Looks to be not worth the high maintenance that surely goes with it.
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Slap Stick
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I don't want to maintain it. I wanna drive it like I stole it!
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Quite interesting to see a start-up trying to out do the established aircraft makers. Maybe it'll work, they have orders from Virgin and Japan Air Lines. Of course, Virgin filed for bankruptcy this last summer... In 2017, the commercial version "Overture" was supposed to be on the market in six years (2023). In 2018 it was going to be on the market in seven years. Now that they've revealed the XB-1 demonstrator, they say the market version might take nine years before it's certified (but might be built for testing by 2025).
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An early 50's design and the first really large aircraft to break the sound barrier, the Handley Page Victor had different roles throughout it's life. Able to hoist 34-1,000 lb bombs, it was also useful as a high speed aerial refueling station later in it's life, a role that continued up to the 1993 Iraq invasion.
View attachment 1011940
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With production ramping up in 1956, the aircraft was also fitted with various cameras, sensors and radar to be used as a reconnaissance aircraft.
Powered with four Rolls Royce Conway engines, it managed a range of nearly 4600 miles. In its day, it was unmatched for speed, bomb capacity and range.
View attachment 1011940
View attachment 1011932
With production ramping up in 1956, the aircraft was also fitted with various cameras, sensors and radar to be used as a reconnaissance aircraft.
Powered with four Rolls Royce Conway engines, it managed a range of nearly 4600 miles. In its day, it was unmatched for speed, bomb capacity and range.
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Slap Stick
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The Victor was capable of supersonic speeds only in a dive.
The first ones used Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engines and top speed as 625 mph or so.
Later models used the RR engines but still were subsonic with a top speed of 650 mph.
The first ones used Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engines and top speed as 625 mph or so.
Later models used the RR engines but still were subsonic with a top speed of 650 mph.
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Yes, I know that it took a dive to go supersonic, but the airframe could handle it. RR ended up absorbing Armstrong Siddeley in the end anyway. 
Ki-61 at rest at an airfield in Japan. This fighter was used by Japanese Ace chuichi ichikawa who scored 10 kills, 9 of them being B-29′s.
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When you have a driver's License and want to fly
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BV 138 MS Seedrache minesweeping aircraft
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Built in France, the Arsenal VG series was quite fast and agile for it's time. Mostly wooden, it sped along at 347 mph. and handling was good. You don't hear a lot about these fighters. Here's the VG-33.
Not built in great numbers, the design matured into this VG-39 prototype which had extra guns and reached 388 mph. with it's 1,200 hp. engine. The actual production versions would have had 1,600 hp. With German advances, the factories were over-run.
Here's an example repainted and being tested after capture by Germany.
Not built in great numbers, the design matured into this VG-39 prototype which had extra guns and reached 388 mph. with it's 1,200 hp. engine. The actual production versions would have had 1,600 hp. With German advances, the factories were over-run.
Here's an example repainted and being tested after capture by Germany.
Bristol Beaufighter Mk X, NE255/EE-H, of No. 404 Squadron RCAF at RAF Davidstow Moor.
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For an airplane that first flew in 1949, the Avro 707 looks pretty sporty.
Although it looks like it could be, it wasn't a fighter. Not an interceptor either and it was never intended to go into production although five were built, with some differences.
The first one had the air intake on the upper body, but testing showed that the cockpit disrupted airflow into the inlet so the wing roots were used instead.
The reason for this airplane was to research the flying properties of a tail-less delta wing design, as the concept was new. The Avro Vulcan bomber was on the drawing boards and the 707 was built as a 1/3 size test bed to make sure there weren't going to be aerodynamic surprises.
This example remains in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. It's big brother, an Avro Shackleton sits behind it.
Sept. 1953 saw four of these (one of the five had been lost in a crash) along with two Avro Vulcan prototypes showing off at the Farnborough air show.
Although it looks like it could be, it wasn't a fighter. Not an interceptor either and it was never intended to go into production although five were built, with some differences.
The first one had the air intake on the upper body, but testing showed that the cockpit disrupted airflow into the inlet so the wing roots were used instead.
The reason for this airplane was to research the flying properties of a tail-less delta wing design, as the concept was new. The Avro Vulcan bomber was on the drawing boards and the 707 was built as a 1/3 size test bed to make sure there weren't going to be aerodynamic surprises.
This example remains in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. It's big brother, an Avro Shackleton sits behind it.
Sept. 1953 saw four of these (one of the five had been lost in a crash) along with two Avro Vulcan prototypes showing off at the Farnborough air show.
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