British Aircraft Corporation TSR.2 (XR220) [@ RAF Cosford]

"All modern aircraft have four dimensions: span, length, height and politics. TSR.2 simply got the first three right."  Sir Sydney Camm

Although never developed beyond the prototype stage, the British Aircraft Corporation TSR.2 was one of the most exciting and controversial British combat aircraft designs. The cancellation of the project is a subject of great debate to this day. The TSR.2 was the last UK independent large bomber aircraft ending the heritage of the Lancaster, Canberra and V bombers (Valiant, Vulcan and Victor). The project brought together key elements of the British aircraft industry for a cutting edge requirement that kept us in the league of high capability and technology. These elements are the airframe, engine and avionics. Not to mention undercarriage and other on-board systems.

During the mid 1950s, the increasing sophistication of air defence systems led the RAF to consider the procurement of a high speed, low-level strike and reconnaissance aircraft to replace the English Electric Canberra, regarded as the TSR.1. In October 1957, the Ministry of Supply released the first specification for such an aircraft.  On 1^st January 1959 the Ministry of Supply announced a design had been selected for production. Christened the TSR.2 (Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance Mach 2), this aircraft was developed by a joint design team. A contract for eleven TSR2 prototypes was concluded on 6^th October 1960, the first (XR219) made its maiden flight from Boscombe Down on 27^th September 1964. By 31^st March 1965 XR219 had completed twenty-four flights and a second, XR220, was to join the programme. Initial reports indicated that the TSR.2 was an outstanding technical success.

British Aircraft Corporation TSR2 (XR222) [@ RAF Duxford]

However, political opposition to the project led to it being scrapped on 6^th April 1965 as a budget cut back by Labour Chancellor Dennis Healey and the jigs and most airframes were destroyed immediately. RAF Cosford [XR220] and RAF Duxford [XR222] museums have the last TSR.2s but neither of them ever flew.

The main competitor was the US General Dynamics F.111. A number of key TSR.2 technicians ended up working on the F.111 programme after the closure of the TSR.2 project. Another competitor was the Blackburn Buccaneer as elements in the government favoured the aircraft, mainly from their Naval background prejudices or Treasury cost cutting. An order for the F.111 was subsequently cancelled at great expense due to escalating costs and technical problems. The Phantom was ordered instead and the Anglo-French Jaguar bomber was developed and purchased.

When the Tornado entered service it was still slightly less capable than the TSR.2 had been projected to be a full fifteen years earlier. Given that the TSR.2 was entirely British made (bar some electronics) and the Tornado required the cooperation of three countries it says a great deal about how good the TSR.2 project and British aircraft industry was!