Fairey Delta 1

infobox Aircraft
name = Fairey Delta 1
type = research aircraft
manufacturer = Fairey Aviation Company

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caption = Fairey Delta 1
designer =
first flight = 10 March 1951
introduced =
retired = 1953
status =
primary user =
more users =
produced =
number built = 1
unit cost =
variants with their own articles =

The Fairey Delta 1 or FD1 was a British research aircraft produced by the Fairey Aviation Company for investigation of delta wing flight characteristics and control at transonic speeds. In testing, the FD1 exhibited unfavourable handling and stability leading to its ultimate cancellation.

Design and development

Originally conceived as a vertical takeoff (VTO) fighter, the proposed fighter was intended to be launched from an inclined ramp. Already in the early design stage at Fairey, the Ministry of Supply (MoS) decided to have the aircraft built as a more conventional jet-powered research vehicle to specification E.10/47. The design was a mid-wing tail-less delta monoplane, with a circular cross-section fuselage and engine air-inlet at the extreme front. The engine was a Rolls-Royce Derwent 8. Although designed as a transonic aircraft, the Delta 1 had a short-coupled, "portly" appearance, completely at odds with Fairey's next design, the sleek and elegant Fairey Delta 2. Three aircraft were ordered with the name "Fairey Delta" applied to the project; subsequently, the name was changed to Fairey Delta 1. Winchester 2005, p. 254.]

Testing

The sole FD1 to be completed was built at Fairey's Stockport factory and taken to their test facility at Manchester's Ringway Airport for assembly. Starting on 12 May 1950 it made several high-speed taxy runs there before being dismantled and roaded to the A&AEE at Boscome Down. After further taxi tests, the aircraft "VX350" made its maiden flight on 10 March 1951, flown by Fairey test pilot Group Captain R. Gordon Slade. The FD1 acquired a small horizontal delta wing on the top of the tail-fin which was intended to stop the "serious pitching as it gathered speed." Continued testing pointed to serious stability problems that were characterized as "dangerous." The additional tail surface limited the top speed to a pedestrian 345 mph (555 km/h). After a landing accident in September 1951, the FD1 was modified with the removal of the leading-edge wing slats as well as the removal of the streamlined housings for the anti-spin parachutes that were mounted at the wingtips. The large control surfaces made the FD 1 difficult to control or even fly with precision although a rapid roll rate was achieved. With limited flying after the test program was re-launched in May 1953, and no sign of the resolution of considerable design deficiencies, the FD1 was soon relegated to non-flying status. Only one FD1 was built with the second ("VX357") and third ("VX364") airframes being cancelled before they entered production.

Cancellation

The Fairey Delta was a proof-of-concept experimental aircraft that was destined to never achieve its design goals and it ignobly ended up as a target in the Shoeburyness, Essex weapons range in 1953. Its lasting claim to fame was as the first British-designed delta wing.

pecifications (Fairey Delta 1)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
crew=1
length main=26 ft 3 in
length alt= 8 m
span main=19 ft 6.5 in
span alt=5.9 m
height main= 19 ft 6.5 in
height alt=5.9 m
area main=
area alt=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main=6,900lb
loaded weight alt=3,136 kg
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
engine (jet)=Rolls-Royce Derwent 8
type of jet=turbojet
number of jets=1
thrust main=3,600 lb
thrust alt=1,633 kg
max speed main=345 mph
max speed alt=555 km/h
range main= mi
range alt= km
ceiling main= ft
ceiling alt= m
climb rate main= ft/min
climb rate alt= m/s
loading main=lb/ft²
loading alt=kg/m²
thrust/weight=

References

;Notes;Bibliography
* Sturtivant, Ray. "British Research and Development Aircraft". Somerset, UK: Haynes Publishing Group, 1990. ISBN 0-85429-697-2
* Taylor, H. A. "Fairey Aircraft since 1915". London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-00065-X.
* Twiss, Peter. "Faster than the Sun". London: Grub Street Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-902304-43-8.
* Winchester, Jim. "X-Planes and Prototypes". London: Amber Books Ltd., 2005. ISBN 1-904687-40-7.

ee also

aircontent
related=Fairey Delta 2

similar aircraft=
Avro 707c-
Boulton Paul P.111A -
Convair XF-92A -

sequence=

lists=
List of experimental aircraft