7/46 Naval carrier-borne interceptor/fighter bomber Hawker Sea Hawk
N.11/46 Two seat trainer version of Sea Fury Hawker Sea Fury T.20
N.40/46 Naval carrier-borne jet fighter - see also F.4/48 de Havilland DH.110
R.5/46 Four engine long-range Maritime patrol bomber - Liberator GR replacement Avro Shackleton
Q.1/46 Naval target tug de Havilland Mosquito TT.39, Miles Monitor, Short Sturgeon TT.1,
C.2/47 Brabazon Committee Type III Airliner Bristol Britannia
E.8/47 OR.250 Experimental one-half scale research version of Bristol Type 172 four-jet long range bomber design - later revised for reconfigured Type 176 - all subsequently cancelled Bristol Type 174
T.1/47 Two seat trainer version of Meteor - written around Gloster's civil demonstrator G-AKPK Gloster Meteor T.7
E.6/48 Experimental one-third scale research version of Handley Page's B.35/46 design Handley Page HP.88
E.15/48 Experimental one-third scale low-speed research version of Avro's B.35/46 design Avro 707
F.3/48 OR.228 Written for P.1067, replaced F.43/46 Hawker P.1067 (Hawker Hunter)
F.4/48 OR.227 Two-seat twin-engined night/all weather fighter - replacement for Vampire NFs de Havilland DH.110, Gloster Javelin
F.24/48 Two-seat twin-engined night/all weather fighter - interim stop-gap for F.4/48 - Meteor NF development originally to F.44/46 (q.v.) Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.11
B.9/48 Four engine jet heavy bomber - less advanced stop-gap for B.35/46 designs - written around Valiant Vickers Valiant
B.22/48 OR.302 Pathfinder version of Canberra English Electric Canberra B.5
E.10/49 Experimental - additional order for Avro 707s including side-by-side seating conversion-trainers - these later cancelled - see also E.15/48 Avro 707
F.15/49 Jet fighter - Vampire replacement de Havilland Venom
F.23/49 OR.268 Jet fighter English Electric Lightning
M.6/49 OR.275 Light carrier-borne ASW - written around Short Sturgeon variant - spec derived from GR.17/45 Short S.B.3
N.14/49 Naval carrier-borne all-weather strike fighter - see also N.40/46 & F.4/48 de Havilland Sea Vixen
E.27/49 Delta wing research Boulton Paul P.120

[edit] Post 1949 Operational Requirements and Naval Requirements

OR Year Type Related aircraft
ER.100 194? Experimental low-speed research version of English Electric P.1 (q.v.) Short S.B.5
ER.103 1947 Experimental research aircraft capable of Mach 1.5 at 36,000 ft - modified for P.1 as F.23/49 (q.v.) English Electric P.1, Fairey Delta 2
OR.303 195? Lightweight fighter to intercept Soviet Tu-4 bombers Folland Midge
OR.304 195? Helicopter for Coastal Command Bristol Sycamore
OR.323 195? Transport aircraft Armstrong Whitworth Argosy
OR.324 1952 Low-level bomber - Spec B.126T written to this OR - cancelled 1954 Proposals tendered by: Avro, Bristol, Handley Page, Shorts, Vickers-Armstrongs.
OR.334 195? VTOL transport aircraft Fairey Rotodyne; later cancelled
ER.43 ~1953 Experimental direct jet-lift research aircraft Short SC.1
ER.134 1953 Experimental high-speed research aircraft capable of sustaining Mach 2.75 to investigate effect of kinetic heating on airframe Bristol 188
ER.163 195? Experimental Fairey Delta 2 with de Havilland Gyron engine - later cancelled Fairey Delta 2
ER.204D 195? Experimental VTOL aircraft using Bristol Pegasus Hawker P.1127
NA 39 1953 Carrier borne strike aircraft Blackburn Buccaneer
NA.47 195? Mixed rocket-jet interception fighter for RN Saunders-Roe SR.177; cancelled 1957
NR/A.32 195? Light carrier-borne ASW to Spec. M.123 Short Seamew
F138D 1953 Mixed rocket-jet interception fighter - written around SR.53 Saunders-Roe SR.53
OR.330 1954 Supersonic high flying reconnaissance aircraft Avro 730, Handley Page HP.100
OR.329 /F.155 1955? Supersonic high flying interceptor Fairey "Delta III" cancelled 1957
OR.356 19?? Supersonic V/STOL - Spec. SR.250 Hawker-Siddeley P.1154; later cancelled
OR.357 19?? Maritime reconnaissance aircraft - led to Nimrod Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod
OR.362 19?? Supersonic trainer aircraft - led to Jaguar SEPECAT Jaguar
GOR.339 1956 Tactical-Strike/Reconnaissance suitable for use from unpaved strips BAC TSR.2
GOR.345 195? V/STOL combat aircraft version of Hawker P.1127 - Harrier development Hawker-Siddeley Harrier
GSR.3335 196? Helicopter - Scout replacement Westland Lynx
GSR.3336 196? Helicopter - Sioux replacement Westland Gazelle
RB.156 Reconnaissance-bomber Avro 730
ASR.365 196? Helicopter - Tactical Support Westland Puma
ASR.367 196? Bomber - Vulcan B.2 - see also B.35/46 Avro Vulcan B.2
ASR.368 196? Bomber - Victor B.2 - see also B.35/46 Handley Page Victor B.2
ASR.371 196? Transport aircraft Short Belfast
ASR.372 196? Trainer version of Lightning - Lightning T.5 English Electric Lightning T.5
ASR.373 196? VIP Transport aircraft - Andover CC.2 Hawker-Siddeley Andover CC.2
ASR.376 196? Tanker aircraft Handley Page Victor B(K).1/1A
ASR.378 196? Transport aircraft - VC10 Vickers VC10
ASR.381 196? Interim Maritime Patrol aircraft to Spec. MR.254 - written around Atlantique Breguet Atlantique
ASR.382 196? Two-seat trainer version of P.1154 for RAF - cancelled Hawker-Siddeley P.1154
ASR.384 196? Harrier requirement - see also GOR.345 Hawker-Siddeley Harrier
ASR.385 196? Phantom for RAF McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom
ASR.409 Harrier replacment MCDonnell Douglas AV-8 as Harrier GR.5
NSR.6451 19?? V/STOL carrier borne fighter aircraft - Naval Harrier BAE Sea Harrier

[edit] Further reading

  • K.J. Meekcoms & E.B. Morgan, The British Aircraft Specifications File (Air Britain, 1994) ISBN 0-85130-220-3
  • Colin Sinnott, The RAF and Aircraft Design, 1923-1939: Air Staff Operational Requirements (Frank Cass, 2001) ISBN 0-7146-5158-3
  • Tony Buttler, British Secret Projects - Fighters and Bombers 1935-1950 (Midland Publishing, 2004) ISBN 1-85780-179-2
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