Fairey Tosser

[The Rat]

1 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

The Fairey Delta 2 was one of the more impressive British experimental aircraft of the post-war period, and it's basic design is credited with being the genesis of the very successful Dassault Mirage III series of aircraft. It was used to investigate various aspects of high-speed flight with a delta wing design, and both airframes went through a number of modifications during their lifetimes.

2 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

3 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

One little known aspect was a test of the 'toss-bombing' style of weapons delivery, a format also used with the American B-47 and B-58 bombers. An unknown number of test articles were produced, and secured to the aircraft on a centre-line pylon. They were painted in a high visibility scheme of red and white for tracking purposes, with a black nose cone. While given no official designation, crews referred to the aircraft as the 'Tosser'. After a number of stops during the ferry flight, trials were conducted in the Australian desert, and results were considered favourable, and plans were in place to assess the possibility of underwing tanks to increase range should the aircraft be produced in that role.

4 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

5 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

However the lingering results and second-guessing that were left in the wake of the infamous 1957 Defence White Paper meant that such plans never came to be, and this particular period in the aircraft's history have been obscured by time.

6 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

7 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr


8 by Dave Bailey, on Flickr

[Wardukw]

Extremely clean build Dave and i mean clean ..white is a bugger to keep clean ..very very nice mate 

[Old Wombat]

You forgot the A-4, which was also nuke-capable, & was supposed to lob its tac-nuc at the enemy then bolt for cover.

I don't care which aircraft you're flying, "lob"/"loft"/"toss"-bombing (a.k.a. LABS) is a one-way suicide mission.

The Delta 2 looks better designed for coming in low & fast, popping up over the target, dropping its device, then dropping down to the deck & continuing straight on at high speed.

Possibly a slightly more survivable option, too.


A video of interest, perhaps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igpqmay9OT0

[Dizzyfugu]

Pretty!  In that white livery and the chequered bomb it looks like something from a Tintin comic?

[zenrat]

Given they are bowling a full toss* I can envisage lots (more than the RAFs usual amount) of cricket terminology being used during the tests.

Good job.


*sort of.  Bounce and/or Spin (finger or wrist) bombing also?  Dropping a Wrongun?

[Scotaidh]

Given they are bowling a full toss* I can envisage lots (more than the RAFs usual amount) of cricket terminology being used during the tests.

Good job.


*sort of.  Bounce and/or Spin (finger or wrist) bombing also?  Dropping a Wrongun?

Mmm - I can just about imagine a "googly" ... 

[chrisonord]

I like that

[The Rat]

Thank you gentlemen! It is, of course, the Frog/Novo pressing, and anyone who has handled it knows that it's not a great kit. But I can just imagine being an English schoolboy in the 1960s (Wait a minute... I WAS! ) and having this aviation record-setter, from your own country, to assemble and play with. The canopy was the hardest part, being a very poor fit, and sharp eyes will notice that the front edge of the windscreen protrudes a bit lot. But I wasn't going to take any chances on breaking it, so it will have to do.

Yes, the weapon looks like Tintin's moon rocket, wasn't intentional although it did cross my mind almost as soon as I started painting it. The rationale was to make it highly visible for tracking, and I think it works. And yes, I was tinkering with inserting the word 'googly' in there, but since my knowledge of cricket is probably less than my knowledge of heart transplant surgery it wasn't to be. And thirdly yes, I understand the term 'tosser' could have rather unseemly connotations, but the military has never been squeamish in that regard! 

Thaks for the reminder about the A-4 Old Wombat, not sure if I was aware of that. 

[The Rat]

Extremely clean build Dave and i mean clean ..white is a bugger to keep clean ..very very nice mate 

Tamiya Fine White Primer from a rattle-can, nothing else.

[Old Wombat]

Extremely clean build Dave and i mean clean ..white is a bugger to keep clean ..very very nice mate 

Tamiya Fine White Primer from a rattle-can, nothing else.

The best white on the market, in my opinion.

[NARSES2]

When I first saw the title I imagined a Swordfish/Albacore replacement. How wrong could I be 

Lovely job on that old kit Ratty

As for cricketing terminology. Obviously Barnes Wallis and 617 got the bouncer, but you could have "wrong 'un", "chucker" "beamer" "carrom" "yorker" to name but a few 

[Wardukw]

Ok when i get 2 fine gentlemen tell me that Tamiyas fine white primer is the way to go then thats the way i went..im going to need it to so thanks a bunch guys 
With a plane called the tosser god only help the radio calls.
Control tower guys would be in fits hearing lines like " that tosser is taking off again " and how would the pilot feel hearing words like that...oh look at that..the tosser made a great landing 

[Scotaidh]

My Lightning P-6 was painted with a rattle can of "Appliance White" that I bought at the local hardware store.  I hate spraying - all that masking and clean-up afterwards - who needs it? - but as I wanted an all-white aircraft it was worth it in this case.

That paint went on a treat over the yellow primer, and I got a large rattle-can of the stuff for little more than the cost of a one-oz Tamiya bottle.  I still have most of the can even after a very thorough spray job. 

[zenrat]

Tamiya fine white primer is a very pure white.  Goes on lovely but sometimes you need white to look a bit "off".

[PR19_Kit]

Appliance White is VERY white, and has been the white of choice on the airliner modelling scene for many years.

I keep a stock of 2-3 tins handy.