Saunders-Roe SR.A/1
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| Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 | ||
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| Description | ||
| Role | Flying-boat fighter | |
| Crew | one, pilot | |
| First Flight | July 15, 1947 | |
| Manufacturer | Saunders-Roe | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 50 ft | 14.24 m |
| Wingspan | 46 ft | 14.02 m |
| Height | 16 ft 9 in | 5.11 m |
| Wing area | 415 ft² | 38.6 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 11,262 lb | 5,108 kg |
| Loaded | 16,225 lb | 7,360 kg |
| Maximum takeoff | 19,033 lb | 8,633 kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | 2 x Metropolitan-Vickers Beryl MVB.1 turbojets | |
| Thrust | 6,460 lbf | 28.8 kN |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 512 mph | 824 km/h |
| Range | 1,200 miles | 1,920 km |
| Service ceiling | ||
| Rate of climb | 5,800 ft/min | 1,768 m/min |
| Wing loading | 39 lb/ft² | 190 kg/m² |
| Thrust/weight | 0.40 lbf/lb (4.0 kN/kg) | |
| Avionics | ||
| Armament (intended) prototypes unarmed | ||
| Guns | 4x 20 mm Hispano Mk 5 | |
| Stores | 2x 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs or 16x 120 lb (55 kg) rockets | |
The Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 was a prototype fighter aircraft tested by the Royal Air Force shortly after World War II. It is unique in being the only jet-powered flying boat fighter ever flown.
The SR.A/1 was directly inspired by the (modest) successes experienced by the Imperial Japanese Navy with seaplane fighters such as the Nakajima A6M2-N (an adaptation of the Mitsubishi Zero) and the Kawanishi N1K. In theory, seaplanes were ideally suited to conditions in the Pacific theatre, and could turn any relatively calm area of coast into an airbase. Their main disadvantage came from the way in which the bulk of their floatation gear penalised their performance compared to other fighters. Saunders-Roe realised that the new turbojet engine presented an opportunity to overcome this drawback. Not requiring clearance for a propeller, the fuselage could sit lower in the water and utilise a flying boat-type hull. The company approached the Air Ministry with the idea, which led to specification E.6/44 and an accompanying development contract for three prototypes in May 1944.
The first prototype flew on July 15 1947, and while it and its two sisters proved to have good performance and handling, the need for such aircraft had completely evaporated with the end of the war. Furthermore, the success of the US Navy's carriers in the Pacific had demonstrated a far more effective way to project airpower over the oceans. The project was finally abandoned in May 1951.
The first prototype has been preserved, and is on display at the Southampton Hall of Aviation. Both other aircraft were lost in accidents during the flight test programme.
| Related content | |
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| Similar aircraft | F2Y Sea Dart |
| Related lists | List of aircraft of the RAF - List of fighter aircraft - List of flying boats |
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