I think the real idea was from WWII where pilot's stayed at the controls to let others get out by conventional parachutes nobody got out at low level, then came along new zero zero ejector seats and they didn't now have the space for them for the rear crew....The Vulcan had ejector seats for the pilot and co-pilot. The Nav-radar, Nav-plotter and Air Electronics Officer were supposed to die for their country.
The Vautour would not be better than the Javelin. The French used it as a stopgap all weather fighter and it wasn't even a match for a Canberra/B57. A Javelin wasn't able to mix it with fighters but that wasn't it's job it was a high altitude plane designed to have a long range to hunt Soviet bombers over the sea.
I think the real idea was from WWII where pilot's stayed at the controls to let others get out by conventional parachutes nobody got out at low level, then came along new zero zero ejector seats and they didn't now have the space for them for the rear crew....
The Australians built a Mirage III with the Avon engine used in the EE Lightning.
Just add a bigger Rolls Royce engine and you hit Mach 2.So why not the Mach 1.8 Crusader built under license ?
I would have swapped every Lightning for an Avon-Mirage or Spey Mirage/Mirage F1, every godawful Sea Vixen & Scimitar for a licence-built Etendard IV
Just add a bigger Rolls Royce engine and you hit Mach 2.
That makes me wonder how the Fairey Delta could have been developed.And according to Diefenbaker, everything was going to be done by BOMARC missiles.
The solution is to have a versatile, cheap jet that can do everything but the kitchen sink. The Mirage III continuously evolved from 1955 to 1983, long after the Mirage F1 entered service, it took the Mirage 2000 to finally kill the Mirage III !
By 1979 Dassault was proposing the Mirage 50.
By 1982 a Mirage III with FBW was flying, not as a demonstrator to the Mirage 2000, but as yet another upgrade of the Mirage III !
What's more, RAAF Mirage IIIs are still flying, with Pakistan.
And Israel still has Kfir C7 for export.
But the production RAAF Mirages used the Atar 9C although all the access panels etc were placed for the Avon, the worst of both worlds.
Why would the RAF neglect to develop its Lightning fleet with better avionics and weapons but not neglect a Mirage III fleet?
I think that's an unfair comparison.Not helped by the fact only one of the two crew can eject. British class system at work!
French F-8s were in service for thirty-five years. The Sea Vixen was in service for twelve years
Licence-built Avon Mirage might compete better on export markets
The licencing agreement might give the British export rights in certain territories. IIRC the licencing agreement that Westland had with Sikorsky allowed it to sell licence built Sikorsky helicopters in Europe (less Italy) and the Commonwealth (less Canada). AFAIK that's why Australia bought Sea Kings built by Westland instead of Sikorsky.Leaving aside that the Avon Mirage was developed to pre-production but not sold in quantity how would Britain benefit from exports of the Avon Mirage? The benefits would go to France apart from the engines, which were exported in good numbers in Lightings and Hunter FGA9s.
how would Britain benefit from exports of the Avon Mirage?
, every godawful Sea Vixen & Scimitar for a licence-built Etendard IV
Not helped by the fact only one of the two crew can eject. British class system at work!![]()
145 built, 37.93% lost (in peacetime!) and fifty-one Fleet Air Arm aircrew killed.
Looks good at an airshow, though. Shame the only airworthy example has crashed. AGAIN.
51 dead Sea Vixen aircrew in 12 years - works out as four a year.
Added to hellish attrition rate of the Supermarine Scimitar, 51% - it's a wonder the Fleet Air Arm had any pilots left to fly the Phantom