An orphan backstory in search of a modeller

[Rheged]

It's a long time since I've had the opportunity to write a backstory, in the hope that someone more talented than me might cut some styrene and make it happen.  So here goes;  I gift the ideas in this story to anyone brave/skilled/daft enough to make the model(s)

Chapter One.....A Heyford, the Home Service*, rolls of cooking foil and a unique Vulcan.

On 16th February 1935, Handley Page Heyford K6902 trundled through the sky with Robert Blucke at the helm.  Having flown a specified flightpath, he returned to his aerodrome wondering what all that was about.   At ground level, in an elderly Morris Commercial van, grandly titled "The Travelling Laboratory"' Watson-Watt and Wilkins were delighted to note that the passage of the aircraft had caused what their report identified as" disturbances" in the BBC Home  Service programme broadcast from Daventry. The radio signal had been reflected from the Heyford, and thus was born the concept of a working RADAR  system. (It's actually a bit more complex than that, but let's not make the story too long).  Even as they drove the Morris van home, the two physicists were discussing...."if this system will detect incoming aircraft, how then can we hide them from our new concept?"  From this beginning grew Chain Home, Chain Home Low, AI and ASW sets as well as naval and artillery systems.  Readers will already be aware of radar jamming (100 group RAF, and others)and lengths of tinfoil known as WINDOW,  DUPPEL  or CHAFF , depending on whose air force was involved.   It wasn't until peacetime research was resumed in labs all over the world that the notion of making an aircraft radar return  less detectable was trialled.   TRE at Malvern undertook many practical investigations.  Among their trials were several test flights involving large  targets released by an Avro Vulcan B1. This was  semi-permanently attached to Malvern as a trials hack, flying out of Pershore.  As trials continued, the TRE staff began to take notice of the Vulcan's radar return. They discovered that under many conditions there was an unexpectedly low radar return signal. It is thought that at this time, the word STEALTHY was applied by TRE to aircraft showing this phenomenon.    Detailed research showed that the Vulcan's radar return could be reduced much further if a lower fin was possible.   Avro took up the challenge and , using design proposals from early in the Vulcan development period, constructed the world's only twin fin Vulcan.  The fins were installed fairly close to each   wing tip.  It proved to be a stealthy,  stable and surprisingly docile aircraft to fly, but the design feature was not adopted in the B2 or B2a .  TRE Malvern used Vulcan XA904 for further trials until 1963, when it was due to be handed back to the RAF Vulcan OCU as an instructional airframe.
*The old name for radio 4, for those of less than a certain age


Chapter Two:  Launching a flaming pencil

Whilst  TRE Malvern were undertaking research in their field of expertise, other research  and design projects were under way.  Operational Requirement 330  was formulated  for a high speed (Mach 3) reconnaissance aircraft, which eventually  to be developed into the Avro 730. Ultra high speed flight meant, perhaps, new and exotic materials and specially developed jet engines. In order to research these, a contract  (Operational Requirement ER.134T)  was given to Bristol Aviation to design and build a testbed aircraft in order to investigated flight conditions at and above Mach 2.  Despite their best efforts , Bristol were unable to  achieve sustained flight at Mach 2 as the aircraft expended  70% of the fuel load to attain its operational altitude.  It was at this point that  a degree of lateral thinking occurred.    The twin tailed Vulcan at Pershore was big enough and strong enough to carry a  fully fuelled 188 (about 30,000 lbs) and take it to an  altitude of 40,000 feet and 500 knots.  As a Bristol 188 would not easily fit under a Vulcan, it was carried as a dorsal load,  the twin tails allowing this unique composite to fly.  In "late 1963"(records are intentionally unclear on the exact date)  the composite was first  test flown from RAF Machrihanish. Following four uneventful flights, Test Pilot Godfrey L. Auty  made the first flight in which separation took place, just to the north of Northern Ireland. Soon afterwards, there were regular  flights , with Bristol 188 XF924 achieving a maximum speed of Mach 2.88  and a flight time of 37 minutes at mach 2.2.    The Concorde project was greatly assisted with data from this research. Research flights continued until "late 1975"


 Chapter Three: A fine finale: bird scaring at 1900 knots

By 1976, both Vulcan XA904 and  Bristol 188  XF924 were rapidly running out of fatigue time but the RAF chose to use this unusual composite for one last sortie.   On 20th April, Lockheed SR71  aircraft of USAF were scheduled to commence operations from Mildenhall.  As the first Blackbird approached south of Ireland , the crew were startled to be told that a shepherd  aircraft would accompany them through British airspace to their initial landing at  Boscombe Down .

" Boscombe Control, this is Blackbird, repeat Black....bird,  please be advised were are currently at 47,000  feet and a speed of mach 2.4, repeat Mach two...point...four"

"Blackbird, noted, please be aware that shepherd aircraft is currently approaching from your stern, height 50,000feet, speed mach 2.61"  

A somewhat chastened SR71 crew watched a stainless steel 188 sweep past and precede them to land at Boscombe Down. Some time later, an odd shaped Vulcan made a low pass and headed for Cosford, where it was eventually dismantled with the nose section  becoming a demonstration cockpit in the education section.   XF924 was later taken by road to Duxford, where it is held in the reserve collection.




So there it is, the product of a wet Sunday afternoon   whilst recovering from putting new silicone sealant round our bath.  If you can use this backstory, please do, I'd be delighted to see it in styrene.....or if you wish to add  details to this "bald and otherwise unconvincing narrative" I'd be equally delighted.

[Gondor]

Very nice little story.

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

I DO like the sound of that. 

And I have a couple of Airfix Vulcans and a Maintrack 188 as well. Didn't XA903 have extended wings though, in order to lift the 188 to a sensible height? 

[Rheged]

I DO like the sound of that.  

And I have a couple of Airfix Vulcans and a Maintrack 188 as well. Didn't XA903 have extended wings though, in order to lift the 188 to a sensible height?  

Thanks Kit!  I'm delighted that you can add  further information  about this under-reported operation. When XA904 was scrapped only the nose survived and  the precise dimensions of this unique aircraft were not recorded. Does anyone else have data or reminiscences to add ?

[NARSES2]

That's really good 

Brings back memories of childhood sketch books with lots of Bristol 188 look alike's armed with 8 wing mounted 0.303" spitting fire  Ah the innocence of childhood

[Hobbes]

As I recall it was quite the rude awakening for the USAF, who pressured the RAF into keeping quiet about XF924's abilities until 2006. As a result, the first person to speak publicly about the program was a Blackbird pilot in his memoir, 'Dash'.

[jcf]

The biggest problem with the 188 was Ministry insistence on using the already paid for, undeveloped DH engines.
The fuel consumption of the engines was only one factor, the more serious one was surging at supersonic speeds that
destabilized the aircraft, which is why the only flight approaching Mach 2 (1.9) only lasted about 2 minutes and had
to be ended to prevent catastrophe. Over a year had been lost on inlet/exhaust redesigns, which had delayed the first
flight and the entire program, and much more work was necessary. Carrying the aircraft aloft wouldn't alter that reality.

[Captain Canada]

Nice little read for sure ! I like the part about passing the SR.71. Would have been better to surprise them completely tho  The Vulcan sounds kinda cool, but I like them just the way they are 

[Rheged]

The biggest problem with the 188 was Ministry insistence on using the already paid for, undeveloped DH engines.
The fuel consumption of the engines was only one factor, the more serious one was surging at supersonic speeds that
destabilized the aircraft, which is why the only flight approaching Mach 2 (1.9) only lasted about 2 minutes and had
to be ended to prevent catastrophe. Over a year had been lost on inlet/exhaust redesigns, which had delayed the first
flight and the entire program, and much more work was necessary. Carrying the aircraft aloft wouldn't alter that reality.

Agreed that the Gyron & Gyron Junior  needed a fair amount of fettling.  I was hoping to dodge round that by using Avons as in the reference quote below.   Perhaps in Whiffworld ,  De Havilland got their act together in a more timely manner.

Rolls-Royce engines were initially selected to power the 188, but five engine combinations were subsequently evaluated: two with Rolls-Royce Avon 200s, two with the de Havilland Gyron Junior and one with an AJ.65, the last disintegrating on test.

[PR19_Kit]

In any case reality has NOTHING to do with it...................  

They could even have used Olympuses (Olympii?)

[jcf]

Bristol wanted to use the Avons, but were overruled by the Ministry. 
So, personally speaking, Avons* make sense. 



* Lightning type 300s of course in place of the 200s.