NEW BRITISH FIGHTER

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28008, 30 June 1956, Page 9

NEW BRITISH FIGHTER

Double Sonic Speed, Vertical Climb (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, June 28. A fighter aircraft capable of twice the speed of sound and able to climb vertically at 350 miles an hour may be part of “tomorrow’s” pattern of outer air defence, states the Society of British Aircraft Constructors. These aircraft would be powered by turbo-jet and rocket engines and armed with missiles which “lock on” to enemy bombers at a range of several miles. Thev would be supplemented by ground-launched guided weapons over home territory. The society says the British aircraft industry is developing aircraft and engines to meet these requirements. Although security prevents the disclosure of many details, it has already been announced that Saunders Roe and Avro are building mixed powerplant (rocket and jet) fighters and that certain aero-engine manufacturers are developing rocket engines The de Havilland company is to start flight trials soon with the “spectre” rocket and Armstrong Siddeley have produced the “snarler” and “screamer" rocket engines. Guided Missiles Of the euided missiles produced in Britain, details have been released only of the Fairey “fireflash.” When a fighter has “locked on”, to its target by radar, the “fireflash” is released and is self-detonating by means of a proximity fuse. The “fireflash’’ would be delivered to the Royal Air Force in the current financial year. A development of this weapon is a longer range homing missile which transmits impulses, the reflections of which are picked up again and used to direct the missile’s path. The use of infra-red rays as a homing medium is also under development. Parent air. craft need not carry guidance equipment as the missile itself “locks on" to a bomber’s jet efflux regardless of evasive action.