Armstrong Whitworth Tail-First Fighter

[kitnut617]

Now here's something that looks like a Tophe design ---

Found it on Secret Projects Forum.

[The Rat]

Looks like someone read the instructions incorrectly. 

[chrisonord]

I could see this being built, and at it's maiden flight in front of all the ministry big wigs, it fired up it's engine, put it's throttle to the stop, and shot backwards in to a watching crowd. Because someone put the propeller on the wrong way round.
Chris

[ericr]

lovely !

and do-able 

[Tophe]

Funny
The source is Aeroplane Montly 1948, see https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,31257.0.html
If it was 1945, I would play with it, or... I may imagine the first version was 1945 before the 1948 derivative

[martinbayer]

Tophe,

in the Secretprojects thread there is speculation that the design actually originated in 1941.

Martin

[zenrat]

Tophe,

in the Secretprojects thread there is speculation that the design actually originated in 1941.

Martin

April 1st 1941?

I am thinking about an earlier version (mid thirties) with an inverted butterfly tail and fixed, spatted undercarriage (possibly with supplementary rudders in the rear of the main leg fairings).

[Tophe]

Tophe,
in the Secretprojects thread there is speculation that the design actually originated in 1941.
Martin

I have checked and you are right: the first design in this family was designed in 1941, with 2 fuselages of course (otherwise I would not be much interested), it was called Miss Tell, for an unknow reason.
Did A.W. know that a few decades later (1990) the most beautiful song ever would be sung by Miss Tell?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mwleg7yzxU