Saunders-Roe SR.53

[Hobbes]

With the arrival of the Freightdog kit imminent, it's time to start thinking about how to build all those kits we're going to buy.

Real-world is one option. Nice and straightforward. Here's my Airfix SR.53 for comparison:


Here's an earlier thread with some discussion

The SpaceUK website has lots of info on the SR.53.

Saunders-Roe did a proposal to develop the SR.53 to reach higher speeds and altitudes: Mach 3+ and/or 160 km! The proposal included air-launching from a Valiant, removal of the jet engine and upgrades to the structure (an excuse to go nuts with the Alclad).
image from SpaceUK:


Ignoring the RW drawbacks to the SR.53, we can extrapolate on the dummy Firestreaks sometimes carried by the aircraft, and see what operational versions can be made up.

[Caveman]

here is a starter for 10 from anthonyp

Going over to the Pacific now, here's Japan:

Japanese Air Self Defense Force Sanders Roe model 53 (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries F-53J)

The Japanese were never ones to rely on the outside world for their defense needs, but the futuristic SR.53 (and later SR.177) proved a bit too tempting to the Japanese team sent abroad to find new planes.

Even though the SR.53 was viewed as a tech demonstrator by the British, the Japanese negotiated for the plans to it and the later SR.177, in hopes that it could be made to defend Japan.

In reality, the SR.53 proved to be more trouble than it was worth.  At least initially.  The Japanese massaged the design over the years until finally getting a suitable fighter in the early 70's.  By that time, though, better and more advanced planes had begun to show up for use by Japan, but the Soviet threat to the Northern Islands required that all available assets be used.  

The F-53J (designation in Japanese service) entered service in 1979, and was upgraded with newer engines, weapons systems, and even given a small radar.  The rocket engine was kept, as it decreased time for dashing to an intercept, which was required for use in the north.

The final version of the F-53J, the F-53J Kai, first entered service in 1999.  It differed little externally, but the inside of the aircraft was almost completely new, including the ability to carry the latest AAM's.  It is expected that this new design will survive until 2009, when the winner of Japan's F-X competition begins to enter service.

(This is a Polish knockoff of the 1/72 Airfix SR.53, with some Hasegawa weapons on the wingtips)



For more pics, click here.

[pyro-manic]

Some thoughts:

1: ZELL truck-mounted version, for dispersed basing in Germany. Launching booster, folding wings?
2: Replace the jet and rocket motor with a single Avon/Sapphire or other engine of ~10,000lbs thrust or more to make a "conventional" jet-powered fighter. Enlarge and move the intakes to a F-102/106 layout, just above the wing leading edge.
3: Alter the tail to a Hunter or Phantom-style configuration, with the tailplanes lower down, thus avoiding control problems at high angles of attack.
4: High-altitude recce version. Long, high aspect-ratio wing, cameras in nose and/or just behind the cockpit in a fuselage plug, with another plug aft of the wings to maintain CoG and increase fuel capacity.
5: FAW version with radar, tandem cockpit for pilot and RIO, rear fuselage plug to manage CoG.
6: Cannon-armed version, with ADENs in a belly pack.
7: VTOL version, with a Pegausus and nozzles, high-mounted wing.

[Weaver]

October's Aeroplane magazine has a large, multi-article feature on the SR.53 and SR.177. Well worth a read.