BAC TSR.2
1964
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  BOMBER, RECONNAISSANCEVirtual Aircraft Museum / United Kingdom / BAC  

BAC TSR.2

Attack and reconnaissance bomber first flown on 27 September 1964 and designed for service with the RAF. Powered by two 136.2kN Bristol Siddeley Olympus 22R turbojets. Max level speed Mach 2.05-2.5. Could perform completely automatic sorties without visual reference and had an accuracy of weapon delivery within "tens of feet". Cancelled because of defence cut-backs.

BAC TSR.2


Specification 
 MODELTSR.2
 CREW2
 ENGINE2 x Bristol Siddeley Olympus 320, 13884kg
 WEIGHTS
    Take-off weight36200-43500 kg79808 - 95902 lb
 DIMENSIONS
    Wingspan11.28 m37 ft 0 in
    Length27.13 m89 ft 0 in
    Height7.32 m24 ft 0 in
    Wing area65.03 m2699.98 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
    Max. speed2390 km/h1485 mph
    Cruise speed1345 km/h836 mph
    Ceiling16500 m54150 ft
    Range w/max.fuel6840 km4250 miles
    Range w/max.payload1280-1850 km795 - 1150 miles
 ARMAMENT2700kg of weapons internally, 1800kg externally

3-View 
BAC TSR.2A three-view drawing (1000 x 431)

BAC TSR.2

Comments1-20 21-40
Barry, 14.09.2009

This brilliant aircraft would have been in the air earlier if it had not been for interference by meddlesome civil servants. There would have been a possibility that the odious Harold Wilson and his henchman Dennis Healy may not have been able to have used this as some political football. The worst part of this whole fiasco was the fact that all the remaining aircraft were totally scrapped and all plans and equipment were destroyed. Yes Paul Scott you are quite right and sadly the same attitude prevails to this day.

paul scott, psmiddx=yahoo.com, 14.08.2009

I wouldn't mind if we did get the F-111, although politics aside, and it smacked of just that, at least the RAF would've had a somewhat TSR-2 like aircraft. Nevertheless, I'd much rather have had the projected pride we should have had, like France and Sweden, supporting their fine aircraft and industry. TSR2 we miss you!

Leo Rudnicki, leo_rudnicki=hotmail.com, 29.07.2009

Just read a quote by Sir Sydney Camm. Aircraft have 4 dimensions, wingspan, length, height and politics. TSR 2 got the first three right.

james, jamesgowans=hotmail.co.uk, 01.07.2009

only 16 and i love this machine. just wondering if roumers ive heard about it having a canopy covered in a gold plated film to shield the pilot from nuclear explosions are true

Michael, phantomfire1=juno.com, 05.06.2009

Hate to tell you boy's this, but we lost the B-58(in-production), the XB-70, the F-107 Rapier, on and on. Read your PM's "White Letter" by P.M. Duncan Sandy (1957). He sank your beautiful TSR.2, not us. We didn't want the Ardvark either.

Marco Castro, jmarcocashur=yahoo.com, 16.05.2009

Another great plane shut down before production along with candian Arrow due to American polictics...

mark, snordic=hotmail.com, 24.04.2009

beautiful aircraft,so advanced we can`t have this let`s get some cheap american rubbish ( F-111 ! ) typical labour party dumping british genious!

leo rudnicki, leo_rudnicki=hotmail.com, 04.04.2009

Same story for Avro Arrow. Don't build it, we got better stuff cheaper, Disney tickets for you and the kids too. The soviets will steal the plans and whip up the Tupolev Arrovich. According to my CIA links...OOPS What do I know.

Wayne Holmes, 12.01.2009

@ R.Hunt I would be interested to see this evidence, perhaps you could provide us with a link ?? Not that I'm saying you're wrong or anything, I'm just interested in learning more about what you said, however, TSR2 capable of going faster than mach 3.5 ???, surely that would of made it the fastest aircraft ever ??

R.Hunt, Greg=greghunt.freeserve.co.uk, 02.11.2008

after doing a bit of indepth reaserch i stumbled apon some shocking evience the T.S.R 2 was cancelled because the americans threaten the goverment for all the war money to be paid back if the project was continued because the T.S.R was capable of going faster than the Lockheed Sr-71 Blackbird (mach 3.5 +)

naseby, naseby=lycos.co.uk, 05.06.2008

A wonderful and beautiful aircraft, again, owing to political pressure, sadly cancelled. This would have been an aircraft to be reckoned with.

Brian Parkinson, brianp=mcsi.net, 26.05.2008

I worked on this aircraft as a Stress Engineer for three years prior to its cancellation, not for defence cutbacks as stated in the description but as part of a sell out by Harold Wilson to LBJ and the F-111 which wound up being more expensive and an inferior aircraft. As TC stated "A beautiful aircraft

Joan again, 02.04.2008

whoops, the link failed... log on to PPrune and search for TSR2 history, you'll find the thread caled "TSR2 (Signed prints now available.) Some lovely pictures and video

Joan Walsh, info=SaxonMicro.co.uk, 02.04.2008

You may be interested in this thread and images from PPrune

tc, 12.05.2007

what a beutiful aicraft
what a shame it never entered service
loved since i was a kid

1-20 21-40

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FACTS AND FIGURES

© The prototype TSR.2 made its first flight on 27 September 1964.

© The TSR.2 had a central computer, head-up display and terrain-following radar - standard in today's combat aircraft.

© If it had entered service, the TSR.2 would still be one of the world's best bombers.

© It is thought that the TSR.2 would have had better combat performance than the General Dynamics F-111.

© Of 49 TSR.2s planned in the first stage of the programme, only four were built.

© The only TSR.2 to fly logged 13 hours 9 minutes in the air before cancellation.



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