Supermarine 545
The Supermarine 545 was a British supersonic jet fighter project of the mid-1950s.
| Supermarine 545 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The Supermarine 545 in use as a training airframe at the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield in 1960 | |
| Role | Supersonic naval fighter |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Supermarine |
| Status | completed, but not flown |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Supermarine Swift |
Design and development
The Supermarine 545 was a development of the Swift for intended operation as a naval fighter to meet Air Ministry specification F.105D2. It had a crescent shaped wing and was intended to fly at supersonic speeds.[1][2] It was powered by a single afterburning Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet fed from an elliptical nose air intake with a central, bullet shaped centrebody. The intake was the most obvious difference between the Type 545 and its precursor, which had side intakes.[2][3]
Two examples of the Type 545 were ordered from Supermarine under contract 6/Acft/7711 in February 1952. The first, serial number XA181 was completed at Hursley Park but had not flown when the contract was cancelled on 25 March 1956. The second aircraft XA186 was cancelled before construction of the airframe commenced.[4]
Operational history
The prototype Type 545 was stored by Supermarine after its completion in the mid-1950s. It was donated to the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield Airport, Bedfordshire in the late 1950s.[2] It was used to give instruction to aircraft engineering students attending the college. The aircraft was scrapped during 1967.
Specifications (performance estimated)
Data from The British Fighter since 1912[3]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 47 ft 0 in (14.33 m)
- Wingspan: 39 ft 0 in (11.89 m)
- Gross weight: 20,147 lb (9,139 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Avon RA.14R turbojet, 9,500 lbf (42 kN) thrust dry, 14,500 lbf (64 kN) with afterburner
Performance
- Maximum speed: 858 mph (1,381 km/h; 746 kn) at 36,000 ft (11,000 m)
- Maximum speed: Mach 1.3
- Service ceiling: 53,000 ft (16,000 m)
Armament
- Guns: 4× 30 mm ADEN cannons
Notes
References
- Andrews C.F. and E. B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London: Putnam, 1987, ISBN 0-85177-800-3.
- Halley, J.J. Royal Air Force Aircraft XA100 to XZ999. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, 2001, ISBN 0-85130-311-0.
- Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
External links
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