Saunders-Roe SR.A1
Страна: Великобритания
Год: 1947
Летающая лодка

Single-seat Fighter Flying-boat
Описание
Фотографии
Saro SR.A/1

   Первый из трех прототипов необычной реактивной летающей лодки - истребителя SR.A/1 - поднялся в воздух 16 июля 1947 года. Пилот этого одноместного среднеплана размещался в гермокабине, оснащенной катапультным креслом. Силовая установка включала два ТРД Metropolitan-Vickers F2/4 Beryl, находившихся в стадии отработки. Установленные на первом, втором и третьем прототипах, они развивали тягу 14,46 кН, 15,57 кН и 17,12 кН, соответственно.
   Хотя истребитель продемонстрировал высокие летные характеристики, эксплуатационные испытания показали, что концепция истребителя - летающей лодки - себя не оправдывает, и сухопутные реактивные истребители обладают большим потенциалом. Разработка SR.A/1 была остановлена. При размахе крыла 14,02 м и массе снаряженного в 7258 кг самолет развивал максимальную скорость 824 км/ч.
SR.A/1 стал первой в мире летающей лодкой, оснащенной ТРД и превысившей скорость в 805 км/ч. Экспериментальный одноместный истребитель показал на испытаниях высокую скорость и хорошую маневренность, но все же уступал истребителям с колесным шасси.
16 июля 1947г.: первый полет совершила реактивная летающая лодка - истребитель Saunders-Roe SR.A/1, ставшая первой летающей лодкой, преодолевшей скорость 500 миль/ч (805 км/ч).
TG263 pictured on July 30, 1947, the day of its first public airing off the Isle of Wight.
The SR.A1 prototype TG263 afloat at Cowes.
Saunders-Roe SR A/1 jet fighter flying boat TG263 with test pilot Geoffrey Tyson in the cockpit. The first of three SR A/1s, TG263 first flew on July 16, 1947, and this Flight photograph was taken shortly after that event.
Saunders-Roe SR.A/1.
View of TG263 taken off Cowes, Isle of Wight, in July 1947 during a press demonstration by Geoffrey Tyson.
TG263, now fitted with metal sliding hood, taking off from the River Medina in April 1951 on a trial flight with Geoffrey Tyson at the controls.
Superb view of the SR.A1 prototype TG263 on lift-off.
Saundters-Roe "also dabbled in fighters”. None reached production but they included the highly intriguing jet-powered SRA-1, three prototypes of which were completed soon after the end of the War.
The Saro SR. A/1 TG263 flying in early configuration. Geoffrey Tyson took the jet fighter into the air for the first time on the evening of July 16, 1947. The take-off run surprised the pilot with its shortness.
Серийные SR.A/1 должны были иметь вооружение из четырех 20-мм пушек Hispano и нести две 454-кг бомбы.
One of the most memorable sights at any Farnborough was Geoffrey Tyson's low level inverted passes down Farnborough’s runway in September 1948, flying the Saro A1 jet fighter flying boat.
Geoffrey Tyson upside down in the Saro S.R.A.1 TG271.
During the early hours of June 15, 1951, Tyson landed TG263, by then wearing the B-Condition marks G-12-1, at Woolwich Reach on the Thames.
G-12-1 (TG263) being towed from Woolwich Reach to its mooring site on the South Bank in June 1951.
During the early hours of June 15, 1951, Tyson landed TG263, by then wearing the B-Condition marks G-12-1, at Woolwich Reach on the Thames. The aircraft was then towed upriver and moored at the South Bank, for British Gas Turbine Week, held in conjunction with the Festival of Britain. The flight from the Isle of Wight is reported to have taken all of 11 1/2 min.
The Saunders-Roe A.1 G-12-1 being towed to the South Bank for the Festival of Britain on June 17, 1951.
Looking even larger out of water, the massive Princess prototype, G-ALUN, is seen at Cowes on August 19, 1952. The first flight was made on August 22. The SR.A/1 TG263 can be seen at left.
TF271, the third and final SR.A/1, clearly showing the “pen-nib” exhaust fairing. This aircraft was first flown on August 17, 1948 and during the following month appeared at the SBAC’s Farnborough show, where Tyson excited those assembled with his inverted flypasts.
The Skyfame collection of historic aircraft has now been moved from its familiar base at Staverton Airport, Gloucester, to join the IWM Collection at Duxford. The unique Saro SB A/1 is seen in transit.
Britain’s only jet fighter flying boat, the SR A/1 was designed by Henry Knowler and made its maiden flight from Cowes on July 16, 1947. Three examples of this 46ft span single seater were built, serialled TG263, TG267 and TG271, but the second aircraft was lost in a flying accident at Felixstowe. The third SR A/1 was also lost, when it hit a submerged baulk of timber and sank on April 6, 1949, leaving the first aircraft as the sole survivor. This unique machine is now preserved at the Skyfame Aircraft Museum, Staverton. Powered by a pair of 3,500 h.p. Metropolitan-Vickers Beryl turbojets, the SR A/1 had a maximum speed of 520 m.p.h., and an empty weight of about 18,000lb.
Although the perspective of this Flight cutaway drawing of the SR. A/1 is somewhat intriguing, the locations of the aircraft’s components are clearly illustrated.
The Saunders-Roe S.R.A1 Jet-propelled Flying-boat.
Saunders-Roe S R A/1