BAe Nimrod AEW.3

[Mike Pryce]

The preferred UK AEW for the RAF was always the Nimrod as it was big and in production. In 1966 studies looked at various radar options, but lack of money delayed it.

All of the above comes from 'Airborne Early Warning, design, development and operations' by Mike Hirst, Osprey, 1983.

 

[blackkite]

Developmental model of the Nimrod early warning aircraft, c 1970s.
UNITED KINGDOM - OCTOBER 16: This is a model of the Hawker Siddeley/British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3 aircraft. It has been clad in copper for the evaluation of radio/radar aerial polar diagram analysis and investigation. The Nimrod�s design was a development of the de Havilland Comet airliner of the 1950s. This object forms part of the Science Museum's Farnborough collection. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
https://www.gettyimages.co.jp/detai...erospace-nimrod-ニュース写真/90743348?adppopup=true

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Nimrod AEW article from Flight

https://cdn.rochesteravionicarchives.co.uk/img/catalog/ZZ_1367236172_DDBR0284+(O&A-1b).pdf

 

[flateric]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDpXZo_h74s

 

[flateric]

https://rochesteravionicarchives.co...facturer=&year-from=&year-to=&type=collection

 

[flateric]

https://collection.sciencemuseumgro...ssance-aircraft-made-by-british-aerospace-plc

 

[Grey Havoc]

Early issues of AST.400 called for the AEW aircraft (Nimrod/HS748/'707AEW') to carry self-defence equipment which was to include Sparrow/Skyflash and jammers. It's described in The Air Staff and AEW.

Chris

 

[flateric]

https://collection.sciencemuseumgro...ssance-aircraft-made-by-british-aerospace-plc

 

[TsrJoe]

Pamphlet cover

 

[NMaude]

Why didn't they just go for an E-3 Sentry style dorsal-mounted rotodome instead? It would've been a lot better from a performance aspect and a damn sight more attractive, the Nimrod AEW Mk3 has to be one of the ugliest aircraft I've seen.

 

[TomS]

Why didn't they just go for an E-3 Sentry style dorsal-mounted rotodome instead? It would've been a lot better from a performance aspect and a damn sight more attractive, the Nimrod AEW Mk3 has to be one of the ugliest aircraft I've seen.

Fore and aft scanners actually have better performance (no blindspots due to wings and tail).

Lots more discussion here:

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/british-aew-projects.1272/

 

[Archibald]

Wait until you see its ancestor, the P.139B naval AEW project of the 1960's. It looks like the front end of the Nimrod AEW.3 directly bolted to its rear end, also radome. With some bits of aircraft wrapped around it.

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/british-aew-projects.1272/
https://tenor.com/en-GB/search/spongebob-my-eyes-gifs

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/236649854010

 

[TsrJoe]

any thoughts re model ident ? it reminds me of a supersonic target drone ?

 

[flateric]

Just a generic shape.

 

[Yellow Palace]

Notional high performance threat aircraft? Hard to tell whether it's a model or artwork, which might inform the interpretation.

 

[TsrJoe]

does look to be an image of a model (a strange one to use tho when a 'Backfire' or similar would suffice ?)