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.

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.

BAC TSR.2

© 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.

BAC TSR.2 on YOUTUBE

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

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

BAC TSR.2

Comments1-20 21-40
Dave webber, 07.12.2009 14:53

TSR 2 (Techological Sleek Revolutionary TIMES TWO)What an aircraft nothing would have touched,it not even the Failure one eleven sorry F-111,the government failed the aircraft industry the country and more importantly THE RAF,Labour muppets doing a monkeys job Nothing new there then.LONG LIVE TSR-2

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Barry, 14.09.2009 17:45

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.

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paul scott, e-mail, 14.08.2009 00:33

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!

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Leo Rudnicki, e-mail, 29.07.2009 08:08

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

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james, e-mail, 01.07.2009 02:54

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

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Michael, e-mail, 05.06.2009 21:12

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.

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Marco Castro, e-mail, 16.05.2009 00:34

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

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mark, e-mail, 24.04.2009 13:42

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

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leo rudnicki, e-mail, 04.04.2009 00:11

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.

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Wayne Holmes, 12.01.2009 01:31

@ 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 ??

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R.Hunt, e-mail, 02.11.2008 14:14

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 +)

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naseby, e-mail, 05.06.2008 21:17

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

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Brian Parkinson, e-mail, 26.05.2008 03:29

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

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Joan again, 02.04.2008 14:55

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

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Joan Walsh, e-mail, 02.04.2008 14:53

You may be interested in this thread and images from PPrune

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tc, 12.05.2007 23:22

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

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1-20 21-40

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