This is my model of a most rare beast-- a jet-powered flying boat fighter
( flying boat ==> main hull immersed- as opposed to a seaplane on floats)
- Image from Wikipedia
This aircraft was known colloquially as the "Squirt"
-its somewhat ungainly appearance belied its formidable performance of top speed of over 500 mph ( 512 mph (445 knots, 824 km/h )
Below is a history outline -- ...
abridged from Wikipedia )
The SR./A.1 was directly inspired by the successes experienced by the IJN with seaplane fighters.
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 end of the war in the Pacific made the SR A1 superflous --as there was as no useful war theatre for its unique capability
With the end of the war and Saunders-Roe concentrating its efforts on their Saunders-Roe Princess,a very large long range civilian flying boat project, construction slipped behind.
( see my 1/500 model here )
http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/mi ... umann.html
The first prototype flew on 16 July 1947,[4] and while it and its two sisters proved to have good performance and handling - Tyson made a demonstration of aerobatics and inverted flight at the 1948 SBAC Display -, the need for such aircraft had completely evaporated with the end of the war.
Furthermore, the success of the aircraft carrier in the Pacific had demonstrated a far more effective way to project airpower over the oceans though Saunders-Roe argued that carriers and their escorts were still very vulnerable to aircraft or other vessels.
An automatic mooring system was incorporated so the pilot could moor the aircraft without external aid or leaving the cockpit.
The project was suspended and the prototype put into store in 1950, but was briefly resurrected in November 1950 owing to the outbreak of the Korean War, before realisation of its obsolescence compared with land-based fighters . the prototype last flying in June 1951.
One of TG263 turbojets was used to power Donald Campbell's K7 Bluebird hydroplane in his record breaking attempts on Lake Coniston.
The two SR./A.1 prototypes were fitted with the first two production Martin-Baker ejection seats built.
The sole surviving example is displayed in the Southampton Hall of Aviation -- hence my interest and and I have long a fascination with this brave attempt of a new concept.
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I was given this all metal 1/200 kit ( Shed models ) for Christmas 3 years ago by Katrin (
)
She wisely decided that 1/200 was more my size --than the 1/72 version of the now-hard-to-find Planet Models short run kit
It matured in the stash until earlier this year...
Being a metal casting - construction is minimal aside from seam filling and sanding casting bumps. I drilled out the jet nozzles and thinned the trailing edges a bit--
added wing end lights and other small bits
The chunky fat wing cord is correct to the real thing !
I added the distinctive slatted grille ( 1/700 PE funnel grate cut about! ) in the fwd air-intake- which was surprisingly tricky to install
The proprietor of Shed models supplied - 3 years later!! - a second set of decals--most commendably- Free of charge--as the originals set was in-complete in the box
Am I now aircraft modeller..-.? -nope ! -- but I do like flying boats --and especially in small scales displayed in their element
I hope you like this most unusual aircraft!
very interesting....
there is a whole world of 1/200 aircraft models out there...
http://www.planetdiecast.com/index.php? ... temid=2435
there is quite a selection of interesting aircraft from Shed models
http://www.aim72.co.uk/page91.html