royal air force

The Siddeley-Deasy Sinaia, also known as the Armstrong Whitworth Sinaia and Siddeley Deasy Type 103 was a twin-engine biplane day bomber with gunners in rearwards extensions of the engine nacelles. Four examples were initially ordered by the Air Ministry in 1917 but only one (serial J6858)...

The usual crew of retired military and political types are warning that the UK is not able to meet its defence requirements with the present budget and kit. Given the collective expertise on this board what advice would you give the Prime Minister who takes over in May after the election? I...

Hi, from Air Pictorial 12/1961,here is the Blackburn R.T.1 Kangaroo original design drawing,and the actually built.

Today is the 50th anniverary of the cancellation of the P1154 and HS681, and of the go-ahead for what became the Harrier and the Nimrod: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1965/feb/02/actions-of-her-majestys-government Happily, my P1154 history article has been restored after the ISP...

Fairey proposed a semi-active air-to-air missile for F.155T fighters. This picture from Flight's 1955 Farnborough coverage shows a model that was displayed without info that year, the front part of it is thought to show the configuration of the Fairey AAM.

I've caught papacavy's "What If" disease, but this is purely for interest rather than literary purposes. As we all know, the Fairey Battle was an airplane which, once tested in combat, did not imbue its crews with any confidence that they would come home from attacking defended targets. Let's...

http://airminded.org/2008/06/04/moniac-and-the-warfare-state/ One of the interesting things about this is that the prototype of this 'analogue hydraulic computer' was built out of spare Lancaster parts!

Hi All, I have bought the new Avro Z-59 (or W-59) missile kit from S&M models in 1/72 scale; I would like to know if more infos are available on this project as the only infos I have come from the excellent book "Vulcan's Hammer". I mean a small drawing and a picture showing the machine in...

The RAF ordered aircraft as Voyager KC2 and KC3, depending on the equipment. Did I miss something, but was there a Voyager KC1?

This is posted in the alternative history and future speculation section. So it is not history, but it is close to history. What if.....what if the P1154 is proceeded with? How does that happen? And what are its effects? ............. It could happen partly by not merging RN and RAF...

Hi, here is a two drawings to Bristol Type-172 long range bomber project for B35/46,and Bristol Type-174 scale flying model for E8/47,please note the drawing for 172 differs from Mr. Tony Buttler drawing of the book; British Secret Projects : Jet bombers since 1949. Air International magazine

A much reproduced painting of the RAF F111K from General Dynamics (it heads up the Wikipedia entry) shows the plane in a non-standard green and brown camouflage pattern. I had always put this down to artistic licence but then I found a similar colour scheme on the cover of the 1970 RAF Souvenir...

I know that this is a well trodden subject but I thought that it would be interesting to compare the plans with what happened in reality. Ground Attack/Recce Squadrons It was planned to replace the Hunter with the 1154 Harrier in 8 squadrons: 2 in the UK, 2 in Germany, 2 in the Gulf and 2 in...

I know that these subjects have been done to death but I am still trying to get my head around the relationship between the two areas. A VG derivative of TSR2 would have made sense if the programme had worked out as originally planned, with aircraft in service by 1970 and a satisfactory RAF...

Just wondered why this amazing aircraft doesn't enjoy such a reputation as compared to TSR2? Thinking back to the sixties would it not have made sense to take up the Yorkshire suggestion rather than one from a neighbouring county? After all a supersonic Bucc would have saved developmental...

An early study for a defensive turret in the Mosquito. Picture courtesy from lark

Textron and AirLand Enterprises will be unveiling its self-funded project, the two-seat, twin-engine Scorpion, on September 16th at the annual Air Force Association Air & Space Conference outside Washington. Officials gave already Aviation Leak, ehh, I mean Aviation Week & Space Technology, an...

Because I have the modelling skills of Homer Simpson I have to get models made for me. Recently I persuaded a friend who builds kits to build the Academy (I think) 1/72 Avro Arrow in two of my favourite Lightning squadrons. I already posted some years back pictures of an Arrow from the...

Hi, from ; Profile Aircraft,Avro Manchester by Chaz Bowyer.

Hi, the Hawker company developed in 1933,a monoplane version of its Fury biplane fighter,it remained a drawing board only. http://alternathistory.org.ua/fury-monoplane-ili-nemnogo-o-kharrikeine