BAC TSR-2

Wallpaper Description:

The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 was a cancelled Cold War strike & reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The TSR-2 was designed to penetrate a well-defended forward battle area at low altitudes and very high speeds, and then attack high-value targets in the rear with nuclear or conventional weapons.

Another intended combat role was to provide high-altitude, high-speed stand-off, side-looking, radar and photo imagery and signals intelligence, reconnaissance.

Some of the most advanced aviation technology of the period was incorporated in order to make it the highest-performing aircraft in the world in its projected missions.

Only one airframe flew and test flights and weight rise during design indicated that the aircraft would be unable to meet its original stringent design specifications.

The design specifications had been reduced as the results of flight testing became available.

General characteristics
• Crew: 2
• Length: 89 ft (27.13 m)
• Wingspan: 37.14 ft (11.32 m)
• Height: 23.77 ft (7.25 m)
• Wing area: 702.9 ft² (65.3 m²)
• Empty weight: 54,750 lb (24,834 kg)
• Loaded weight: 79,573 lb (36,169 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 103,500 lb (46,980 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Bristol Siddeley Olympus B.Ol.22R (Mk. 320) turbojet
• Dry thrust: 22,000 lb (97.87 kN) each
• Thrust with afterburner: 30,610 lb (136.7 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 at 40,000 ft/12,000 m (Mach 1.1+ at sea level)
• Range: 2,500 nmi (2,877 mi, 4,630 km)
• Combat radius: 750 nmi (860 mi, 1,390 km) ; hi-lo-lo-hi
• Ferry range: 2,500 nmi (2,877 mi, 4,630 km)
• Service ceiling: 40,000 ft (final specification) (12,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 15,000 ft/min (4,575 m/min)
• Thrust/weight: 0.59

Armament

Total weapons load of 10,000 lb (4,500 kg); 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) internal and 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) external
• Internal weapons bay, 20 ft (6 m) long, with (initially) 1 Red Beard 15 kt nuclear weapon or as intended 2 x OR.1177 300 kt nuclear weapons or 6 x 1,000 lb (450 kg) HE bombs. Final designed normal load in nuclear role of up to 4 x WE.177 nuclear weapons, two side-by-side or in tandem in weapons bay, two on external underwing stores pylons, Or
• 4 x 37-inch (0.94 m) rocket pods or nuclear weaponry on inner pylons only.

Avionics

• Autonetics Verdan autopilot modified by Elliot Automation
• Ferranti (terrain following radar and navigation/attack systems)
• EMI (sideways looking radar)
• Marconi (general avionics)
• Cossor (IFF)
• Plessey (Radio)