Ratch Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 The sleek and angular Fairey Delta 2 was the first aircraft to exceed 1,000 m.p.h. in level flight. Tailless and with a distinctive needle nose, it was designed by Herbert Chaplin of the Fairey Aviation Company. The F.D.2 was created to meet a British government requirement for an experimental to investigate transonic flight – flight at or near the speed of sound. The two intakes for its Rolls-Royce Avon afterburning turbojet were in the roots of its mid-set, slender delta wing, which had 60 degrees of sweep on its leading edge. Because the aircraft adopted a nose-high attitude on its landing approach, it was designed with a nose capable of drooping by 10 degrees. Test pilot Peter Twiss took the F.D.2 beyond Mach 1 on 28 October 1955, reaching Mach 1.56. On 10 March 1956 two measured runs were undertaken at 38,000ft. achieving a mean speed of 1,132mph (Mach 1.73). This was an extraordinary 38% faster than the previous record, set by a North American Sabre fighter only seven months earlier. A second F.D.2 was used for aerodynamic research in the development of Concorde. 24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amo Aero Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 So good to see these old kits getting some love. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 17, 2018 Author Share Posted May 17, 2018 Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head in the clouds. Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 Two FD2's in one day, oh my I am lucky. Another fine job Ratch and one I am wanting to build some time, a nice all metal finish too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 That's a stunner! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 18, 2018 Author Share Posted May 18, 2018 Cheers chaps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thud4444 Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 Wow dude, I like this one. It's a very pretty plane isn't it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 18, 2018 Author Share Posted May 18, 2018 Thanks very much, yes she is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 Very nice model of an amazing aircraft. It astounds me to think that it first flew only nine years after the end of the war. If aircraft research had kept up the same intensity - where would we be now? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amo Aero Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 9 hours ago, Gorby said: It astounds me to think that it first flew only nine years after the end of the war. If aircraft research had kept up the same intensity - where would we be now? I never thought of it that way--9 years--astounding! Given the same pace of development, by now we could have had flying cars and Starbucks on Mars! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted May 19, 2018 Share Posted May 19, 2018 5 hours ago, Amo Aero said: I never thought of it that way--9 years--astounding! Given the same pace of development, by now we could have had flying cars and Starbucks on Mars! It never ceases to amaze me at what they achieved in the 1950's. It was a staggering era for aviation, particularly in Britain and the USA, but I was probably because so many people were willing to risk their lives in the pursuit of progress. We could have have inter-continental ballistic airliners rather than missiles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 My favourite Aircraft by miles, one of my favourite memories was seeing one on display at FAAM when I was about seven, this beautiful Aircraft is what inspired me to take up the hobby. Great build of such a great Aircraft. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 Lovely job on this old girl Ratch, one that sadly, I've never found one at a price I can afford at the time. One day? Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amo Aero Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 On 5/19/2018 at 4:34 AM, Gorby said: It never ceases to amaze me at what they achieved in the 1950's. It was a staggering era for aviation, particularly in Britain and the USA, but I was probably because so many people were willing to risk their lives in the pursuit of progress. We could have have inter-continental ballistic airliners rather than missiles. Yes, you are absolutely right, and it was done by very smart people using slide rules. Raw human brainpower painstakingly melding poorly understood aerodynamics with new materials and untested structures to create new aircraft unlike any that had gone before. Then a brave pilot had to put his life on the line to see if the engineers got it right. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 Very nice Delta! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted May 21, 2018 Share Posted May 21, 2018 Wonderful build of a classic! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 21, 2018 Author Share Posted May 21, 2018 Thank you all for your generous comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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