The P. 1048, a British interceptor aircraft project developed in 1946, aimed to swiftly intercept enemy bombers with its high-speed capabilities. Although similar in concept to World War II-era aircraft like the German Me 262 and British Gloucester Meteor, the P. 1048 never progressed beyond the drawing board. It was intended to be armed with two 30mm ADEN automatic cannons in the nose and powered by Rolls-Royce AJ. 65 "Avon" turbojet engines, offering rapid acceleration and high-speed flight.
With a length of 41 feet and a wingspan of 39.5 feet, the P. 1048 featured an external design reminiscent of the Me 262, with a sleek, streamlined nose and a cockpit positioned aft of the tail. The aircraft's modern tricycle landing gear and single-wing spoiler contributed to its aerodynamic efficiency. Additionally, the pod-mounted turbojet engines allowed for easy access and replacement, enhancing maintenance capabilities.
Although initially planned to carry only twin-gun weapons, it was anticipated that the P. 1048 could potentially be armed with air-to-air missiles and bombs. However, these plans were never realized, and the aircraft's performance details remain speculative, as they are based on estimates by the authors. Ultimately, the P. 1048 project remained an intriguing concept in military aviation history, never seeing active service.
Year of Service: 1946
Origins: UK
Status: Development ended.
Crew: 1
Manufacturer: Hawker Aircraft UK
Operators: UK
Air-to-air combat, fighter: The general ability to actively attack other aircraft of similar form and function, usually using guns, missiles and/or airborne missiles.
Intercept: The ability to intercept incoming airborne threats with high performance, usually speed and rate of climb.
X-Plane (development, prototype, tech demo): Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.
Multi-engine: Include two or more engines to improve survivability and/or performance.
High-speed performance: Can accelerate to higher speeds than the average aircraft at the time.
High performance: The ability to fly and operate at higher altitudes than the average aircraft of the day.
Pilot/crew ejection system: Auxiliary procedures to allow pilot and/or crew ejection in the event of an air emergency.
Depression in crew members: Support the pressurization required for crew survival at higher operating altitudes.
Closed crew room: There are partially or fully enclosed crew work areas.
Scalable: Has retractable/retractable landing gear to maintain aerodynamic efficiency.
Length: 41.0 feet (12.50 m)
Width/span: 39.5 feet (12.05 m)
Height: 11.7 feet (3.56 m)
Cured weight: 8,818 lbs (4,000 kg)
MTOW: 16,535 lbs (7,500 kg)
Monoplane: Designed to use a single main wing main aircraft; this is the most popular arrangement of main aircraft.
Install low: The main aircraft is mounted low on the side of the fuselage.
Straight: Floor plans involve the use of simple, straight main plan elements.
Installed: 2 x Rolls Royce AJ. 65 Avon turbojets, each producing 6,500 pounds of thrust (estimated).
Maximum speed: 621 km/h (1,000 km/h | 540 kn)
Cruising speed: 497 km/h (800 km/h | 432 kn)
Maximum speed difference: +124 km/h (+200 km/h | 108 kn)
Maximum: 39,370 feet (12,000 m | 7 km)
Area: 699 km (1,125 km | 2,083 nautical miles)
Rate of climb: 4,200 ft/min (1,280 m/min)