Saunders-Roe SR.A-1

History

During World War II (1939-1945), the airship proved itself in combat service. Before the conflict, it was a focal point for passengers, with many top airlines displaying various varieties under striking names to arouse interest. These typically large platforms have inherent ship-like characteristics, can land in open water, and never require the services of a prepared airstrip. Their military counterparts are similar in form but very different in function - they can spend hours roaming contested areas in pursuit of enemy warships and submarines. These designs were reliable handlers on sometimes turbulent oceans and demonstrated the long-term endurance required for combat service in thousands of miles of vast ocean space - especially in the Pacific theater of war against Imperial Japan.

Despite the obvious advantages, wartime militaries rarely emphasized the development of "airship fighters," relying instead on carrier-based fighter types and land-based fighters that allowed territorial gains.

Other challenges lie in transforming these large (and sometimes large) propeller-driven aircraft into a more useful and compact fighter form. Performance has always been a key limiting factor for water-based aircraft, and so was the shock of the Aral Sea - mechanical components and metal casings exposed to the air are easily damaged.

TG263 then completed several maneuvering test flights on and off the water. It has been found to provide strong performance and good handling characteristics. It soon became apparent, however, that a consistent problem with the controls was an aviation phenomenon known as "Dutch roll" - an unintended movement of the aircraft that causes it to sway from side to side through a tail-wagging motion side.

This prompted engineers to design and install a tapered "ball" fairing halfway down the leading edge of the vertical tail to counteract this. In another test flight, both of the pilot's engines failed, forcing the plane into a rather erratic - although both the pilot and the plane were successful - incapable of landing.

Bad weather then delayed further testing for a short time.

The second prototype - TG267 - has finally come to advance SARO's testing phase. The first flight was recorded on April 30, 1948, but the airframe was in limited service. Another aeronautical phenomenon encountered led to the use of revised wing sections that further improved control.

However, the program suffered a severe and fatal setback on September 17, 1949, when TG267 was lost during an exercise (killing its test pilot).

The third and final prototype of the series became the TG271. The airframe was equipped with more powerful beryl turbojets for better performance. The first flight was recorded on August 17, 1948, and later drew crowds over Farnborough during the classic British Airshow in September. It was this airframe that managed to record a top speed of 624 mph during diving tests.

Unfortunately, the TG271 was also lost when the fuselage was punctured by something in the water on landing, causing it to burst, enter the water and sink. The pilot managed to escape, but the plane was completely lost.

With only the TG2??63 left, testing continued into the early 1950s, although the RAF had much less interest - especially with the rise of improved land-based and airborne fighter forms, As well as the continued development of turbofan propulsion systems. The program was eventually written off and did not continue beyond three contract airframes. The era of focus on airship hunters never gave way to more advanced jet-swept wing concepts popping up around the world.

Even the beryl engine was eventually jettisoned by Armstrong Siddeley in 1948, essentially destroying the propulsion system the SARO aircraft relied on. For an already exaggerated project, moving to another power plant would prove costly and complicated.

No British Army ordered the SARO SR for this. The A/1, as a production-quality form, ended the tenure of a deep-body jet fighter that could take off and land on water.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes