Boulton Paul P.111

infobox Aircraft
name = P.111
type = research aircraft
manufacturer = Boulton Paul



caption = "VT 935", the P.111A on display at the ""
designer =
first flight = 10 October 1950,
introduced =
retired =
status =
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 1
unit cost =
variants with their own articles = Boulton Paul P.120The Boulton Paul P.111 (also called Boulton Paul BP.111) was a British experimental aircraft of the 1950s.

Design and development

In the late 1940s and early 1950s the British aircraft industry was engaged in many projects to confirm and develop the design ideas captured from the Germans at the end of the Second World War. As part of this activity the P.111 was built for the Air Ministry to specification E.27/46 by Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd to investigate the possibilities of the delta planform wing.

The P.111 was designed as the smallest airframe which could couple an engine (Rolls-Royce Nene), an ejection seat (Martin Baker), and a delta wing. The latter could be fitted with a variety of extensions to investigate the aerodynamic effect of different tip profiles. The construction was all-metal with the exception of the wing extensions which were of GRP.

Testing and evaluation

The P.111 made its first flight on October 10, 1950, at Boscombe Down with Squadron Leader Bob Smyth at the controls. Later test flying was carried out by the legendary test pilot, Alexander E. "Ben" Gunn, who described the aeroplane as "touchy" and "like flying a razor's edge". Because of this, and its bright colour scheme, the P.111 became known as the "Yellow Peril" – a play on the garish term used throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

After a landing accident in which the retractable landing gear failed to extend, the P.111 was modified during its repairs to improve the flight characteristics, and re-appeared in its new guise as the P.111A with much improved "manners." After a last flight in 1958 it went to Cranfield as a training airframe. In 1985 it was transferred to the Midland Air Museum, Warwickshire, England, where it is still on public display. [cite web | url=http://www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk/aircraft.php| title= Midland Air Museum|accessdaymonth = 16 March | accessyear = 2007] The P.111 was followed by another delta-winged experimental aircraft, the P.120.

pecifications (P.111)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref=
crew=1
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 26 ft 1 in (without nose probe)
length alt=
span main=25 ft 8 in to 33 ft 6 in (with detachable wingtips)
span alt=
span sweep=
height main=12 ft 6 in
height alt=
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 7,517 lb
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main=10,127 lb
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (jet)=Rolls-Royce Nene R3N2
type of jet=
number of jets=1
thrust main= 5,100 lb st
thrust alt=
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
engine (prop)=
type of prop=
number of props=
power main=
power alt=
power original=
max speed main= 648 mph
max speed alt=
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= 35,000 ft
ceiling alt=
climb rate main= 9,400 ft/min
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
* Convair XF-92
lists=
* List of experimental aircraft

References

;Notes;Bibliography
* Brew, Alec. "Boulton Paul Aircraft since 1915". London: Putnam, 1993. ISBN 0-85177-860-7.
* Jones, Barry. "British Experimental Turbojet Aircraft". London: Crowood, 2007. ISBN 978-1861268600.

External links

* [http://www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk/ Midland Air Museum. Has the sole Boulton Paul P.111 on display]
* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=517 Boulton Paul P.111]
* [http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/planes/boultonPaul.htm Boulton Paul Museum]
* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=517 British Aircraft Directory]