raf cosford Archives - Page 8 of 15

V2 Missile

This V2 missile was on display at RAF Cosford.

It is one of several rockets prepared by the British with support from German troops during Operation Backfire. It so happened that this rocket was not launched during the Backfire tests. Operation Backfire was a military scientific operation during and after the Second World War that was performed mainly by British staff. The operation was designed to completely evaluate the entire V-2 rocket assembly, interrogate German personnel specialised in all phases of it and then to test and launch missiles across the North Sea.

The V2 was the world’s first long range guided ballistic missile. he missile, powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine, was developed during the Second World War in Germany as a “vengeance weapon”, assigned to attack Allied cities as retaliation for the Allied bombings against German cities.

Avro Vulcan

The Avro Vulcan is a jet-powered tailless delta wing high-altitude strategic bomber, which was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1956 until 1984.

XM598 is at RAF Cosford. Completed on 30 August 1963, it was delivered to 12 Squadron at RAF Coningsby on 4 September. Was the originally designated bombing aircraft for Black Buck 1, but which had to turn back minutes into the flight. Withdrawn with disbandment of 44 Squadron, the last bomber unit, on 21 December 1982. Performed its last flight on 20 January 1983, being delivered to Aerospace Museum Cosford

XJ824 is on display at Duxford.

Handley Page Victor XH672

The Handley Page Victor is a British jet-powered strategic bomber which was developed and produced by Handley Page, and which served during the Cold War. It was the third and final V bomber to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the other two being the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. The Victor had been developed as part of the United Kingdom’s airborne nuclear deterrent. It was retired from the nuclear mission in 1968, following the discovery of fatigue cracks which had been exacerbated by the RAF’s adoption of a low-altitude flight profile to avoid interception.

Handley Page Victor XH672 is on display at RAF Cosford.

Handley Page Victor XH648 is being restored at Duxford.

SEPECAT Jaguar ACT

The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role.

A single Jaguar was converted into the Jaguar Active Control Technology (ACT) with fly-by-wire controls and aerodynamic alterations to the airframe; the aerodynamic instability improved manoeuvrability and the test data was used in the development of the Eurofighter. That plane is now on show at RAF Cosford.

British Aerospace EAP

The British Aerospace EAP (standing for Experimental Aircraft Programme) was a British technology demonstrator aircraft developed by aviation company British Aerospace (BAe) as a private venture.

It was designed to research technologies to be used for a future European combat aircraft, and eventually formed the basis for the multinational Eurofighter Typhoon.

It is now on display at RAF Cosford.

Sopwith Pup

The Sopwith Pup is a British single-seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good manoeuvrability, the aircraft proved very successful and was regarded by many pilots at the perfect flying machine.

This Pup was at RAF Cosford. Built in 1916 and flew on the Western Front. It was extensively rebuilt this plane was recovered from France around 1960.

It last flew in 1976.

Many thought the name “Pup” was undignified and wanted the aircraft to be referred to as the Sopwith Scout, which did more than anything else to ensure the name Pup was used.

Vickers Valiant

The Vickers Valiant was a British high-altitude jet bomber designed to carry nuclear weapons, and in the 1950s and 1960s was part of the Royal Air Force’s “V bomber” strategic deterrent force. It was developed by Vickers-Armstrongs in response to a specification issued by the Air Ministry for a nuclear-armed jet-powered bomber. The Valiant was the first of the V bombers to become operational, and was followed by the Handley Page Victor and the Avro Vulcan.

Forward view of preserved Vickers Valiant XD818 at RAF Museum Cosford.

Another similar view.

The Valiant was the only V bomber to have dropped live nuclear weapons (for test purposes).

The Valiant was the first of the V Bombers and to me looks like an aircraft of the 1950s, compared to the much more futuristic look of the Victor.

MiG-15bis

The MiG-15 is a jet fighter aircraft developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich for the Soviet Union. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful jet fighters to incorporate swept wings to achieve high transonic speeds.

This MiG-15bis was on display at RAF Cosford.

In combat over Korea, it outclassed straight-winged jet day fighters, which were largely relegated to ground-attack roles, and quickly countered the similar American swept-wing North American F-86 Sabre.

De Havilland Mosquito

The de Havilland Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. This Mosquito was at RAF Cosford.

Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the “Wooden Wonder”. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito’s use evolved during the war into many roles, including low- to medium-altitude daytime tactical bomber, high-altitude night bomber, pathfinder, day or night fighter, fighter-bomber, intruder, maritime strike, and photo-reconnaissance aircraft. It was also used by the British Overseas Airways Corporation as a fast transport to carry small, high-value cargo to and from neutral countries through enemy-controlled airspace.

Messerschmitt Me 262

This Messerschmitt Me 262 was on display at RAF Cosford.

The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the world’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but problems with engines, metallurgy and top-level interference kept the aircraft from operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944.

The Me 262 was faster and more heavily armed than any Allied fighter, including the British jet-powered Gloster Meteor.

The Me262 was the only jet fighter to see air-to-air combat in World War Two and its appearance was a great shock to the Allies. It was a significantly more advanced design than its British contemporary and many of its aerodynamic secrets were eagerly incorporated in later post-war combat aircraft.