Bristol 188
The Bristol Type 188 is a British twin-engine aircraft with jet engines, which was developed for research in the speed range between Mach 2 and 3.
History of development
To study the speed of over Mach 2, a specification Experimental Requirement was issued 134, which called for an aircraft that could start from the ground independently in 1952. With this aircraft wanted to explore the anticipated problems of the heating of aircraft by the high air friction in this speed range. Several companies were interested in this advanced alert, which was awarded in February 1953, the company Bristol with the contract number 6/Acft/10144.
The company Bristol gave the design the number 188, it was the first aircraft of the company, which had a jet drive, at the same time it should be the last aircraft in the company's history. Three aircraft were under the contract: No built KC/2M/04/CB.42 ( b ) of 4 January 1954. A machine was brought In May 1960, for structural testing to Farnborough, but never flew. The other two aircraft ( c / n 13518 - XF923 and c / n 13519 - XF926 ) were used for test flights. Three other aircraft were planned: XK429, XK434 and XK436, but later canceled. The first roll-out of the XF932 on April 16 1961. However, the first flight was delayed due to technical problems (among other things to the engine air intakes ). With test pilot Godfrey L. Auty at the wheel of the machine XF932 lifted then from April 14, 1962.
Technology
In order to withstand the heat and pressures, the outer skin of the aircraft stainless and high-strength steel was manufactured and not painted. In the processing of the steel with the argon arc welding technology, there were problems that led to delays in the construction of airplanes. The company W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft supported Bristol here. The design was originally supposed to get two Rolls- Royce RA.24R as a drive. We then decided, however, for two Bristol- Siddeley Gyron DGJ10R ( under license of the same engine de Havilland ) with 44.52 kN ( 4540 kgf ) Normal thrust and 62.27 kN ( 6350 kgf ) thrust with afterburner.
Research flights
The machine was first introduced to the public in September 1962 with the Society of British Aircraft Companies in Farnborough, where they attracted great attention and thereby got the nickname " Flaming Pencil " ( Flaming pencil). The first flight of the second machine ( c / n 13519 - XF926 ) was carried out on 29 April 1963 The dimensions and the high fuel consumption of the engines meant that the intended top speed has not been reached, as 70 % of the kerosene was already consumed until the. provided flight altitude has been reached. It only came to flight times from one half hour to a maximum of 48 min ( flight subsonic ). 1.88 was reached in altitude of 11,000 m Shortly before setting the research program in 1964 with the XF926 a top speed of Mach.
Whereabouts
The Bristol Type 188 XF926 can still be seen in the Aerospace Museum RAF Cosford in Wolverhampton today.