What-if RAF aircraft update?

[TsrJoe]

...heres some more from the files of the PRO./National Archives at Kew, museum records and verified published sources...

please note those listed below are not in any particular order or time frame but were all SERIOUS evaluations for which there is SUPPORTING references...

Grumman Tiger, Royal Navy
Grumman Tracer, Royal Navy (HMS. Eagle)
Grumman Hawkeye, Royal Navy (HMS. Q.E.)
Vought Crusader, Royal Navy (Spey Engined)
NA. RA.5C Vigilantie, Royal Navy (HMS. Q.E.)
MDD. F.4B/J Phantom, Royal Navy (HMS. Q.E.)
MDD./BAC. F.4HL, Royal Navy ('big wing')
Bell HSS.1, Royal Navy
GD. F.111B 'Swallow', Royal Navy
Boeing V.22 Osprey, Royal Navy
Boeing  JSF. 'F.32 Budgie', Royal Navy
Sikorsky Seahawk, Royal Navy (frigates, etc)

Hawker P.1081 'Hawk' (variant)
Hawker P.1121 'Hurricane' (variant)
Hawker P.1117 'Naval Hunter'
English Electric 'Sea Canberra', Royal Navy
English Electric 'Sea Lightning' (F.6 & VG. T.5)
Supermarine 'Sea Swift' (F.3 variant)
Eurofighter 'Sea Typhoon', Royal Navy
Miles 'Sea Student' (T.1 variant

Dassault Mirage III, RAF. (Spey engined)
Dassault Mirage IIIV, RAF.
Dassault Mirage IV, RAF. (Spey Engined)
Breguet Atlantique, RAF.
Sud Super Frelon, Joint Services
BAC. Jaguar M, Royal Navy
Dassault Alpha Jet, RAF.
Dassault Rafale M (Royal Navy)

Republic F.105 Thunderchief, RAF.
Hughes 269, AAC.
Brantley B.2, AAC.
Bell D.188 VTO. RAF.
MDD./BAe. AV.16, RAF./RN.
Convair B.58 Hustler, RAF.
NA. A.3J Vigilantie, RAF.
Lockheed F.104 Starfighter, RAF.
Lockheed U.2 'Angel', RAF.
Grumman F.14B Tomcat, RAF. (1976)
Douglas B.66 Destroyer, RAF.
MDD. F.4VS Phantom, RAF. ('swing wing')
MDD. F.15 Eagle, RAF. (1976)
GD. F.111K/(M) 'Swallow', RAF.
Convair B.36 Peacemaker, RAF.
Lockheed C.5 Galaxy, RAF.
Lockheed P.3 Orion, RAF.
Boeing KC.135 Stratotanker, RAF.
Sikorsky CH.57 Mojave, RAF.
Sikorsky CH.53 Stallion, Joint Services
Sikorsky Blackhawk, Joint Services
Northrop F.18L Hornet, RAF.
GD. F.16A Falcon, RAF.
MDD. JSF. RAF.
Bell AH.1W Cobra, AAC.
Bell JetRanger, RAF. (DHFS.)

Dornier Do.27, AAC.
Dornier Do.31 Lifter, RAF.
Eurocopter Tiger, AAC.
Eurocopter NH.90, RAF./AAC.
Eurocopter Dauphin, RAF. (DHFS.)
Eurocopter BK.117, RAF. (DHFS.)
Beriev A.40 Mermaid, RAF.
Pilatus PC.9, RAF.


a big thanks to all who have found other non UK. designs looked at by the MoD. and HM. forces to add to our listing ...happy modelling, cheers, joe


... obviously theres lots more...ill add further types to the forum as i come across them in the files, hoping this is of some use, cheers, joe  

ps. i have left out ones which altho commonly discussed and even modelled i have seen no written evidence for, likewise i have omitted types speculated to have been put forward too, thus hopefully giving us a framework from which to spring from ?  :dum:  likewise i have as yetnot included the literally dozens of seroius proposals put forward by UK. firms throughout the 'post war' period !

pps. oh and somat different again... back in the late 40's in recognition of the soviets ordering evaluation numbers Meteor and Vampire airframes (not delivered!), the UK. did temativly pursue the idea of ordering representative soviet jet aircraft in return..just imagine a Mig 9, Yak 15, etc in UK. colours...

jwc

[Mike Wren]

great stuff Joe  

so they were going to call the F-111 the, ahem, Swallow...?    

[Hobbes]

Biggest surprise in the list: the A-50. Imagine the UK using a Russian AEW platform...

[Jschmus]

Biggest surprise in the list: the A-50. Imagine the UK using a Russian AEW platform...

I think he meant A-40, the maritime patrol bird.  I'd have liked to see that one in all sorts of different liveries: USN, RAF, JMSDF, et al.

[Geoff_B]

Biggest surprise in the list: the A-50. Imagine the UK using a Russian AEW platform...

Hobbes

I think you'll find it should be the Beriev Be-42 (A-40) Mermaid, the Jet Flying Boat that France is looking at as a new Water Bomber.

B)

G

[TsrJoe]

oops cheers chaps, sorry bout the misleading ref...yip the MoD. did a cursory examination of the large Russian flying boat as a possible ASW/ASR. platform, alas even tho favoured by some. it was realised that spares could have been a potential problem and long term in service prospects too much of an unknown!

another to add to the listing was the possibility looked at in passing of building under license the NA. X.15 Sateloid research aircraft... unfortunately the file i accessed makes no mention of its carrier aircraft tho!

cheers, joe  

jwc

[Bryan H.]

A few more US types for the list...

for Royal Navy consideration-
P-6 Seamaster
F4D Skyray
FJ-4 Fury
A-3 Skywarrior
A-4 Skyhawk
A-6 Intruder
A-7 Corsair II

for RAF considration-
F-101 Voodoo
F-100 Super Sabre
F-106 Delta Dart
F-107
F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger
F-15 Eagle
F-16 Falcon
OV-10 Bronco
B-66 Destroyer
A-10 Warthog

And an Italian...
G.91R Gina

Bryan

[retro_seventies]

Great stuff there joe - i too am especially intrigued by the mermaid; she would look great in RAF/RN colours...the dark grey and dayglo that our SAR seakings wear, not to mention the obligatory hemp.

a royal navy f-111b.

i'm speechless.

i MUST have one....

[P1127]

please note those listed below are not in any particular order or time frame but were all SERIOUS evaluations for which there is SUPPORTING references...

Interesting list -= of course they ordered the Bell HSS1 (serials are in a certain BARG book I used to have.....)

Others in more recent times (so not yet in Kew?)

Bell AH-1W Cobra Venom (Army AH competition)
Eurocopter Tiger (Army AH competition)

Eurocopter Dauphin (DHFS and also 84 Squadron Wessex replacement)
Eurocopter BK117 (DHFS)

Bell Jet Ranger (DHFS)

An-124 (Short term strategic airlifter)

MDD DC-10 (Wide bodied Tanker/Transport 1982 - ex-Laker)
Boeing 747 -as above (both tanker and the later STSA)

Gulfstream GV (ASTOR)

[lancer]

This lisrt gets better and better. Would love to see the A40 in both RAF and RN colour schemes. The An 124 would be awsome, that plane is just superb!!
The AH1W SHOULD have beaten the Crapache for the Army's AH comp. I remember a full page ad for it in the Evening Standard at the time of the comp.

[Aircav]

Toss up between the Tiger and the VenomCobra for me      

[The Rat]

another to add to the listing was the possibility looked at in passing of building under license the NA. X.15 Sateloid research aircraft... unfortunately the file i accessed makes no mention of its carrier aircraft tho!

X15 under a Vulcan...

Scuse me while I change my drawers.  

[NARSES2]

great stuff Joe  

so they were going to call the F-111 the, ahem, Swallow...?  

Wasn't Barnes Wallis's origional swing wing desing named Swallow ?

Anyway I have a "Savage Swallow" - militarised DH 108 based at Scapa in 1946, came as a nasty suprise to those pesky He343 recce flights

Chris

[lancer]

Toss up between the Tiger and the VenomCobra for me    

Sod it!! have 'em both. Just assign them both to different roles.

Anyway I have a "Savage Swallow" - militarised DH 108 based at Scapa in 1946, came as a nasty suprise to those pesky He343 recce flights

An idea very similar to mine.  I wanted to make my swallow a high altitude interceptor.  

[nev]

Sikorsky CH.53 Stallion, Joint Services

Bright yellow SAR birds anyone?      

Great list Joe, thanks  B)