Armstrong Whitworth AW.56

[Triton]

Model of Armstrong Whitworth AW.56

Source: http://www.strange-mecha.com/aircraft/FW/RAF-fw.htm

[fightingirish]

2 pictures:
http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/11/29/05/29/enigmc31.jpg
http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/11/29/05/29/kuizz_24.jpg

Source: http://forum.avionslegendaires.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6181
The 3-view is probably from the book "British secret projects" by Tony Butler.
Dear Mods, at this computer right now I'm not allowed to download or attach these pictures.
That's why I'm only posting the links. If these pictures do not violate copyright or forum rules, feel free to attach them.  

[jzichek]

Check out this article on the Armstrong Whitworth AW.56 tailless jet V bomber proposal of 1947 at RetroMechanix.com:



The article is based on an intelligence report provided to the U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff by the American Military Attache in London and features seven high resolution drawings of the aircraft and its various components.

-Jared

[blackkite]

Thanks Jared. Wonderful project !

[JFC Fuller]

Agreed, awesome looking plain and its great that these pictures have shown up. The boundary layer control was definitely too much though as shown by the later work done on the technology by, I believe, Handley Page.

[memaerobilia]

This thread is confusing me. I clearly see an aircraft WITH a Tail, here, even if it is just a full vertical one, and horizontal stubs. I do not understand the "tailless' description. Not only That-but it appears that the entire tail section on the 56 was an afterthought, crudely added on to the "tailless" version..Isn't this A.W. 56 just the envisioned end result of the A.W. 52? (which was TRULY a "tailless" A.W. design?) shown below, as scanned from negatives in my files.
Here are photos of the two A.W. 52s. The first one, (and first one shown here) was the 1947 design with Nene engines. The second one had the Derwent engines. As I understand it, they were designed with an eventual tailess four or six engined model, to evolve from this.

[jzichek]

Nice photos of the AW.52! According to Wikipedia, "...a tailless aircraft traditionally has all its horizontal control surfaces on its main wing surface. It has no horizontal stabilizer - either tailplane or canard foreplane (nor does it have a second wing in tandem arrangement). A 'tailless' type usually still has a vertical stabilising fin (vertical stabilizer) and control surface (rudder)."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailless_aircraft


Also, I think the AW.56 is a substantially different design from the AW.52, the latter almost being a pure flying wing.

[PaulMM (Overscan)]

Yes, "Tailless" refers to the lack of horizontal tailplanes or canards.