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English Electric P42....hypersonic


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I would love to see this in the flesh it's right up my alley beig a British Extreme Machine.I too fancy a HP.100

At some point we should try and do all these design proposals.

I have the old Novo FD-2 hiding in the stash somewhere.

Nowt wrong with the Photos but it would be good to see it with some other models in the same scale :)

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My goodness that is quite something (both the original concept and the model thereof).

I suspect that had that ever been built the World would have disappeared up those intakes on full throttle and all that would be left would be a .

Duncan B

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Thanks chaps, yep a totally insane machine from a time when we had amazingly gifted design teams and aero engineering companies (and of course not so gifted governments !). There were many fantastic designs floating around at that time some even more outlandish but this one would have been a true fire breathing monster. It would no doubt have been a pure research vehicle but who knows what it could have led to. Other favourites of mine include the FD III, Supermarine 559 (both of which S&M have listed as future projects, hope they come through) and the mental Saunders Roe SR-178....I have copies of the original brochures of all three which include detailed line drawings and parts breakdown so if I can find time I'll be scratching at least a couple of them....

.

Talking of which I couldn't resist getting a set of Colin's lovely VG Lightning wings at SMW along with a cheap Airfix F.2A, so it's out with the secret projects folder, some wet and dry, Evergreen card and Milliput for some more what-iffery fun !

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OK chaps here's a few taken a while back in the (proving)grounds of Melchett Towers with a touch of PS to add a bit of 50's atmos....hope you like.

P1060108-001_zpsqrnjmcca.jpg

MiG-25 eat your heart out.....EE had those huge air gobbling intakes in mind long before Artem and the gang...

P1060114_zpsvpor02x0.jpg

Edited by general melchett
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A complete revelation to me I had never heard of the P42, what a beast if it had ever been built that said it's a very remarkable piece of model making, well done. Do you think that if it had been started it would have gone the way of the TSR2?

Thanks for sharing :goodjob::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

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Thanks again all,

A complete revelation to me I had never heard of the P42, what a beast if it had ever been built that said it's a very remarkable piece of model making, well done. Do you think that if it had been started it would have gone the way of the TSR2?

Probably not Wizard as it was designed as part of a series of proposals looking at the effects of hypersonic flight, (particularly kinetic heating) on aircraft systems, engines and airframes. It would have been a research aircraft from the outset, (much as the Bristol T.188, which also studied the layout of the proposed Avro 730 bomber). Quite a few studies were made around the P.42 proposal, (believe it or not this was one of the more restrained designs !), this just happens to be one of English Electrics projects, EAG 3280. The aircraft was to use highly modified RR RB.168 Speys using an advanced bypass system, the intakes designed to control shock wave development much the same way as the XB-70, the problem being that it was all unknown territory back then and it was thought unviable to proceed so the projects were abandoned. Another proposal for this version was to use it as an air breathing satellite launch system which would have required a lengthened fuselage and new engines, (possibly RR FPS.146 Turborockets), but was very much on the drawing board. An amazing time, just about anything went and we were world leaders in the field....just look at things now !

Great stuff John...haven't seen drawings for that particular aircraft, P.37 (EAG 3212) before, though it might well have morphed later into the EAG 4426 design which shared a great deal of commonality with this design but was to be armed with BAC Tychon stand off missiles and a 'glide bomb' designed to be released at hypersonic speed and use kinetic energy to cause massive damage, (so called 'rods of the gods')... .....

There are shades of Luft '46 about this one and F-117 in plan view. I have quite a few of these drawings, some pretty bizarre projects. Phil Buttler's excellent British Secret Aircraft, (hypersonics, ramjets and missiles) has a raft of info on these designs, all fair game for us 'If only' modellers !.

Edited by general melchett
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Hello,General - I offer my salutes to you on a very interesting story and splendid build of this awesome looking concept.The 'P42' was another visionary prospect from a country with a world leading aviation industry.All the very best,Paul.

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